On this episode of Story Mode with Sanlo, where we talk to gaming founders and executives about the gaming industry, Olya speaks with Kristian Segerstrale, CEO at Super Evil Megacorp. They discuss today's video games industry and what it takes today to start a new studio or gaming business.

They cover a wide range of topics including:

• Kristian's start in gaming and lessons he learned from founding Play Fish, selling to EA, and starting Initial Capital where he invested in Supercell.

• The current robust opportunity to experiment with different business models

• Moving from the "platform era" in gaming to the "account era," a player-centric approach where the game is the focus opposed to the platform or device.

• Advice on navigating the cyclical tough times and down markets in gaming and the importance of making tough decisions with confidence.

• The importance of designing and building a company culture and embracing taking risks when making games.

About Kristian

Kristian Segerstrale is a prominent figure in the video game industry, known for his work in gaming - as a founder, operator and investor. He co-founded Glu Mobile and Playfish in 2007, both which were acquired by Macrospace and EA respectively. In 2010 he co-founded Initial Capital - an early-stage VC that focuses on technology companies with a focus on tech and games and was a seed investor in Supercell in 2010. In 2014 he joined Super Evil Megacorp, where he became CEO in 2017.