Deconstructor of Fun

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Scopely and Niantic are making moves, but can they actually change the game? NetEase unloads Marvel Rivals US studio—a political or an efficiency move? Plus, SMicrosoft’s console strategy looks shakier than ever, and we break down what the future of console gaming really looks like. And just when you thought it was over, King pulls another card from its sleeve. 🚀🎮

03:55 - GDC Shills

11:03 - Scopely & Niantic

20:10 - Jam City & Ludia AR Market

21:43 - Marvel Rivals & Netease

31:13 - Sony Earnings

32:06 - Microsoft's Console Struggles

38:00 - The Future of Console Gaming

50:54 - Return of King

🔗 Connect with Boris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boris-kalmykov-7ba38065/

We chat with Boris Kalnikov, CEO & Co-founder of Hype Masters, about relocating his gaming studio from London to Abu Dhabi. Boris shares his journey with World War Armies, the challenges of remote work, and why he chose Abu Dhabi as his new home.

We dive into Abu Dhabi’s rise as a gaming hub, its government incentives, and the realities of running a studio in the region—from tax benefits to hiring talent and lifestyle changes. Whether you’re a developer, founder, or just curious about gaming in the Middle East, this episode has key insights you won’t want to miss.

Timestamps:

⏳ [00:00] Why Boris left London for Abu Dhabi

🏗️ [06:00] Building a gaming studio in a new ecosystem

💰 [20:00] What incentives and funding opportunities are available?

⚖️ [27:00] Abu Dhabi vs. London: Cost of living, taxes & hiring

🎮 [40:00] The future of gaming in Abu Dhabi

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Supercell had a monster year with €2.8B in revenue, proving that bigger live ops teams and aggressive marketing can still drive growth—but let’s be real, Squad Busters flopped hard despite the hype. Meanwhile, Unity continues its slow-motion train wreck, losing key talent and scrambling to fix its ad tech, while AppLovin is absolutely crushing it, with stock up 700% thanks to AI-powered ads. Now, in a power move, AppLovin is dumping its entire games portfolio for $900M—so who’s buying? Scopely? Zynga? Playtika? Drop your bets in the comments. 🚀🎮

01:29 Shills
07:25 Dream and Venture Capital
10:27 Battlefield and Shooter Games
14:23 Minecraft Studio Leadership Changes
20:39 Supercell's Record Year
25:57 Live Ops and Monetization Changes
26:52 Squad Busters' Marketing Missteps
31:35 Spark Labs's Bootcamp Vibes
37:44 Unity's Struggles and Layoffs
41:45 AppLovin's Strategic Shift

State of Mobile 2025 Report:

https://bit.ly/42T04bX
Join us in this episode as Jonathan Briskman from Sensor Towers and Michail Katkoff explore the overall health of the mobile market, Jonathan highlights strong growth metrics despite a mature landscape. He sheds light on the booming in-app purchase revenue and time spent on devices, while also discussing intriguing trends such as digital fatigue and the rise of hybrid apps. We also touch on the global success stories in mobile gaming, focusing on new hit games and the strategic importance of localization for cracking difficult markets like Japan and South Korea.

01:03 Mobile Market Trends and Metrics

05:33 Mobile Gaming Analysis

07:50 Challenges and Regional Factors

15:50 Success Stories and Strategies

25:57 Non-Gaming App Revenue Growth

35:03 Innovative AI Features in Apps

35:29 Gamification and User Engagement

36:36 Duolingo: A Game or Learning Tool?

38:14 Blurring Lines Between Games and Non-Games

38:25 Short Drama Apps: A Growing Trend

40:45 Global Mobile Usage Trends

42:26 Digital Fatigue and Market Shifts

49:40 Localization Strategies for Global Success

53:56 Emerging Markets and Growth Opportunities

56:46 Tapping into User-Generated Content Platforms

01:00:06 Key Takeaways from the State of Mobile Report

Wilfrid Obeng’s journey from Goldman Sachs and Google to gaming startup CTO is anything but typical.

