Hosts Warren Woodward and Xander Agosta, alongside special guest Mike Schmid, VP of Growth at Backbone, delve into the 2023 Upptic Games Growth Awards. This episode breaks down the highlights from multiple award categories, starting with the "Narrative of the Year." Here, the trio explores the creative potential of AI in game-building, economic uncertainty, and the shift toward sustainability in gaming experiences – emphasizing the importance of customer experience and retention. Moving on to the "Mobile Game of the Year" category, Mike shares his thoughts on games like GTA Vice City (Netflix Edition) and Monopoly Go – with Xander touching on the latter game's slot mechanics. Xander also joins Warren in declaring a certain Blizzard title as "Mobile Game of the Year" as well. The discussion heats up as everyone shares their picks for "Marketing Trend of the Year" – exploring generative AI, creator content, and the revival of old IPs, while shedding light on how these are shaping the games and marketing industries. For "Underdog of the Year" we take a dive into Epic Games' journey through both the games industry and legal battles, before deciding which game wins "Overall Game of the Year" – spoiler alert, one of them is an unexpected fishing game. Click "play" now for a deep dive into the innovative trends and standout games that shaped 2023's games and marketing spaces. MORE FROM UPPTIC: https://upptic.com/2023-upptic-games-growth-awards-games-growth-with-upptic/