Interview

PGC Seattle Speaker Spotlight: Funplus' Graham Gockley to discuss acquisition strategies

Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle 2019 will take place on May 13th to 14th

PGC Seattle Speaker Spotlight: Funplus' Graham Gockley to discuss acquisition strategies

Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle 2019 will take place on May 13th to 14th. To give you a taste of what to expect, we'll regularly be publishing interviews with the speakers at the show.

For more details on PGC Seattle and to book a ticket, head to the website here.

Today we're speaking with Funplus director of corporate venture Graham Gockley, who'll be taking the stage in Seattle this month to talk about consolidations and acquisition strategies.

PocketGamer.biz: Could you tell us a bit about the company?

Graham Gockley: FunPlus is a global leader in gaming and interactive entertainment with dual headquarters in the US and China and more than 700 employees working across eight offices worldwide.

What does your role entail?

I’m working on early and growth stage investments in gaming, esports and digital media for FunPlus. We are actively looking to expand our portfolio, which includes Cloud9, Bonfire Studios, thatgamecompany, Kings Group, Omlet Arcade, Next Entertainment and Bunch

Why did you want to work in the games industry?

Games reside at the unique intersection of technology, entertainment and social experiences. No other industry innovates as quickly or has as many talented creators.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?

This is a massive and diverse industry, so first you should figure out what part is the best fit for your career goals. N

ext, reach out to as many people as possible to learn more about the real day-to-day work and seek opportunities with teams that your respect.

What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?

Mobile continues to scale and players mature/gravitate to more complex meta-game features; triple-A will shift more towards F2P / games-as-a-service models.

What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?

Asia, especially Southeast Asia, will continue to grow and surpass expectations; streaming will be an interesting experiment but fail without the tentpole content or demand from the casual audience.

How has the games industry changed since you first started?

Bigger budgets, more specialised teams win.

Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?

Networking and meeting new talented teams!

Find out more about Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle 2019 on the website.