In this episode of the podcast, we interview Antti Hattara, CEO and Co-Founder at Starberry Games. We discuss Antti's journey in the mobile gaming industry, from the Digital Chocolate Alumni days to working on popular games like Jelly Splash (Wooga) to starting his own company in 2017. Antti shares his experiences bootstrapping, pivoting the company, securing funding, and navigating the challenges of the industry. We also talk about the growing gaming ecosystem in Berlin. Starberry is known for its successful title Merge Mayor, released in 2019. We delve into market topics like platforms, merge games, social features, and the importance of making tough decisions as a founder. Antti emphasizes the value of persistence and adaptability in a volatile market. Topics Discussed: - Antti's journey in the mobile gaming industry - Working on Jelly Splash and other games - Antti's decision to start his own company - Pivoting and securing funding - Challenges in the gaming industry - Merge games and social engagement - Making tough decisions as a founder: how to do the hard things the right way? - Why Berlin is the place to be to open a new studio? 💌 Don't forget to subscribe to Rise and Play for further news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.riseandplay.io/blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it on Spotify, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or simply share it with a friend.