The Symbiotic World Behind Playbite, a Gaming App

Episode #17 of the Mass Appeal podcast

In this special episode of the Mass Appeal Podcast, Tommy sits down with Diego Kafie, CEO and Co-Dounder of Playbite, to explore the future of mobile gaming and the innovative platform the company is building. From growing up in Honduras to co-founding a cutting-edge gaming startup in St. Louis, Diego shares his journey and what he’s learned along the way.

Playbite is not just another gaming app – it’s an arcade in your pocket, complete with games, social interactions, and rewards. It’s extremely close in product philosophy to what we do here at adjoe. In the episode, Diego shares his way of creating a unique experience for users by combining classic arcade fun with modern-day technology, including creator tools that allow users to build and monetize their own games on the platform.

Tune in to hear Diego’s insights on the challenges of raising venture capital, the benefits of starting a business in an unconventional tech hub, and how Playbite is empowering both players and creators in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

What’s the Topic?

• Was leaving your job and jumping into venture funding for Playbite scary for you? What was the learning curve like? 
• What is Playbite, and how did you get backers to believe in it? 
• Which models do you use to monetize Playbite?
• How do you overcome the obstacles that come with teaching aspiring creators how to code games? 

Timestamp:

• 4:54 Diego’s background & the origin of Playbite
• 11:17 Launching Playbite
• 12:54 From Chuck E Cheese to Playbite
• 17:53 Creator platform: a symbiotic relationship
• 25:00 Monetization models
• 30:30 Coaching aspiring game creators

Quote

“One of our creators is eighteen, a kid from Mexico, and he has one of the most popular games on the app. As I speak, there are people all over the world playing his creation. And he’s in the middle of college, starting to earn his way to pay for it. It’s just been really fulfilling to see that start taking root.”

– Diego Kafie, CEO and Co-founder of Playbite