Eric Schiermeyer is a veteran tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Zynga, where he helped pioneer social gaming hits like FarmVille and Zynga Poker. In 2019, he launched Gala Games with the vision of combining blockchain technology and gaming, enabling players to truly own their in-game assets through NFTs and decentralized platforms. His philosophy “game first, blockchain second” emphasizes user experience while empowering players with control over digital assets.

Under Schiermeyer’s leadership, Gala has grown beyond gaming into music, film, and broader entertainment, partnering with major artists and creators. However, the company has faced significant controversies, including a $23 million token minting incident in 2024 and a legal feud with co-founder Wright Thurston over the alleged misappropriation of $130 million in GALA tokens. Despite these issues, Schiermeyer remains a prominent and influential voice in the emerging space of Web3 entertainment.