Spawn On Me with Kahlief Adams: A Video Game Podcast · Spawn On Me LLC

How Midwest Games Is Changing Gaming Right Now!

·1 hr 26 min·5 clips

Ben Cavlo explains why your odds of making the NBA are better than getting your game seen on Steam today.

Spawn On Me is described by host Kahlief Adams as the premier podcast spotlighting people of color in gaming, covering news, game recommendations, and culture. Adams opens by noting that Microsoft's layoff of 9,000 workers has generated significant but often confused discussion in gaming spaces, and that having someone with insider knowledge — Cavillow — helps cut through speculation. Ben Cavillow is CEO of Midwest Games and has previously worked at 2K Games and Netflix Games. He joins the show from Wisconsin, joking about lake life and high-SPF sunscreen. Adams frames Cavillow's career arc as an example of professional growth worth studying, having moved from frontline roles to executive leadership. The conversation begins with a broad overview of what publishers actually do: they aggregate capital, manage distribution relationships, absorb risk on behalf of developers, and provide infrastructure that would otherwise require developers to build or outsource themselves. Cavillow argues this value is frequently misunderstood by observers who see publishers as extractive middlemen. The Microsoft Game Pass discussion examines how subscription economics affect developers' upfront guarantees versus long-tail revenue, and the tradeoffs involved. Cavillow expresses concern about the concentration of power in a small number of large platform holders and what that means for the long-term diversity of the game development ecosystem. He also discusses Midwest Games' own philosophy about which projects to publish and how the company thinks about backing developers who might not get attention from larger publishers. Adams and Cavillow share an evident enthusiasm for the cultural significance of gaming and for ensuring that games developed by and for Black communities find sustainable support structures.

As heard by us

A wide-ranging conversation about regional game-making and the pressures reshaping the industry.

Spawn on Me follows Ben Cavlo, the CEO of Midwest Games, and uses that conversation to take on the noise around Game Pass, major layoffs, and the amount of misinformation that still hangs over the space.

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Want a candid take on why Midwest game studios and regional content can spark new ideas right now?

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