How a "shy, nerdy kid who grew up in the Hutt" came to run NZ's biggest game developer PikPok

Pikpok has become one of the great success stories of Wellington.

The game developers have hundreds of staff in the city, have expanded to Colombia and craft games played by hundreds of millions all over the world.

CEO and co-founder Mario Wynands tells Nick Mills how the company started from "three mates in a flat" working overtime on their passions to an international sensation.

Wynands says NZ's gaming industry exports are worth $1 billion NZD.

The company started from Wynands and his fellow founders flat, who worked their day jobs from 9am to 6pm then continued past 1am creating their business.

"At the end of the day I'm just kind of the shy, nerdy kid who grew up in the Hutt."

Wynands shares the hard work to make Pikpok into what it is today, what is ahead for the future and why he chooses to continue the business in Wellington. 

He describes the changes to the perception of working and living in New Zealand, "we don't have the same magical allure as a country anymore".

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