In this episode, he breaks down how AudioMob is redefining in-game ads with audio, why they chose Abu Dhabi over Silicon Valley to scale their engineering team, and what it takes to transition from corporate structure to startup chaos. We dig into leadership lessons, hiring strategies, and the future of ad monetization—all from someone who’s been in the trenches. If you’re scaling a startup or rethinking monetization, this episode is a must-listen. 🎧🔥

www.linkedin.com/in/wilfridobeng

00:00 Wilfrid Obeng and AudioMob

04:51 From Goldman Sachs to Startup CTO

07:24 The Importance of Mentorship

13:40 Creating a Performance Culture

24:52 Life in Abu Dhabi: Work and Play

28:47 Hiring and Leadership in a Diverse Team

35:03 The Reality of Startups

37:10 Competing for Talent in Startups

39:05 Leadership Evolution and Challenges

42:07 The Importance of Company Culture

56:44 Living and Working in Abu Dhabi

01:05:01 Future Plans and Personal Growth

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With Jen at a meditation retreat in California and Miska fully embracing his jet-set life, Eric reminds us just how wrong Matthew Ball got it.

Adam reveals the Multiversus thesis and argues that Battlefield has room to grab dormant fans and grow the market. Phil spews Battlefield tears and worries about Roblox’s value destruction.

They conclude by debating the AI integration in-games: flop or tbd?

This episode features insights from top industry professionals on player engagement, revenue models, and the challenges faced by new releases like Helldivers 2, First Descendant, and Once Human. Dive into in-depth discussions on successful PvE models, key strategies for game success, and the future of game monetization.

Join Adam Telfer and a panel of experts as they explore the latest trends in PvE shooters and the evolving tools needed for effective LiveOps.

Brought to you by Heroic Labs, AppsFlyer, Sensor Tower, and Xsolla.

02:31 Market Overview of PVE Shooters
03:25 Recent Releases and Trends
04:07 Revenue and Engagement
07:54 PVE Live Service Challenges
08:42 Helldivers 2: Success and Future
13:54 The Competitive Landscape
27:04 First Descendant and Once Human
27:38 First Descendant's Elder Loop
29:27 PvE Shooter Systems
30:42 Helldivers 2: On The Way Out
36:34 Warframe's Sustained Success
40:13 Strategies for PvE Shooter Success
45:52 The Future of PvE Shooters

We start off with Kress coming after Matthew Ball and his take on the Metaverse and end the episode with Jen making the last stance for brand marketers.

In between the team breaks down the FTC’s latest settlement on loot boxes and what it means for the industry. Deep dive into Ubisoft's sea of worries and discuss Habby’s latest launch hurdles.

00:00 Intros
01:40 Shills
02:50 GDC Announcements and Sponsors
06:35 Corrections and Apologies
08:09 Matthew Ball and the Metaverse Debate
19:20 Loot Boxes and FTC Settlement
23:54 Sony, Marvel Snap, and Warner Brothers
28:58 Tech Company Operations
29:09 Star Wars Outlaws Sales Analysis
29:58 Ubisoft Helsinki and Gwen's Getaway
31:05 Rainbow Six Mobile's Struggles
32:34 Virtuous Acquisitions and Outsourcing
36:23 Habby's Game Launch Challenges
41:04 EA's Top Selling Games and Earnings
46:18 Marketing Strategies and Impact
57:15 Conclusion and Sign-Off

Xsolla State of Play report:

https://xsolla.com/newsroom/xsolla-autumn-2024-report

Mobile gaming is bigger than ever, with the industry set to hit $98.7 billion in 2024. But where is that growth coming from? In this episode, we sit down with Xsolla’s Chris Hewish to break down the key trends shaping the global market—from Asia’s dominance to the rise of emerging regions like Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

We also dig into how player demographics are shifting and what it means for game makers. With diversity becoming a bigger focus, studios are rethinking how they engage and design for an increasingly varied audience.

Chris unpacks the impact of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), explaining how developers are navigating new monetization opportunities beyond traditional app stores. We also tackle the surge of direct-to-consumer web shops, how gaming is merging with mainstream entertainment (yes, we’re looking at you, Secret Level), and what all of this means for the future of the industry.

If you want to stay ahead of where mobile gaming is headed, this episode is a must-listen.

How do Playtika and Wooga nail their Live Ops strategies? What does GameRefinery say you’re missing?

In this episode, Nadav Moshes (Product & Market Insights Lead at Playtika), Maxime Graux (Head of Product Management at Wooga), and Erno Kiiski (Chief Game Analyst at GameRefinery) sit down with our very own Jen Donahoe to dissect the art and science of Live Ops.

