GCast (YC)

GCast (YC)

/pitch

Transform mobile games into social big-screen experiences effortlessly.

/tldr

- GCast is a mobile-to-TV social gaming platform that allows users to play any mobile game on a big screen using their phones as controllers, backed by $2M in seed funding. - The platform capitalizes on the growing demand for social gaming post-pandemic, with a focus on low latency technology and a freemium business model. - GCast aims to disrupt the gaming market by merging B2B SDK partnerships with a B2C viral approach, targeting the 3.2 billion mobile gamers globally.

Persona

1. Mobile Gamer (ages 13-35) 2. Social Gaming Enthusiast 3. Game Developers looking for SDK integration

Evaluating Idea

📛 Title The "mobile-to-TV" social gaming platform 🏷️ Tags 👥 Team: Solo founder, hiring 🎓 Domain Expertise Required: Gaming, mobile dev, growth 📏 Scale: Global user base 📊 Venture Scale: Yes 🌍 Market: Gaming, Streaming 🌐 Global Potential: Massive ⏱ Timing: Perfect post-pandemic social gaming wave 🧾 Regulatory Tailwind: None required 📈 Emerging Trend: Mobile-first, social + couch gaming ✨ Highlights: SDK + Consumer App, 240+ games onboarded 🕒 Perfect Timing: Post-cloud gaming fatigue 🌍 Massive Market: 3.2B mobile gamers ⚡ Unfair Advantage: Low latency tech, dual market entry 🚀 Potential: Gaming platform + App Store ✅ Proven Market: Magic Arena, Brawl Stars, Settlers of Catan traction ⚙️ Emerging Technology: GPU optimization, local streaming ⚔️ Competition: Jackbox, AirConsole, Netflix Gaming 🧱 High Barriers: Technical stack, IP filings 💰 Monetization: Freemium, SDK licensing, referrals 💸 Multiple Revenue Streams: Yes 💎 High LTV Potential: Yes 📉 Risk Profile: Medium (platform dependence) 🧯 Low Regulatory Risk: Yes 📦 Business Model: SDK + App monetization 🔁 Recurring Revenue: Yes 💎 High Margins: Yes 🚀 Intro Paragraph GCast turns any mobile game into a social, big-screen experience using your phone as the console and controller—no new hardware, no lag. Already backed by SDK deals for 240+ retro titles, GCast merges B2B infrastructure with a B2C viral loop. Think AirPlay meets Jackbox, but for every game. 🔍 Search Trend Section Keyword: "mobile gaming on TV" Volume: 18.1K Growth: +641% 📊 Opportunity Scores Opportunity: 9/10 Problem: 8/10 Feasibility: 8/10 Why Now: 10/10 💵 Business Fit (Scorecard) | Category | Answer | | --- | --- | | 💰 Revenue Potential | $10M+ ARR with platform scale | | 🔧 Execution Difficulty | 8/10 – Technical and GTM heavy | | 🚀 Go-To-Market | 8/10 – SDK + gamer community | | 🧬 Founder Fit | Ideal – second-time gaming founder | ⏱ Why Now? Cloud gaming is expensive, console access is limited, and post-pandemic users crave in-person social play. GCast offers instant, local co-play without infra friction. Netflix, Apple, and Meta are all signaling interest—but lack GCast’s zero-cost distribution and native mobile UX. ✅ Proof & Signals - SDK deal with Piko (240+ games) - B2C demo live: Magic Arena overlay - YC Top 10% prior round - Reddit + Discord buzz on social/mobile play - Overlays like Hearthstone’s “TrackoBot” show monetizable demand 🧩 The Market Gap Cloud gaming failed casual players. Current couch-play is console-gated. Mobile is massive, but single-player. No one’s bridged mobile + TV for multiplayer. GCast makes social gaming frictionless—just cast and play. 🎯 Target Persona - Mobile-first gamer (13–35) - Discover via Discord, YouTube, Twitch - Pain: wants social gaming but no console - Emotional driver: inclusion, fun with friends - B2C first, virality-driven, then B2B inbound 💡 SolutionThe Idea: Turn your mobile game into a living-room console experience.How It Works: Cast your game to TV, play with phone as controller. Add real-time overlays and invite friends.Go-To-Market Strategy: Launch wedge: Magic Arena, Channels: Discord, Product Hunt, TikTok, gaming YouTubers. Loops: Invite friends → install → play together.Business Model: Freemium (B2C), SDK licensing (B2B), Referrals & tournaments.Startup Costs: Medium - Dev-heavy, low infra, light legal (initially). 🆚 Competition & Differentiation - GCast - Mobile → TV, Any mobile game via SDK/screen, Phone, Yes (OCR, splitscreen), Freemium + SDK gives B2B channel. - AirConsole - Browser-based, Casual games catalog, Phone, No, Subscription. - Jackbox Pack - Console/PC, Proprietary party games, Phone, No, One-time purchase. - AirDroid Cast - Phone → TV, Full phone screen mirroring, N/A, No, Freemium. - Cloud Gaming - Cloud → any, Premium licensed games, Controller, No (cloud overlays), Subscription. ⚠️ Execution & Risk Time to market: Fast Risk areas: Technical, Legal, Trust, Distribution Critical assumptions: Mobile users adopt casting, Devs adopt SDK, Apple/Google don’t block 💰 Monetization Potential Rate: High Why: LTV from hardcore gamers + dev SDK rev share + ad targeting on overlay 🧠 Founder Fit Perfect. Second-time founder in social gaming with 8M-user track record. 🧭 Exit Strategy & Growth VisionExit: Acquisition (Netflix, Apple, Steam)Potential acquirers: Netflix, Meta, Unity, Nintendo, Epic3–5 year vision: SDK infra → gamer super-app → alt game store → community OS 📈 Execution Plan 1. Launch: Magic Arena addon live on App Store 2. Acquisition: Discord + YouTube + targeted game communities 3. Conversion: $3/mo premium for overlays 4. Scale: Partner SDKs with devs like Piko, DotEmu 5. Milestone: 1M MAU / 10 SDK games live 🛍️ Offer Breakdown 🧪 Lead Magnet: Free screen casting app 💬 Frontend Offer: $3/month for overlays 📘 Core Offer: GCast Pro with premium features 🧠 Backend Offer: SDK license, developer tools 📦 Categorization | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Type | Platform + SDK | | Market | B2C + B2B hybrid | | Target Audience | Gamers, devs | | Main Competitor | Jackbox, AirConsole | | Trend Summary | Mobile-to-TV is the new console | 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Community Signals | Platform | Detail | Score | | --- | --- | --- | | Reddit | r/gaming, r/MagicArena (3M+) | 8/10 | | Facebook | Gaming groups + Magic groups (500K) | 7/10 | | YouTube | Dozens of relevant creators | 8/10 | | Other | Discord servers, Twitch chat | 9/10 | 🔎 Top Keywords | Type | Keyword | Volume | Competition | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Fastest Growing | "mobile game TV" | 18.1K | LOW | | Highest Volume | "Magic Arena tips" | 74.5K | MED | 🧠 Framework Fit (4 Models)The Value Equation: Excellent – viral, helpful, uniqueMarket Matrix: New Category → Category KingA.C.P.: - Audience: 9/10 - Community: 9/10 - Product: 8/10The Value Ladder: Bait → Frontend → Core → Backend ❓ Quick Answers (FAQ) - Problem solved: No console required for social gaming - Market size: 3.2B+ mobile gamers - Monetization plan: Freemium + SDK + referrals - Competitors: Jackbox, AirConsole, Netflix Games - Build difficulty: High on tech, low on infra 📈 Idea Scorecard (Optional) | Factor | Score | | --- | --- | | Market Size | 10 | | Trendiness | 9 | | Competitive Intensity | 7 | | Time to Market | 8 | | Monetization Potential | 9 | | Founder Fit | 10 | | Execution Feasibility | 8 | | Differentiation | 9 | | Total (out of 40) | 70 | 🧾 Notes & Final Thoughts - 💥 Perfect YC/Seed story: Solo hacker with traction, first customer, zero infra - 🚧 Fragile only if Apple/Google blocks; otherwise platform lock-in strong - 🔁 Suggest doubling down on Magic Arena to go viral fast - 🔐 File broader IP: “local gamecasting via mobile device” - 🎯 One viral launch = inbound from Netflix, Steam, etc.

