In this episode of the ByteAction Podcast, we sit down with Christian Gascons, COO and co-founder of Games for a Living (GFAL), to explore the journey of building sustainable gaming studio, their upcoming launch of Diamond Dreams, and how their team is redefining the match3 space.From Christian’s start at Blizzard Entertainment, to co-founding a studio in Barcelona, to building highly player focused games, this episode dives into the realities of the gaming industry today➡️ If you’re into gaming, startups, Web3, or entrepreneurship, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.0:54 – Welcome to the Podcast1:18 – Announcing the early launch of Diamond Dreams2:20 – Why launch now? Timing & market conditions2:28 – Who is Christian Gascons?3:20 – Early career: from Blizzard to VR studies6:25 – Founding Games for a Living & the vision8:30 – Building infrastructure before launching Diamond Dreams9:35 – The founding team & creative leadership11:45 – Raising $1.2M with just a PowerPoint13:00 – Making Web3 gaming accessible & optional14:10 – Why “game first” matters in blockchain gaming15:01 – Physical jewelry linked to in-game collectibles16:45 – How the gameplay & collectibles work18:20 – Digital collectibles vs NFTs20:20 – Building community, influencer program & Proof of Lux campaign23:35 – The hardest challenges: legal, compliance & iteration27:05 – Free-to-play, user acquisition & market realities28:18 – Gaming industry downturn & layoffs30:22 – The role of a COO in a gaming startup33:37 – Leadership style & company culture36:12 – Lessons from 13 years as an entrepreneur39:35 – Why fun matters more than graphics42:19 – Retention & what makes players come back44:00 – Future vision for Games for a Living45:02 – Leaving a mark in Web3 gaming46:10 – Advice for young people entering the gaming industry-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------https://gfal.com/