From mobile to PC/console gaming, we break down the latest trends driving social, engagement, and monetization events. Discover how understanding player motivations is the key to creating better events and why a holistic event framework is critical to your Live Ops success.

We dive into practical strategies around segmentation, iteration, and gamified offers to level up engagement and boost your monetization. Whether you’re building your Live Ops muscle or refining your existing strategy, this episode is packed with actionable insights for every game developer.

01:05 Meet the Experts: Nadav, Max, and Erno

07:36 Social LiveOps: Trends and Examples

12:31 Monopoly Go's Collaborative and Competitive Events

15:02 June's Journey: Social Features and Player Motivations

25:11 Engagement LiveOps: Long-Term and Short-Term Events

33:07 The Importance of Long-Term Engagement

36:40 Short-Term Collection Mechanics

38:15 Multi-Stage Mission Events

43:19 Advanced Segmentation in LiveOps

49:54 Challenges in Testing and Iteration

51:19 Monetization Strategies and Bundle Offers

01:01:50 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

TikTok’s gaming experiment closures and Marvel Snap’s China operations highlight the challenges of scaling global hits. Netflix’s games strategy is dissected, alongside surprising trends like the resurgence of Solitaire, which seems to be tapping into the nostalgia economy.

The discussion turns heavier as the team unpacks sweeping workforce cuts at Huuuge Games and the growing dominance of Chinese game developers on the global stage. Bonfire Studios’ new game announcement and Matthew Ball’s analysis of gaming’s shifting market dynamics provide fresh perspectives on innovation and competition.

01:13 TV Show Marketing
02:49 Marketing Strategy Debate
06:14 Shills
10:19 Nintendo Switch 2 Leaks
12:56 TikTok and Marvel Snap Shutdowns
16:36 Industry Moves and New Roles
19:44 Netflix Games Strategy
21:36 Solitaire Making a Comeback??
31:31 Bonfire Studios’ New Game
34:36 Huge Games Workforce Cuts
35:28 Matthew Ball’s Market Analysis
47:12 The Rise of Chinese Game Developers
49:57 The Cost of Game Development
58:02 Future Growth Levers in Gaming

Jen Donahoe sits down with Alexandra Takei, a rising star who’s making waves in the gaming industry.

They dive into what it takes to bridge the gap between business and creativity in gaming, the hard-earned lessons from startups, and how proactive collaboration can drive innovation.

Alexandra discusses empathy and mentorship's critical role in her career and shares advice for those navigating the fast-paced gaming ecosystem.

01:04 About Alex Takei
03:43 Early Career and Entry into Gaming
10:30 Blizzard Experience and Mentorship
23:51 PJourney to Content Creation
29:11 Venture Capital and Bitcraft
34:51 Understanding Game Complexity and Business Models
35:32 The Importance of Team Inclusivity
36:27 Challenges of Pitching and Raising Money
37:14 Navigating Game Development Constraints
38:14 Startup Dynamics vs. Big Companies
39:20 Wearing Multiple Hats in a Startup
42:20 Empathy and Flexibility in Leadership
50:55 The Role of Mentorship
57:52 Final Advice for Aspiring Professionals
01:00:57 Alex's Sign-Off

gaming industry, podcasting, venture capital, Blizzard, mentorship, career journey, game development, business strategy, content creation, women in gaming, gaming, business, empathy, mentorship, startups, game development, career advice, leadership, women in gaming, entrepreneurship

Join us at PGC After Dark: ⁠https://lu.ma/m75avtgb⁠

This week’s TWIG episode starts with bold predictions for 2025 in mobile gaming, followed by Eric Kress’s half-hearted backtracking on hyper-casual games and the latest Nintendo Switch 2 leaks before deep diving into Marvel Rivals’ potential impact.

The team revisits the year’s most significant moments, explores standout moments, and wraps up with listener feedback and reflections.

