The DeanBeat: GamesBeat 2015 put the spotlight on two kings of mobile

We had a wonderful GamesBeat 2015 conference with 116 speakers and moderators who showed us the breadth of gaming. I thoroughly enjoyed many of the speeches, fireside chats, and panels over two full days of programming based on our Game of Thrones theme. But a couple of talks stuck in my head the most. Two of our first speakers showed us the very different paths that leaders can take once they’ve scored a big hit in the $30 billion mobile game market.

Niccolo De Masi, chief executive of Glu Mobile, talked about a portfolio strategy to making hit games, even in the wake of the company’s phenomenal celebrity title, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. He was followed by our mystery speaker, Gabe Leydon, CEO of Machine Zone, maker of the No. 1 top-grossing mobile title Game of War: Fire Age. They’ve both got big hits, but they’re taking very different approaches to how they’re using the resources that those hits are producing.