DeepMind Just Bought Into EVE Online. Here's the Layer Even Their Own Research Says Is Missing.

Gameplay data captures what players do. It does not capture why. That is the gap, and DeepMind has already named it.

53 mins ago • Bastian Bergmann

The Real Stadium Is a Video Game: How the NBA, 2K, Adidas, and Roblox Are Rewriting Sports Fandom

Insights from iicon 2026 plus fresh EMARKETER data show that the path from fan to cart now runs through gaming, and the brands missing this shift are…

May 5 • Bastian Bergmann

April 2026

The Golden Age of Entertainment Has a New Address: Inside iicon 2026

ESA's inaugural conference brought EA, Take-Two, Netflix, Amazon, and Yahoo to the same stage. Here's what every brand and strategy leader needs to…

Apr 30 • Bastian Bergmann

3

The 27-12-10 Problem: Why Brand Leaders Are Behind the Eight Ball on Mobile Gaming in 2026

Only 10% of marketers advertise in mobile games despite 54% of Americans playing them regularly. Mobile games are the blind spot that's costing brands…

Apr 24 • Bastian Bergmann

1

Scale and Intimacy Are Not a Trade-Off. Gaming Proves It.

A smarter approach to gaming, and why winning brands won't be the ones with the biggest Roblox experience. Part 3/3 | Brand Distribution, Audience…

Apr 21 • Bastian Bergmann

1

1

Stop Renting Your Audience. The Companies That Figured It Out Are Buying the Doorway.

Three case studies in what it looks like when you actually start to own your distribution. Part 2/3 | Brand Distribution, Audience Ownership, and the…

Apr 16 • Bastian Bergmann

You Don't Own Your Audience. You Never Did.

Aggregation theory explains the distribution trap every brand is stuck in and what it will take to escape. Part 1/3 | Brand Distribution, Audience…

Apr 14 • Bastian Bergmann

4

1

Disney Is Eyeing Epic Games. I've Spoken to People on the Inside.

What a potential Disney-Epic deal means for the future of gaming, entertainment, and brand marketing.

Apr 9 • Bastian Bergmann

2

4

March 2026

Video Games Like Pokémon Go Built the World You Live In. Nobody Noticed.

From catching Pokémons to delivery robots: why gaming has always been the world's most important technology lab — and what decision makers need to…

Mar 17 • Bastian Bergmann

3

1

Why Your $1 Billion AI Agent Still Can't Read the Room

Meta's former Chief AI Scientist's bet on understanding reality misses the most important part: understanding humans. AI doesn't have a personality…

Mar 11 • Bastian Bergmann

4

1

How Hasbro Stopped Making Toys and Started Printing Money

When your toy business dies, bet everything on Dungeons & Dragons: The radical pivot that turned a failing manufacturer into a $2 billion gaming empire

Mar 10 • Bastian Bergmann

3

2

February 2026

How Mattel Became the Blueprint for Every Legacy Brand’s Gaming Strategy

From selling plastic to managing franchises: The eight-year transformation that turned a struggling toy maker into an entertainment powerhouse

Feb 26 • Bastian Bergmann

2