How to Start a Mobile Studio, with Travis Boatman

Playmakers - The Game Industry Podcast

In this episode:

Jordan interviews Travis Boatman, CEO and co-founder of Carbonated, a mobile game studio based in LA. Travis is a 25-year veteran of the game industry, with over 20 years of experience in mobile games. He has previously served as SVP of Mobile at Zynga and Electronic Arts (EA), where he led global studios and mobile game strategy. Travis discusses his entrepreneurial journey, the pillars of a successful studio, and his approach to building games in a rapidly evolving market.

Topics covered:

• Travis’s journey from producer to Senior VP and eventually founding his own studio
• The three essential pillars of the game industry
• How to follow customer feedback toward success
• How the game industry is similar to stand up comedy
• The importance of embracing new technologies continuously
• What sets successful LiveOps games apart from others

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• Visit www.playmakerspodcast.com for the full blog post and more!

Timestamps:

[03:02] Travis’ journey from game producer to running Carbonated

[06:15] The three pillars of the game industry

[10:42] How technology drives game mechanics and innovation

[13:38] Why staying updated on technology trends is crucial for long-term success

[15:18] Starting Carbonated and the role of a strong technical co-founder

[24:39] The impact of mobile on high-quality games like Call of Duty and Fortnite

[27:27] Strategies for building a two-product studio and managing team morale

[33:38] Understanding player feedback through platforms like Reddit and Discord

[37:00] Why trying to appeal to everyone in game design often leads to failure

[38:35] Travis’ thoughts on keeping focus in game development

Resources & media mentioned in this episode:

Connect with Travis Boatman:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Learn more about Carbonated:

• Website
• Twitter
• Discord
• Facebook

Games & companies mentioned:

• Zynga
• Electronic Arts (EA)
• Unity
• Unreal Engine
• Call of Duty Mobile (Activision)
• Fortnite (Epic Games)
• Genshin Impact (HoYoverse)
• PUBG Mobile (Krafton/Tencent)
• Free Fire (Garena)
• Candy Crush (King)