00:00 Squad Intros
01:28 California Wildfires + How to Help
03:18 Shills
05:34 Predictions for 2025 in Mobile
09:44 Corrections and Hyper Casual Talk
14:06 Nintendo Switch 2 Leaks
16:05 Investments and Funding News
20:15 Marvel Rivals
34:10 Talk of the Year: Mass Layoffs
34:53 Embarrassing Predictions
35:58 Company Damage: Ubisoft's Downfall
37:04 Most Disappointing Game
40:36 Financial Success: Mice Nuts
42:32 Questionable Moves
47:46 Brilliant Moves
50:35 Crushing It: Brawl Stars
53:13 Layoff Lowlights
53:43 Limping Donkey Award
55:20 Listener Feedback and Wrap-Up

CEO and co-founder of PvX Partners (www.pvxpartners.com), Joe Wadakethalakal shares his unique journey from India to Indonesia and beyond. Key takeaways from our chat with Joe Wadakethalakal: **Resilience matters**: Entrepreneurship is brutal—Joe’s journey shows how surviving failures and tough times builds long-term success. **Market size over Network**: Starting in large, scalable markets (U.S., India, China) beats hustling in smaller ones. Lesson learned the hard way. **Smart fundraising wins**: Raising capital isn’t just about money—it’s about unlocking talent, momentum, and strategic growth. Just don’t overdo it! Chapters: 00:00 Intro 05:53 Banking and Private Equity Experience 12:28 Challenges and Lessons Learned 18:53 Joining MPL and Strategic Growth 49:20 The Importance of Capital in Startups 54:10 Leaving MPL and Starting PVX 01:00:48 PVX's Unique Approach to UA Financing 01:19:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

CAST YOUR VOTE!

https://forms.gle/BfBn6H123S2D1QdY9

Brace yourself for the most candid awards show in gaming! Join us as we dissect the highs and lows of 2024, dishing out Golden TWIGs for the year’s most memorable moments. From epic fails to surprising triumphs, we’re covering it all:

• Company Carnage: Who took the biggest hits?
• Gaming Letdowns: Which hyped title fell flat?
• Layoff Lowlights: The most brutal workforce cuts
• Oops, We Did It Again: Our most embarrassing predictions

Get ready for unvarnished opinions, heated debates, and a no-holds-barred look at the gaming industry’s rollercoaster year.

Don’t miss this annual tradition where you separate the gold from the garbage!

The Hybridcasual Playbook https://metahybridcasualplaybook.splashthat.com/

In this episode of the Deconstructor of Fun podcast, Mishka Katkoff interviews Vincent Fevrier, CMO of Tap Nation, discussing the evolution of hybrid casual games and the unique position of French publishers in the gaming industry.

They explore Tap Nation's growth from a startup to a mid-size publisher, the challenges of transitioning from hypercasual to hybrid casual, and the importance of user acquisition and marketing strategies.

The conversation also delves into acquisition strategies, building internal capabilities for live operations, and the future outlook for the gaming industry.

Chapters

00:00 The Rise of Hypercasual Gaming in France

02:52 Tap Nation's Evolution: From Hypercasual to Hybrid Casual

06:04 Navigating Challenges in a Post-COVID Gaming Landscape

08:54 Marketing Strategies: LTV vs. CAC in Hybrid Casual

12:04 Acquisition Strategies: Building a Portfolio of Games

14:56 Operational Changes: Adapting to Hybrid Casual Dynamics

17:51 Building Internal Capabilities for Game Development

21:00 The Future of Tap Nation: Diversifying Game Types

24:07 Competing in a Crowded Market: Finding Unique Assets

32:25 The Competitive Landscape of Game Publishing

35:11 Building Relationships in the Gaming Industry

39:11 Navigating Acquisitions and Partnerships

44:17 The Evolution of Tapnation and Its Strategies

50:43 Industry Outlook: Challenges and Opportunities

keywords

hypercasual, hybrid casual, gaming industry, Tap Nation, ad tech, game development, user acquisition, monetization strategies, French gaming market, game publishing, game publishing, acquisitions, industry trends, mobile gaming, Tapnation, partnerships, user acquisition, market growth, gaming industry, competitive landscape

Michail Katkoff and Gerard Miles dive into the nuances of executive headhunting, exploring the role of headhunters, pathways to the C-suite, and the significance of personal branding and mentorship in career growth. They share insights on how candidates can position themselves for leadership roles and embrace strategic thinking to thrive in a competitive hiring landscape.

The discussion also highlights common mistakes in the executive search process, the importance of empathy in interviews, and the value of building genuine relationships. They address the challenges and advantages of international relocation, as well as the growing role of AI in hiring, stressing the need for candidates to be prepared and deeply engaged throughout the process.

