What were the challenges Miniclip faced when switching to mobile? The game came out on mobile in February 2013, becoming an instant hit and the most downloaded mobile pool game in 2014. So three years later, we adapted 8 Ball Pool to mobile, and I was leading the team responsible for the adaptation. Following its initial success as it went on to become the biggest game on the website, we knew it would be a hit on mobile. Do you remember what it was like to make that transition from web to mobile?Ĩ Ball Pool started life as an online flash game on the Miniclip website in 2010, where it drove 20 million monthly visits. Sérgio, you were the mastermind behind the game’s launch on mobile, but 8 Ball Pool had already been a success as an online flash game. I also play an important role in evaluating the companies that we acquire, with a general focus on M&A and managing the relationships with acquired companies. I was promoted to Chief Creative Officer in 2020, where I currently oversee the ongoing expansion of Miniclip’s mobile division, ensuring we’re maximising our position in the market by researching and assessing the viability of new game ideas. In 2015 I became Chief Product Officer, expanding on my responsibility for the company’s overall product strategy, conception and development. I joined Miniclip in 2010 as Head of Mobile, where I grew the team from four to 120, alongside launching several games such as Agar.io, 8 Ball Pool and Soccer Stars. I got my first real taste of mobile games development then, which resulted in launching a game that became a number 1 hit worldwide in 2009. Over the course of almost five years, I oversaw the conceptualisation and delivery of several of Skype’s main revenue drivers, co-authored two patents on scalable audio conferencing, and was responsible for several successful products that helped cement their position as a key tool for businesses.Ī few years later, with a group of friends that I met at Skype, I started to develop games for the app store when the iPhone first launched in 2008. But before entering the world of games, I joined Skype and worked my way through the ranks, growing from a software engineer to a product manager, working on a piece of software designed to boost Skype usage within businesses.

Video games have always been a big passion of mine, from a young age.

Sérgio, to kick things off, a few words about yourself please? Sérgio Varanda, Chief Creative Officer at Miniclip

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