Kun Gao, Co-Founder and CEO of Forge — Interview Series
Forge, a powerhouse platform that specializes in incentivized collaborations between developers and consumers, has just launched its second season—a milestone that will bring an enormous amount of fresh features, rewards, and other perks for fledgling brand advocates and gamers alike. To learn a bit more about Forge and the work that they’re putting into the bloodstream of the industry, I decided to reach out to Crunchyroll co-founder and Forge CEO, Kun Gao.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Please could you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you, and what brought you to this portion of the gaming industry?
Kun: Thank you for having me! I’m Kun Gao, co-founder and CEO of Forge. Before Forge, I co-founded Crunchyroll, where we brought together anime fans from around the world. The gaming industry shares that same sense of community and passion, which is what drew me to it; not to mention myself and my co-founders are all gamers… some even legendary pro gamers, in the case of Dennis “Thresh” Fong (look him up). We are passionate about the space and saw there was a real opportunity for disruption in games marketing by helping game developers connect more deeply with their players, fostering engagement and loyalty in a way that hasn’t been done before.
Let’s talk about Forge. How did it all start, and what was it that inspired the team to bring in-house incentives to developers and their players?
Kun: Forge was born out of a frustration we all shared with the traditional ways games were marketed. Developers were spending enormous amounts of money on strategies that didn’t really resonate with their players or build lasting communities. We wanted to change that by creating a platform that not only helps games reach their audience but also rewards players for their engagement and for helping to actually grow the game. The idea was to turn every player into an advocate by incentivizing them to be more involved in the community, whether through playing, sharing content, or bringing friends into the game.
Could you tell us a bit more about how the process works? How exactly can game developers connect with their users through the platform, and what sorts of benefits are creators able to provide to potential advocates?
Kun: Absolutely. Forge allows developers to create customizable loyalty programs that reward players for a variety of actions. Whether it’s engaging with the game on social media, hitting in-game milestones, or participating in community events, players earn points and rewards for their involvement. Developers can use these tools to reward their most dedicated fans, offering exclusive content, early access, or in-game items as incentives. The beauty of Forge is that it turns ordinary players into passionate promoters, helping to grow the game’s community organically.
Forge is now Available to ALL game developers!
Over the past 6 months, driven tens of millions of player actions to our partner games.
Now, the same admin tools we use internally are available to ALL game developers.
Let’s get building. 😤 https://t.co/do7EOkYxax pic.twitter.com/ASQtEtBOkK
— Forge (@Forge) July 25, 2024
Would you also say that Forge provides an accessible palette of tools that even the most inexperienced developers can utilize, too?
Kun: Definitely. One of our core goals with Forge was to make it as user-friendly as possible. We’ve built the platform to be intuitive and easy to navigate, with no coding required to set up loyalty programs. Whether you’re an indie developer working on your first game or a seasoned studio, you’ll find that Forge gives you the tools you need to engage your players without a steep learning curve. We wanted to democratize access to these powerful marketing and engagement tools, so everyone has a chance to build a thriving community.
Of course, Forge has helped to bridge the gaps between developers and gamers many, many times. With that said, are there any collaborations that stand out to you as a team?
Kun: We’ve been fortunate to work with some incredible partners. One that comes to mind is our work with Xterio. They embraced our platform early on and used Forge to drive engagement through unique rewards and community interaction. The results were outstanding, with significant increases in player retention and community growth. Seeing developers use Forge to create such positive outcomes for their games is exactly why we built this platform.
So, how’s the fourth quarter looking for Forge? As a team, are you looking to evolve the system or implement any fresh ideas over the coming months? If so, could you kindly tell us a bit about what we can expect to see?
Kun: The fourth quarter is shaping up to be a very exciting time for Forge. We just launched Forge Season 2, where we’ve made our powerful tools available for any game developer to set up their own loyalty program, and we’re continuing to innovate and expand the platform’s capabilities. One of the key areas we’re focusing on is enhancing our analytics tools, giving developers even more insight into player behavior and engagement. We’re also exploring new features with the Forge API that will make it easier for developers to integrate Forge into their games and communities. And of course, we’re always listening to feedback from our users to ensure we’re meeting their needs and helping them achieve their goals.
Forge Season 2 is now LIVE!
New brand. New products. New games. New meta. Welcome to a new era of Forge!
Let’s get into it 👀 pic.twitter.com/UfhEJxsrEG
— Forge (@Forge) July 25, 2024
And is there a way for us to stay up to date with Forge and its future endeavors? Are there any social channels, streams, or live events that we could share with our readers?
Kun: Absolutely! We’re active on X and have a thriving Discord community where we share updates, insights, and news about what’s happening at Forge. We also have a blog and newsletter where we share our biggest partnerships, product announcements, and vision for the future. Additionally, we plan to attend more conventions in the near future starting with Gamescom this August, we hope to see you there!
Do you have any final words to share before we go ahead and close the book?
Kun: I just want to say thank you for the opportunity to share our story. Forge is all about empowering game developers and building strong, connected communities. We’re excited about what the future holds and are always looking forward to working with more developers and gamers. If you’re a game developer looking to engage your community or a gamer looking for your next adventure, we’d love to have you join us. Let’s build the future of gaming together!
Amazing. Thanks again for your time. We look forward to catching more of Forge over the coming weeks!
For more information on Forge, be sure to check in with the team over on their official social handle here. Alternatively, you can visit the website for additional updates here.
