What makes Volley Games' approach to game development unique?

Volley Games designs interfaces exclusively for voice experience, meaning there's no touching or clicking involved. They are pioneers in this new paradigm, learning and innovating from the ground up to create truly voice-native gaming experiences.

What kind of games does Volley Games develop?

Volley Games develops a range of games including the popular music trivia game 'Song Quiz,' choose-your-own-adventure interactive stories, and an ambitious RPG-style voice-controlled game.

Is Volley Games hiring?

Yes, Volley Games is actively hiring for various roles including engineers, data scientists, and designers. They are looking for individuals interested in working on new platforms and interfaces within a growing company leader in the voice-controlled gaming space.

Key Moments

Volley (W18) - YC Tech Talks: Gaming 2020 (November 9th, 2020)

Y Combinator

Science & Technology3 min read3 min video

Nov 11, 2020|4,584 views|41|1

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Volley Games built the top voice-controlled games for Alexa and Google Home, but their ambitious new 'Unreal Engine for Voice' is uncharted territory. They are hiring across roles to build the future of voice gaming.

Key Insights

Volley Games developed the number one most popular game on both Alexa and Google Home platforms, Song Quiz.

The company is actively developing an 'Unreal Engine for Voice,' aiming to create the most ambitious gaming engine for voice-controlled software.

Volley Games raised a Series A funding round approximately five months prior to the talk.

The current team at Volley Games consists of 25 people, with the majority located in San Francisco.

Volley Games is hiring for various roles, including engineers, data scientists, and designers, emphasizing work on a brand new platform and interface.

Leading the charge in voice-controlled gaming

Max, co-founder of Volley Games, introduces the company as a pioneer in developing games specifically for voice control devices such as Alexa and Google Home. Volley has achieved significant success, boasting the number one most popular game on both platforms, a music trivia game called 'Song Quiz.' Beyond trivia, the company is exploring other genres, including interactive storytelling games in a 'choose your own adventure' style and an ambitious RPG-style voice-controlled game they are excited about. This focus on voice represents a new frontier in interface design, demanding innovative approaches since it lacks traditional touch or click interactions.

Navigating a novel interface

Designing for voice presents a unique challenge as it's a completely new interface paradigm. Unlike traditional gaming where touch and clicking are standard, voice control requires a different UX approach. Volley Games positions itself as a leader in this nascent space, learning and innovating from the ground up. Their growth over the past three years has paralleled the expansion of platforms like Alexa and Google Home, indicating a strong market traction for their innovative gaming experiences.

Expanding reach beyond voice-only devices

While specializing in voice-controlled experiences, Volley Games is not limited to audio-only interactions. Their games are designed to be playable across a range of devices, including those with screens that are voice-controlled, as well as voice-controlled televisions. This strategic expansion allows them to cater to a broader audience and leverage the evolving capabilities of smart devices, ensuring their games remain accessible and engaging across different hardware configurations. This adaptability is key to staying relevant in the rapidly changing tech landscape.

Rapid growth and ambitious technology development

The company has experienced rapid growth, highlighted by their Series A funding round secured approximately five months before the talk. This financial backing has fueled team expansion, with Volley Games currently comprising 25 people, primarily based in San Francisco, though operating remotely. A key technological endeavor is the development of what they describe as 'Unreal Engine for Voice.' This ambitious project aims to create a sophisticated gaming engine specifically tailored for voice-controlled software, which they believe will be the most advanced of its kind. This proprietary engine signifies a deep commitment to pushing the boundaries of voice gaming technology.

Opportunities for innovators

Volley Games is actively seeking talent to join their mission. They are looking to hire engineers, data scientists, and designers. The appeal lies in the opportunity to work on a brand new platform with a novel interface, contributing to the development of cutting-edge voice gaming experiences. As a leader in the space with strong growth, Volley offers a compelling environment for individuals passionate about shaping the future of interactive entertainment through voice.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

Developing for Voice-Controlled Gaming

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Focus on designing entirely new voice experiences where touch and clicking are absent.

Embrace learning from scratch in the emerging field of voice interfaces.

Consider working with a leader in the voice-controlled gaming space for growth opportunities.

Explore building ambitious gaming engines specifically for voice-controlled software.

Be open to working on brand new platforms and interfaces within the gaming industry.

Avoid This

Do not rely on traditional visual interfaces like touching or clicking.

Do not be discouraged by the 'learning from scratch' nature of voice experience design.

Do not overlook opportunities in voice-controlled gaming, even on devices with screens or televisions.

Common Questions

Volley Games is a company focusing on voice-controlled games for devices like Alexa and Google Home. They are known for having the most popular game on these platforms, a music trivia game called Song Quiz, and are developing other interactive and RPG-style voice games.

Topics

AI & Machine Learning Technology & Innovation Business & Entrepreneurship Game Development Startup Growth Voice Control Gaming Technology Interactive Storytelling Emerging Interfaces

Mentioned in this video

Software & Apps

Song Quiz

The number one most popular music trivia game on Alexa and Google Home platforms, developed by Volley Games.

Google Home

A voice-controlled smart speaker and virtual assistant platform where Volley Games has a popular music trivia game.

Unreal Engine

Cited as inspiration for Volley Games' own ambitious project: an 'Unreal Engine for voice', intended to be a leading gaming engine for voice-controlled software.

Alexa

A voice-controlled virtual assistant platform for which Volley Games develops applications, including their popular music trivia game.

Companies

Volley Games

A company specializing in voice-controlled games for devices like Alexa and Google Home, aiming to be a leader in the emerging voice interface market.

Locations

San Francisco

The location where Volley Games is based, with a team of 25 people currently working remotely.