For an artist, a creator, the connection between his creation and the user is everything. Books, movies, and songs can establish a deep relationship with their audiences, and still, perhaps none of them gets close to the link between a gamer with a controller in their hands and a video game. To Jamie King, video games reach this level of connection because they offer users unlimited possibilities to experience and play in a way they can’t in real life.
Jamie King is the VP of Marketing at Solace Lifesciences, Inc, and Former Head of Esports, EVP at Engine Shop. He has a vast and incredible background in the gaming industry; he was Chief Creative Officer at 4MM Games LLC and Co-Founder & Vp of Development at Rockstar Games.
On this episode, John and Jamie have a fantastic conversation from almost every angle possible of the gaming industry. They talk about how brands and sponsors should approach the industry, the pros and cons of treating gaming and esports as entertainment, and the difference between new and traditional esports marketing strategies. Jamie shares his experiences at Rockstar, how it started, and the process of creating games for adults, the impact Grand Theft Auto has at the beginning, and much more.
You can connect with Jamie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieking/
Some resources mentioned:
Twitch Rivals: https://www.twitch.tv/twitchrivals?lang=es
eMLS: https://www.mlssoccer.com/emls/#best-moments-2021-emls-all-star-challenge-presented-by-mcdonald-s
You can support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: https://www.lls.org/
Full Episode Breakdown:
2:06 – John and Jamie remember how they first met at the First Overwatch Homestyle in Dallas.
7:03 – Jamie describes his relationship with Geoff Moore from Team Envy and how much he learned from him.
11:06 – John and Jamie talk about what it means to be a content creator nowadays in the gaming industry and the difference between new and traditional esports marketing strategies.
15:31 – Jamie talks about what he believes esports can learn from traditional sports marketing.
20:51 – John and Jamie talk about the massive influence of competitive gaming, regardless of if it is considered a sport or not.
22:39 – Jamie talks a bit about how Rockstar Games started.
27:03 – Jamie describes how it was the process of creating games for adults, using the influence of years of consuming Hollywood movies.
32:05 – Games like Roblox and Minecraft changed how kids connect, and that change deepened during the pandemic.
37:13 – John and Jamie talk about the cancel culture and the importance of approaching gaming as an entertainment industry.
42:58 – Jamie shares a few of his activities at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
44:58 – Jamie explains how gaming and being connected online with other kids saved the lives of many kids living in isolation way before the pandemic.
