EPISODE · Jan 23, 2025 · 51 MIN
Episode 4: Game on: Building and selling a £1bn business
from The Dealmaker Uncut · host Alvarez & Marsal
Paul Gouge is a giant of the gaming world. He’s the CEO of ForthStar but he’s best known for his previous business – mobile games studio Playdemic – which was bought by EA in 2021 for $1.4bn. In a fascinating interview with The Dealmaker Uncut, Gouge reveals the bittersweet moment when he first sold Playdemic to Warner Bros in 2016 – only to launch the hit game Golf Clash weeks later. It meant Warner Bros got the bargain of the century as Golf Clash went on to be downloaded more than 200 million times and generate more than $1.5bn in revenue. Paul gives the inside story on what happened next and how he renegotiated the deal. During the podcast the serial entrepreneur also discusses how money has never been his main motivator and how he met his business partner of nearly 40 years - Alex Rigby - when they were just eight and 10 respectively. In the second half of the show, Jonathan answers your questions about the world of deals.
What this episode covers
Paul Gouge is a giant of the gaming world. He’s the CEO of ForthStar but he’s best known for his previous business – mobile games studio Playdemic – which was bought by EA in 2021 for $1.4bn. In a fascinating interview with The Dealmaker Uncut, Gouge reveals the bittersweet moment when he first sold Playdemic to Warner Bros in 2016 – only to launch the hit game Golf Clash weeks later. It meant Warner Bros got the bargain of the century as Golf Clash went on to be downloaded more than 200 million times and generate more than $1.5bn in revenue. Paul gives the inside story on what happened next and how he renegotiated the deal. During the podcast the serial entrepreneur also discusses how money has never been his main motivator and how he met his business partner of nearly 40 years - Alex Rigby - when they were just eight and 10 respectively. In the second half of the show, Jonathan answers your questions about the world of deals.
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Episode 4: Game on: Building and selling a £1bn business
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