User Journey

### User Journey Map for GCast #### 1. Awareness - User Trigger: User sees social media posts or hears about GCast from friends. - Action: User searches for information online or visits the GCast website. - UI/UX Touchpoint: Engaging landing page highlighting the benefits of mobile-to-TV gaming. - Emotional State: Curiosity and excitement about new gaming experiences. - Critical Moment: High-quality visuals and testimonials create a positive first impression, encouraging further exploration. #### 2. Onboarding - User Trigger: User decides to download the GCast app after learning about its features. - Action: User installs the app and creates an account. - UI/UX Touchpoint: Simple, intuitive onboarding process with step-by-step instructions. - Emotional State: Hopeful and eager to get started. - Critical Moment: Smooth onboarding with immediate feedback keeps users engaged. If complicated, users may abandon the app. #### 3. First Win - User Trigger: User successfully casts a mobile game to their TV. - Action: User plays their first game with friends using their phones as controllers. - UI/UX Touchpoint: Clear prompts and visual cues during gameplay enhance the experience. - Emotional State: Joy and satisfaction from a successful first experience. - Retention Hook: Incorporate rewards or achievements for initial gameplay milestones to encourage continued use. #### 4. Deep Engagement - User Trigger: User explores advanced features like overlays or invites friends to join. - Action: User regularly plays games and engages with the community. - UI/UX Touchpoint: Interactive elements such as leaderboards and community events within the app. - Emotional State: Excitement and belonging as they connect with others. - Critical Moment: Frequent updates and new content keep the experience fresh and engaging. #### 5. Retention - User Trigger: User receives notifications about new games or updates. - Action: User continues to use the app for gaming sessions. - UI/UX Touchpoint: Personalized content recommendations based on user preferences. - Emotional State: Loyalty and satisfaction as the app meets their needs. - Retention Hook: Implementing a subscription model for premium content or features to encourage ongoing engagement. #### 6. Advocacy - User Trigger: User has a positive experience and wants to share it. - Action: User shares the app with friends or online communities. - UI/UX Touchpoint: Referral programs that reward users for bringing new players. - Emotional State: Pride and enthusiasm in recommending a product they enjoy. - Critical Moment: Positive reinforcement through rewards strengthens community ties and promotes word-of-mouth marketing. ### Emotional Arc Summary 1. Curiosity: Users are intrigued by the concept of mobile-to-TV gaming. 2. Excitement: The onboarding process builds anticipation for the experience. 3. Joy: Successfully casting and playing games brings happiness and satisfaction. 4. Belonging: Engaging with friends and the community fosters a sense of connection. 5. Pride: Users proudly advocate for GCast, sharing their positive experiences.