Publications
Publications
- August 2020 (Revised June 2021)
- HBS Case Collection
Skillz: Esports and Skill-Based Mobile Gaming
By: Andy Wu, David B. Yoffie and George Gonzalez
Abstract
Founded in 2012, Skillz offered a platform for mobile app developers to monetize skill-based games via prized tournaments. Skillz had over 20,000 registered developers that had created thousands of Skillz-powered games played by over 30 million registered users (gamers). A successful gamer could make hundreds of thousands of dollars playing competitive games of skill. The company had a gross marketplace volume of almost $1 billion in 2019 and over 250 employees primarily in San Francisco, California and Portland, Oregon. CEO Andrew Paradise challenged his leadership team to explore options for accelerating growth.
Keywords
Video Games; Mobile; Esports; Software; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Mobile Technology; Growth and Development Strategy; Technology; Multi-Sided Platforms; United States
Citation
Wu, Andy, David B. Yoffie, and George Gonzalez. "Skillz: Esports and Skill-Based Mobile Gaming." Harvard Business School Case 721-358, August 2020. (Revised June 2021.)
