In this episode of Story Mode, Francisco Furtado and James Burford, co-founders of Dash Games, share their experience building games across pc, console, and mobile for a combined 35 years. And how they are applying that expertise to the new challenge of creating a new genre of Match 3 in a seemingly crowded space.

Francisco's background in puzzle games and James's expertise in PvP gameplay converge as they embark on creating a PvP match-three puzzle game. They discuss the challenges of making a luck-based game competitive, emphasizing the importance of culture, collaboration, and innovation in game development. The co-founders also delve into their unique approach to distribution and user acquisition, focusing on how to appeal to a niche audience while maximizing social engagement and customization with unique features and gameplay. 

About James and Francisco

Combined James Burford, CEO of Dash Games, and Francisco Furtado, COO of Dash Games, have over 35 years of gaming experience across console, PC, and mobile. They’ve worked at amazing companies including: Playtika, King, Miniclip, and Gamesys. Both James and Francisco were pivotal in standing up and leading Playtika’s London Studio.

In this episode, you'll learn:

00:40 - Quick summaries of James’ and Francisco’s careers in gaming

02:32 - Why James and Francisco decided to found Dash Games and the PvP Match 3 Opportunity.

04:47 - The learnings from King, Playtika, and Miniclip that James and Francisco are applying to Dash Games. 

07:55 - How Dash Games looks at recruiting talent and building a culture to retain the team.

10:10 - A sneak peak at the PvP Match game that Dash Games is building.

14:16 - How the marketing and UA landscape has informed Dash Games’ decisions and the features they are building to promote virality. 

16:06 - How Dash Games thinks about finding the right player audience despite the decreasing power of ad targeting in the industry.

18:53 - Lessons and advice from Dash Game’s funding round with Sisu Game Ventures and how resilience, drive, and human interaction matters the most.

22:58 - What James and Francisco are looking forward to in the gaming industry.