BITKRAFT Ventures

@JensHilgers talks AI, world models, games and esports on @etnshow 💪 Watch the full interview: youtube.com/live/YoeTUDIfi…

BREAKING: Jens Hilgers (@JensHilgers), Janitor and Founding GP @BITKRAFTVC is joining us tomorrow at 1PM GMT

The BITKRAFT Report. Don’t just read it. Experience it. reports.bitkraft.vc/r/consumer-app…

We believe: Game-design intuition + AI-native infrastructure wins. Inside the report: • 6-category sector analysis • Framework for building durable moats • The enabling infrastructure stack • Predictions for the next 10 years

The consumer tech landscape just hit a massive inflection point: In 2025, non-gaming apps officially out-earned games for the first time. 🧵

@playmetalstorm by @starformgames continues to keep the digital skies alive with major new announcements: more shiny toys. new modes. new jets. new esports circuit. And so much more... Check out the full roadmap here: youtu.be/jJSKvql-vr0?si…

Want the full conversation? Link: youtube.com/watch?v=0gSSCo…

Both agreed: 80% of conversions happen in the first 7 days. You can't decouple engagement from monetization. Live ops is the single most critical element for long-term success. Win the first week, or you've already lost.

Distribution isn't an afterthought - it's product strategy. With 8hrs/day of screen time fragmented across infinite content, reaching users is harder than ever. The answer: geographic constraints, hyperlocal communities, and content that establishes authority.

Infrastructure = compounding advantage. Kingshot scaled faster than expected because the team brought Whiteout Survival's playbook: established benchmarks, marketing practices, live ops tech. Cold start is the hardest part. Knowledge accumulation is everything.

As a founder, Mark van Ryswyk targets problems incumbents won't touch. "I lean into the fraction of the decimal point—the use cases they'll never prioritize." Launch modular MVPs. Build mastery in components. Let users meet in the middle.

Last year at our Summit, Mark van Ryswyk (ex-CPO @Tinder, EVP @Glu) and Xiang Shen (CTO Century Games) broke down what it actually takes to scale consumer apps and games. Here's what builders need to know 🧵

Century Games kills 9 out of 10 games before launch. Xiang's process: CPI testing → prototype video testing → D2 retention → D7 retention → monetization. Data decides. Fail fast, learn faster. On Roblox? Even faster. Prototype to market in weeks.

Game mechanics must serve the user's psychological state—not just add engagement. Mark van Ryswyk: At Tinder, we focused on making every session feel successful, even without a match. The mechanic has to solve the emotional problem, not just gamify it.