00:00 Introduction to Executive Headhunting

01:00 Understanding the Role of an Executive Headhunter

10:41 Navigating the C-Suite: Pathways to Leadership

20:36 Building Your Personal Brand for Executive Roles

27:32 The Importance of Mentorship in Career Growth

37:59 Common Mistakes in Executive Search

44:40 Empathy in the Interview Process

51:40 Building Relationships in Recruitment

57:38 Challenges and Benefits of International Relocation

01:10:48 The Rise of AI in Executive Hiring

keywords: executive headhunting, C-suite, leadership, personal brand, mentorship, career growth, talent acquisition, strategic thinking, networking, hiring process, executive search, interview preparation, candidate experience, recruitment process, international relocation, AI in hiring, empathy in interviews, building relationships, hiring mistakes, talent acquisition

No agenda? No problem! Ethan returns from UEFN dormancy to break some exciting news. Jen sells a BMW, while Eric tries to sell a Roblox correction. The Puzzle Queen herself ascends to browbeat Royale Kingdom into better KPIs, and Phil shares pictures of his cat in a banana. 

01:17 Holiday Reflections and Family Updates
03:03 Good News, Bad News
04:01 Parenting Challenges and Teenage Years
06:23 Podcast Banter and Personal Stories
08:29 Cat Updates and Car Stories
12:50 Seattle Winter and Personal Updates
14:22 Startup Exit and GameFam
15:09 Roblox and UEFN Discussion
29:03 The Evolution of Fortnite's Algorithm
29:17 Challenges with Limited Analytics
30:27 Licensed Content and Revenue Sharing
31:45 The Future of Survival Crafting Games
33:21 Comparing Royal Kingdom and Royal Match
35:13 Analyzing Game Revenue Trends
37:06 Predictions for 2025 Gaming Trends
39:22 Golden Twig Awards Recap
53:21 Handheld Gaming Innovations
55:25 Holiday Wishes and Final Thoughts

In this episode, David Nelson co-Founder of Magnetic and a true maverick of our industry, dives deep into the nuances of mobile gaming innovation.

David discusses his journey through King, including the formation and successes of the experimentation group. As the industry transforms, he explains the importance of understanding your audience, the pitfalls of following trends blindly, and the necessity of building a strong company strategy. David also offers insights on how to navigate organizational changes and cultivate a culture of constructive conflict.

Finally, get a sneak peek into what Magnetic is working on and its approach to creating the next big hit in mobile gaming.

01:03 David Nelson's Background and Identity

04:38 Career at King and Experimentation Group

06:18 Starting a New Company and Investor Insights

09:44 Importance of Honest Feedback and Alignment

11:59 Challenges and Strategies in Game Development

24:31 The Role of Conflict in Meetings

33:07 The Debate Over Small Games

34:04 Testing and Proving Concepts

38:04 Framework for High-Impact Tests

40:35 Challenges of Creative Work

43:33 Experimentation Group Achievements

49:59 Navigating Corporate Culture

55:58 Building Trust and Social Capital

01:03:46 Advice for Driving Change

01:12:21 Insights on Mobile Game Industry

01:35:23 Final Thoughts and Reflections

We kick things off with a deep dive into what separates different Nordic countries with regional experts Phillip Black and Mishka Katkoff. Next, we tackle Squad Busters’ ambitious new update. Will it be enough to reverse its decline, or is it too little, too late? Then, there will be chaos in the streaming world as Netflix Games gets GTAd! What went down, and what does it mean for the company’s gaming ambitions? Only Kress can give it to us. Finally, Jen takes us through the Game Awards (aka. the Jeff Keighley Awards) — the wins, the snubs, and what it all means for the industry. Hosts: Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, and Phillip Black. 02:07 Supercell's LinkedIn Antics 03:07 Nordic Rivalries Explained 05:09 Event Updates 07:43 Path of Exile Monetization 08:32 Roblox and UEFN Profitability 12:11 Epic Games and Telefonica Deal 15:52 AppLovin's Ad Strategy Change 16:43 Brawl Stars and Toy Story Collaboration 17:25 Netflix Games Licensing Issues 26:07 Build a Rocket Boy Acquisition 28:28 Beam Ventures Gaming Fund 33:40 Game Updates: Path of Exile 2, Marvel Rivals, Delta Force 37:57 Pokemon TCG Pocket's Performance 39:56 Pokemon Go vs. TCG Pocket 44:07 Royal Kingdom's Launch and Comparison 49:42 Supercell's Squadbusters Update 57:17 Game Awards 2024 Highlights

Cameron Stewart, Group Vice President at SciPlay, shares valuable insights on the robust growth of social casinos, emphasizing retention and monetization strategies.

