Playback Canada’s Post

I loved (still love) Coldplays first album - I still remember hearing Yellow for the first time on the radio, stopping still in my room, transfixed. They then went a bit too synth/mainstream/pop for my teen alt taste and I went off of them for... almost 20?! years. (that hurt to write) When they toured Singapore last year, Selina Low convinced me to go for old times sake, and it gave cynical old me a newfound respect for their creativity as artists in a relationship with their audience. Coldplay the band is one thing. Coldplay the BRAND plays at a higher level. The music experience is just one element that works in service of the greater _brand_ experience. B2C and B2B2C brands could learn a lot of lessons about how Coldplay has continued to be one of the biggest western bands of the last 25 years. Through a commitment to creative expression, creating with their fans (customers) in mind, aligning to and reinforcing the values of their fans (equality, sustainability, positivity, connection), and a commitment to innovation and evolution through technology. First in production of their stadium shows, and now, in _A Film For The Future_, a creative collaboration fit for 2025: produced in partnership with over 150 artists, and now available for fans to visually remix, powered by a partnership with Microsoft Azure AI and CoPilot. Quite an evolution from a soggy Chris Martin walking down an empty beach in Dorset. #creativity #coldplay #genai #microsoft #brand

Elation Games : Celebrating Failure and Moving Forward After almost exactly two years, I’m both sad and excited to announce that Elation Games is shutting down. Many thanks to all who contributed. Special thanks to Rita Lichtwardt, who was with me from the very start to the very end, and to Dhaval Soni, who consistently brought fresh energy, ideas, and insights. They're amazing to work with, and I'd gladly team up with them again! We were able to iterate on Quill, a grim-whimsical IP, and release a public game demo. All work we’re really proud of! Over the course of 96 patches across PC and Android, we created a solid 1-2+ hour experience that’s available on Steam (for now). If you're curious, you can still check it out! https://lnkd.in/g-4P2D_M 🟣 Why This Is Bittersweet The sadness is obvious - we poured our hearts into this. But the excitement? It comes from embracing the failure. We tried innovative ideas, tested them in the market, and iterated multiple times, but ultimately, we decided it was time to move on. Despite not achieving our goals, we celebrate this journey because it was packed with valuable experiences and lessons. 🟣 Starting a new Studio Our game, Quill, never gained the traction we hoped for. In hindsight, starting a new studio is like building an engine powered by three interconnected elements: Vision, Team, and Funding - each fueling the other. Unfortunately, we couldn’t jump-start that engine despite multiple attempts and new ideas. 🟣 Challenges with Execution and Funding Our initial vision was ambitious and made securing funding difficult. Potential partners liked the idea but had concerns about our team's ability to execute due to skill gaps. When we scaled down the project, the game lost its uniqueness and didn’t stand out as much as we'd hoped. As a small, fast-moving team, we were excited by our pace! But over time key skill gaps - essential to our vision - became bottlenecks. Despite learning a lot, those gaps slowed us down, and after a handful of compounding bottlenecks, we hit a wall that required changes to our approach. We were only bootstrapped, and lack of funding made it hard to keep focus (outside work competed for our time). Our failure to secure funding was complex. Major factors include bad timing, searching in the wrong places, and reluctance to compromise on our vision. We also passed on smaller funding opportunities that didn't fit with our big project goals, not wanting to over-promise without a clear path to deliver. 🟣 Lessons and Moving Forward Instead of continuing to pour energy into something that wasn’t working, we’ve decided to move on and pursue new opportunities. We’re leaving with stronger relationships, new skills, and great memories. The experience of trying to build something from nothing was invaluable, and I’m grateful to everyone who worked with us or supported us along the way. Thank you again to everyone who was part of this journey!

Check out this interview I did with the Pop Insider, where we discuss the inspiration for Neopets Batttledome Trading Card Game, the game design process, and more about bringing Neopets to life on your tabletop! https://lnkd.in/gMfmax4B

Round three! In this edition of Drop C++, I find out what makes Linos Tzelos tick, how he bridges the gap between Tool and the Ravanhatta, and a few other insights into the making of Raji: An Ancient Epic by Nodding Heads Games Check it out!

🚨 Transition in Play 🚨 In a surprising turn that mirrors the unpredictability of both sports and play itself, UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka has announced that he will not be playing anymore this season. This move reminds us of the fluid nature of participation, be it on the field or within the realms of music and games. Drawing parallels, "Keys to Play: Music as a Ludic Medium from Apollo to Nintendo" explores the concept of play in music. This intriguing ebook delves into how keyboards aren't just musical tools but platforms for ludic (playful) interactions, bridging ancient myths to modern digital gaming landscapes. 🎹🕹️ As professionals, we're reminded that the essence of play is not confined to one domain – it spans across fields, from sports to music to digital games, offering fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. 🔗 Dive deeper into the ludic connections between music, play, and games by reading the ebook here: https://lnkd.in/ddfGKTjP #UNLVFootball #MusicAndGames #LudicTheory #InnovationInPlay #ReadMore 👁️🗨️ Let's discuss: How can the concept of play influence other areas of our professional lives?

💰 If you want to ensure everyone is paid exactly what they’re owed, you need to master your split sheet game. In this post, we’ll give you everything you need to know. https://bit.ly/4b2a9o6

I have just released my newest game called Lead Sheet Lab. The game teaches students how to construct the chords they will need to play with lead sheets. Instead of needing chord charts, your students will understand how to make them! It is designed for 2 to 4 players and is available at four levels. One of the unique advantages of this game is that different levels and ages can be played at the same time so is perfect for small groups when the students are at various levels or just you and one student! https://lnkd.in/g4unsJHF Since there is no advantage for speed, all players have an equal chance to win.

Hello #datafam, My submission for the third week of 2025 #makeovermonday. Top Charts is a common Viz in the media industry. Whether it's video games, music, or movies, top charts help to highlight trends and drive engagement. Here's one way to build a top chart, showcasing the most popular video game genres and the top games by player count on steam. https://haproxy-traffic-splitter/views/MOM_WK3-Link to Viz: Link to Viz: TopChartsonSteam/Dashboard1?:language=en-US&publish=yes&:sid=&:redirect=auth&:display_count=n&:origin=viz_share_link #tableau #tableaupublic #storytelling #dataviz #datavisualization #dashboard

💰 If you want to ensure everyone is paid exactly what they’re owed, you need to master your split sheet game. In this post, we’ll give you everything you need to know. https://bit.ly/4b2a9o6

Our Muzaic debuts its API on Product Hunt today! With their software you can add music to videos, presentations or games. Key features for me:     🗄 legally compliant: created with care by creators, for creators;    🧠 smart: their algorithm can adapt to an uploaded video to create a customized soundtrack that builds with action, fades with dialogue, or transitions smoothly between scenes;    🎷 versatile: you can use a variety of styles, from epic to ambient, to choose the mood you like most; Link in comment - Check it out!