In this episode of the ByteAction Podcast, we sit down with Christian Gascons, COO and co-founder of Games for a Living (GFAL), to explore the journey of building sustainable gaming studio, their upcoming launch of Diamond Dreams, and how their team is redefining the match3 space.
From Christian’s start at Blizzard Entertainment, to co-founding a studio in Barcelona, to building highly player focused games, this episode dives into the realities of the gaming industry today
➡️ If you’re into gaming, startups, Web3, or entrepreneurship, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
0:54 – Welcome to the Podcast
1:18 – Announcing the early launch of Diamond Dreams
2:20 – Why launch now? Timing & market conditions
2:28 – Who is Christian Gascons?
3:20 – Early career: from Blizzard to VR studies
6:25 – Founding Games for a Living & the vision
8:30 – Building infrastructure before launching Diamond Dreams
9:35 – The founding team & creative leadership
11:45 – Raising $1.2M with just a PowerPoint
13:00 – Making Web3 gaming accessible & optional
14:10 – Why “game first” matters in blockchain gaming
15:01 – Physical jewelry linked to in-game collectibles
16:45 – How the gameplay & collectibles work
18:20 – Digital collectibles vs NFTs
20:20 – Building community, influencer program & Proof of Lux campaign
23:35 – The hardest challenges: legal, compliance & iteration
27:05 – Free-to-play, user acquisition & market realities
28:18 – Gaming industry downturn & layoffs
30:22 – The role of a COO in a gaming startup
33:37 – Leadership style & company culture
36:12 – Lessons from 13 years as an entrepreneur
39:35 – Why fun matters more than graphics
42:19 – Retention & what makes players come back
44:00 – Future vision for Games for a Living
45:02 – Leaving a mark in Web3 gaming
46:10 – Advice for young people entering the gaming industry
https://gfal.com/
