When it comes to a career in gaming, Wim Stocks has one of the most incredible journeys in the industry. From being Executive Vice President of Atari, to Executive Vice President of Virgin Gaming, and being in the industry for over 25 years, he has seen the gaming world come a long way.

In this episode of the DLC Drop Podcast, Wim shares some of his most beloved highlights of his career from negotiating a deal with Richard Branson to learning about gambling within the world of gaming, and what it means to create meaningful and important partnerships.

He also talks about his most recent venture, and why he’s so excited to help bring this concept across the US.

To learn more about Belong Gaming & Vindex, visit https://belong-us.gg/

To follow John on Twitter: https://twitter.com/J0hnDavids0n

Full Episode Breakdown:

2:12 – Why Wim values events so much, and how those partnerships has been everything for the businesses he’s been involved in.

3:40 – Wim takes us on a journey of his amazing career in gaming and esports.

10:16 – How did the transition from GT Interactive help Wim to transition over to esports, and how two young nerds helped to bring an entirely new perspective and business opportunity to Wim.

16:00 – How interest from Richard Branson ended up changing everything for their company.

19:51 – Why hitting some obstacles with sponsorship opportunities eventually led them to buying back the license from Virgin.

21:48 – What is it like to sit in a room with someone like Richard Branson and negotiate a contract for your company, Wim shares the whole experience.

25:04 – Why the younger generation can add so much value to those businesses learning to get involved in the world of esports and gaming.

26:17 – Since John and Wim were part of great partnerships, Wim discusses what makes a great partnership, and why mutual value is so important.

30:16 – Why recognizing a partnership going off the rails is important too.

32:53 – Wim discusses his latest opportunity, and why he was so excited to join this company.

38:90 – Why localization is becoming a more important play in the world of esports and gaming, and why it’s such an important move for specific companies looking for brand sponsorships.

43:48 – Why local arenas can benefit the pro leagues, and the players who are aspiring to be there.