The Game Server Hosting Company Private Equity Couldn't Buy

Game server hosting is the layer nobody thinks about until it breaks. In this episode, Kalie Moore sits down with Max Podkidkin, Co-Founder and CEO of BisectHosting, to unpack how a Minecraft server that went dark for three days turned into a 15-year infrastructure business serving hundreds of thousands of customers across more than 140 countries. Max put the first hardware on a credit card, recruited a co-founder he met in his own Minecraft community, and built the company to nearly 100 employees without ever raising outside capital. They get into what those early years actually looked like, including hiding a laptop on a cart at a factory job to answer support tickets, the two years he and Andrew worked together over text before meeting face to face, and how a US and UK split gave them 24/7 coverage with a team of two. The conversation also covers how the hosting business really works, from the economics of renting out resources to why running a server at home costs more than most people think. Max explains why BisectHosting has turned down repeated acquisition offers while private equity consolidates the market around them, how the team gets into a studio's Discord and pre-tests server files before working with a game studio, and what 15 years of hosting communities has taught him about why modding and UGC keep games alive long after launch. He also shares the studio's approach to AI, including Biko, the assistant built into their server panel that has cut support tickets by double digits without a single person losing their job. Big thanks to Heroic Labs for making this episode possible. Gram Games used Heroic Labs to tailor offers and events by player cohort, calling it "critical" in a post-IDFA world where retention is everything. Read how Gram merged personalization and advanced social features into a core system of their live operations: https://heroiclabs.com/blog/gram-games-case-study/?\gl=1\*709y52\*\up\MQ..\\ga\*MTI0MTAzNTM2Ny4xNzg1MjI4NzQ2\*\ga\_R9WLGSZ1KN\*czE3ODUyMjg3NDUkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODUyMjg3NDUkajYwJGwwJGgw  We’d also like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you're a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/. If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at [podcast@naavik.co](mailto:podcast@naavik.co). Who’s On: Guest - Max Podkidkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-podkidkin/ Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/  Watch the episode: YouTube Channel For more episodes and details: Podcast Website Free newsletter: Naavik Digest Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe Links mentioned: https://www.bisecthosting.com/