Join Mark Linao in conversation with Jake Sally, co-founder of Jadu, an augmented reality game studio. Discover Jake's unique journey from Hollywood to AR innovation, creating multiplayer AR games like Jadu's upcoming mobile fighting game. The episode explores the evolving landscape of augmented reality, its potential for cultural impact, and building vibrant communities. Jake shares insights on how Jadu integrates the real world into virtual gameplay and offers advice for entrepreneurs navigating today's dynamic tech landscape. Don't miss Jake's creative inspirations and recommendations for books and anime fans.
About the Guest(s):
Jake Sally is the COO of Jadu, a pioneering augmented reality (AR) game studio on the cutting edge of mobile gaming technology. With a rich background in traditional entertainment, Jake began his career in the hustle and bustle of Hollywood's William Morris Endeavor before shifting his focus to digital and augmented realities. His journey includes impactful roles at Hasbro Studios, Riot (Verizon's content innovation arm), and collaborations with major technology brands and content creators. Jake’s vision and leadership at Jadu aim to redefine gaming culture through immersive AR experiences.
Episode Summary:
In this exciting episode of the Progression podcast, Mark welcomes Jake Sally, COO of Jadu, to delve into the future of augmented reality gaming. Jadu, an innovative AR game studio, is poised to release a groundbreaking multiplayer fighting game this summer, promising to revolutionize mobile gaming. Jake discusses the state of AR technology, his exhilarating journey from Hollywood to VR and AR, and the compelling narrative that Jadu is crafting for its vibrant and active community on Discord.
Jake provides insights into the augmented reality landscape, contrasting Jadu's innovative approach with other players in the industry like Niantic and Snap. He explains how Jadu’s game leverages real-world interactions for an enriched gaming experience and shares anecdotes about harnessing community feedback to inform Jadu’s development roadmap. For aspiring entrepreneurs, Jake underscores the importance of adaptability, strategic financial planning, and fostering genuine community engagement to build a successful venture in today's dynamic tech environment.
Key Takeaways:
Innovative AR Experience: Jadu is developing an AR game that deeply immerses players in real-world environments, distinguishing itself from conventional mobile and AR experiences.
Community Building: Jake emphasizes the significance of a close-knit community, highlighting Jadu’s active engagement on platforms like Discord and the impact of player feedback on development.
Augmented Reality Potential: As AR technology evolves, the potential for large-scale cultural impact through gaming is immense, especially on mobile platforms.
Entrepreneurship in Tech: Flexibility, managing resources wisely, and being comfortable with constant adaptation are crucial in the dynamic tech entrepreneurial landscape.
Rich Background: From Hollywood roots to AR innovation, Jake's journey showcases the transformative power of embracing new technologies and creative challenges.
Embracing the Future of Augmented Reality Gaming
As the digital world continues to evolve, Augmented Reality (AR) gaming emerges as one of the most promising frontiers of innovation. Jadu, an innovative AR game studio, is at the forefront of this revolution, developing a next-gen multiplayer mobile AR fighting game poised to transform how players engage with their physical environments. Jake Sally, Co-Founder of Jadu, explains, “Our goal is to inspire millions of players to discover delightful and vibrant interactions in AR.” Unlike traditional games, Jadu leverages AR to create a gameplay experience that directly involves the environment around the player. Sally describes the unique appeal of the game: “Imagine fighting a digital opponent who gets slammed against your living room wall. That’s the magic we’re bringing to your phone.”
The potential here is immense. With advanced mobile technologies, Jadu aims to reach a wide audience, making gaming experiences accessible to millions. “Augmented reality has the power to move culture,” Sally elaborates. “Your phone can do so much more, and we aim to rediscover that magic with AR gaming.” Pioneering in this space, Jadu seeks to create not just an addictive mobile game but one that catalyzes cultural shifts.
Harnessing Community Power for Game Development
Community engagement is essential for innovative product development, and Jadu exemplifies this by actively involving its community in the development process. When it comes to harnessing the power of communities, Jake Sally emphasizes, “Our community doesn’t just play our games; they help build them.” This is evident in Jadu’s thriving Discord community and other social media platforms, where engaged players share their insights and feedback.
The importance of this engagement cannot be overstated. Jadu’s approach involves both engaging with their community through regular updates and town halls and integrating their insights into game development. As Sally points out, “We want our community to feel like extensions of the team.” This approach not only enhances the game design process with valuable player insights but also creates a dedicated following that feels a sense of ownership and participation in the product’s success.
This model of community-driven development challenges traditional paradigms and emphasizes the critical role of feedback loops within tech startups. Moreover, by ensuring that community members feel heard and valued, Jadu fosters loyalty and creates a robust network of advocates eager to spread the word about their unique AR experiences.
Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Augmented Reality
The environment in which AR technologies are evolving is rapidly shifting, requiring startups to remain adaptive and forward-thinking. Jake Sally traces his own journey through various phases in AR development, from an early fascination spurred by VR tech to his current role at Jadu. “This one feels different,” he notes about the current AR landscape, highlighting the growing interest in headset-based AR and mobile integrations.
Jadu’s strategy in this dynamic field involves leveraging past learnings while staying flexible to adapt to future changes. “You need to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” Sally advises, underscoring the importance of resilience and flexibility for entrepreneurs in such a swiftly changing domain. This reflects a broader trend in which adaptability is paramount for success, especially within the tech industry, where innovation cycles are getting shorter.
Moreover, Jadu’s focus on mobile AR is particularly strategic. By anchoring themselves as leaders in AR technologies optimized for mobile devices, they tap into the immense scale provided by widespread smartphone use. The implications are significant: as Jadu and similar companies continue to innovate, augmented reality has the potential to completely redefine interactive digital experiences, making them part of everyday life.
Jadu's journey into the world of AR gaming is not only a testament to innovation but also an exploration into how digital interactions are set to evolve. With a firm grounding in community-driven development, adaptive strategies, and ambitious goals, Jadu illuminates the pathway forward for AR technologies within the broader tech ecosystem. As they build a game that promises to captivate and transform, Jadu sets the stage for the next era of digital engagement. With AR, they are not only changing how we play games but also redefining our interaction with the world around us.