Scopely: Play & the Learning Machine (Walter Driver, Moritz Baier-Lentz, Hemal Thaker)
Engaging, retaining play is an art and a science. That’s why Scopely, a mobile-first video game developer and publisher with increasing cross-platform ambitions, creates an environment for its employees where people feel comfortable to innovate beyond preconceived notions—all in the spirit of creating emotionally significant moments for its players.
In this episode, co-hosts Moritz Baier-Lentz and Hemal Thaker speak with Walter Driver, the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Scopely. Walter shares how seeing the culture of building games at Scopely as not unlike a game itself has led to the creation of a “learning machine.” The three also explore how Scopely focuses on building interactive experiences for longevity, the company’s recent acquisition of Niantic, and why his background in literature and creative writing remains essential to Walter’s work.
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43:26
Xbox: Play & the Power of Anywhere (Sarah Bond, Moritz Baier-Lentz, Hemal Thaker)
Most gamers used to identify first and foremost with the console they played on—i.e., “I’m a PC gamer,” or “I only play on Xbox.” But increasingly, the rise of cross-platform gaming puts the player—not their device of choice—at the center of the experience. Allowing gaming experiences to enchant their players at any time, and anywhere.
In this episode, co-hosts Moritz Baier-Lentz and Hemal Thaker talk with Sarah Bond, the President of Xbox at Microsoft, arguably the world’s largest gaming platform with over 500 million monthly active players. Sarah speaks about the importance of play as being key for taking risks and learning, and for developing one’s sense of self and resilience. The three also explore what Sarah calls the “power of anywhere”, how AI can enhance the player experience, and how Microsoft’s fabled history as a top company for its 50-year history will inform its future endeavors.
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38:34
Roblox: Play & the AI Revolution (David Baszucki, Moritz Baier-Lentz, Hemal Thaker)
Video games have seen and even catalyzed innumerable technological advances in the past decades, from decision trees, GPUs, and distributed multiplayer experiences to mobile screens and extended reality, cross-platform play, digital distribution, live services, user-generated content, and—most recently—artificial intelligence. But what if we were still only in the “Stone Age of gaming,” especially when coupled with new generative media capabilities?
In this inaugural episode, co-hosts Moritz Baier-Lentz and Hemal Thaker sit down with David Baszucki, the Co-Founder and CEO of Roblox, the pioneer of player-created interactive experiences—also known as user-generated content (UGC). David talks about how the vision for the platform originated from an educational physics simulation engine, and Roblox’s evolution from a niche platform to a leading innovative ecosystem in the gaming and creation world. The three also discuss the role of UGC on the platform, how safety and civility factor into game design, and where David is placing his bets on AI.
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41:53
Game Theory: How Play Is Changing Everything (Moritz Baier-Lentz)
Game Theory, a new video podcast from Lightspeed and Goldman Sachs, in partnership with McKinsey, takes a look behind the curtain of the industry-defining gaming & technology companies—and explores how play is changing everything.
Featuring insights and untold stories from Founders, CEOs, and Presidents—including David Baszucki (Roblox), Sarah Bond (Microsoft Xbox), Strauss Zelnick (Take-Two Interactive), Matt Bromberg (Unity), and more—the series dives into how play has shaped consumer behavior and technological innovation for decades. In a candid format, each episode explores a different dimension of play and how it has influenced the guests’ personal and professional lives.
Game Theory is co-hosted by Moritz Baier-Lentz, Partner at Lightspeed, and Hemal Thaker, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs. Subscribe to the show on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, or visit www.lsvp.com/gametheory for more episodes on Wednesday, June 4th.
Game Theory, a new video podcast from Lightspeed and Goldman Sachs, in partnership with McKinsey, takes a look behind the curtain of the industry-defining gaming & interactive technology companies—and explores how play is changing everything.
Featuring insights and untold stories from Founders, CEOs & Presidents—including David Baszucki (Roblox), Sarah Bond (Microsoft Xbox), Strauss Zelnick (Take-Two Interactive), Matt Bromberg (Unity), and more—the series dives into how play has shaped consumer behavior and technological innovation for decades. In a candid format, each episode explores a different dimension of play, and how it has influenced the guest's personal and professional lives.
Game Theory is co-hosted by Moritz Baier-Lentz, Partner at Lightspeed, and Hemal Thaker, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs.
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