309. Ex-Take-Two CEO on the Future of Games and the Intersection of AI and Creativity

Deconstructor of Fun

Ben Feder has done it all: CEO of Take-Two Interactive during the GTA and Red Dead years, President of Tencent’s International Partnerships, and board member at Epic Games and Bad Robot. Now he’s turned investor, running Tirta Ventures, a fund at the intersection of AI and gaming.

In this conversation, Ben and Michail Katkoff explore what makes a great founder, why “operational VC” is a myth, and where the next billion-dollar gaming companies will come from. They discuss how AI is reshaping creativity, why talent is shifting away from the West, and what the next Walt Disney of interactive entertainment might look like.

🎮 Topics include:

00:00 From GTA to Venture Capital

06:00 VC vs. Private Equity in Games

15:00 The AI Bubble (or Opportunity?)

25:00 The Myth of the “Operational VC”

32:00 Where the Next Great Studios Will Emerge

45:00 The Future of Creativity and Intelligent NPCs

56:00 What the Next Wave of Gaming Giants Will Look Like