We explore how SciPlay operates with low concentration levels in the market, the importance of personalizing user experiences, and the innovative approaches driving their success.

Get an insider's look at the strategic decisions, including talent investment and the unified infrastructure for game development, that make SciPlay a leader in the field.

Additionally, Cameron speaks on the benefits and challenges of a return-to-office workplace culture and the strategic value of acquisitions and portfolio diversification.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:28 Understanding the Social Casino Market

03:15 Challenges and Strategies in Game Development

06:15 Segmentation to Personalization

10:25 Retention and Engagement Metrics

16:39 Monetization and Live Operations

33:09 Direct-to-Consumer Strategies

37:19 Exploring the Social Casino Market

38:32 Partnerships and Strategies

40:37 Innovations and Player Behavior

42:11 The Role of IP in Casino Games

43:45 Player Engagement and Retention

51:05 Work Culture and Talent Investment

59:04 Strategic Acquisitions and Diversification

01:06:18 Key Learnings and Advice

01:10:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Social Casino, Monetization, Retention, Personalization, Gaming KPIs, Player Experience, Live Operations, Direct to Consumer, Market Trends, SciPlay, social casino, game development, innovation, acquisitions, player engagement, market strategy, IP integration, casino industry

With Miska set on another jet, Q5 launches in earnest with Marvel Rivals, Delta Force, Path of Exile 2, Infinity Nikki, and Girlsfront Line 2. Oh my, oh my.

Kress gives his full review of Infinity Nikki’s costumes, while Jen pulls “Franchise” Beetlejuice. How can Marvel Rivals cross-promote in every Marvel game?  Adam pours cold water retention down the acquisition’s back while Phil tries to light the Chinese game industry fire while wearing a tight desert camouflage shirt (?).

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
00:56 Meet the Hosts
01:33 Secret Level Screening Review
06:13 Game Exec Supper Club Announcement
07:47 Industry News and Corrections
09:55 Investment and M&A Updates
12:36 New Game Releases and Performance
34:43 Mastery Issues in the Game
35:11 Unique Selling Points and Differentiation
35:46 Honeymoon Phase and Meta Development
36:56 Onboarding and Mastery Curve
39:22 Marvel Cross-Promotions and IP Management
44:32 Path of Exile 2: Strategy and Success
53:59 Delta Force: A Battlefield Clone
58:12 Fortnite's New Tactical Shooter
01:00:59 Infinity Nikki: A Unique Pivot
01:07:36 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions

Mishka Kaktoff is joined by Steve Lockwood from TikTok and Roy Yanai from AppsFlyer, who share their extensive insights on evolving attribution techniques, overcoming challenges in the privacy landscape, and future-proofing measurement strategies. 

This episode is packed with valuable information that can help improve your campaign performance, game design, and overall marketing outcomes. 

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding Mobile Marketing Attribution

01:11 Guest Introductions

04:11 Evolution of Attribution

07:40 Challenges in Attribution

08:59 TikTok's Role in Attribution

12:12 Debate on Last Click Attribution

18:02 Incremental Testing and Media Mix Modeling

31:29 Questioning the Truth in Marketing

32:35 The Evolution of Attribution Methods

33:28 Advertiser Perspectives on Ad Networks

35:07 The Importance of Views in Advertising

36:57 TikTok's Unique Role in Advertising

42:44 Future-Proofing Measurement Strategies

45:28 The Role of Privacy in Measurement

56:06 Success Stories in Attribution

01:01:57 Future Trends in Measurement

01:08:38 Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

Up Down Up is now available as an audiobook on Audible!

https://www.amazon.com/UP-DOWN-companies-succeed-others/dp/B0CR7T9DPT

In this episode, Kim Nordstrom joins the podcast to discuss his journey in the gaming industry, from releasing his first game in 1995 to significant roles at PlayStation, King, and Paradox.

The conversation delves into topics from his book 'Up, Down, Up,' exploring what it takes to build a successful game company, the importance of culture and psychological safety, and the challenges of transitioning between growth and maturity phases.

Kim also shares insights from his interviews with top industry leaders and how these experiences have shaped his current role as CEO of PlayerUnknown Productions.

01:05 Kim Nordstrom's Career Journey

03:06 The Making of 'Up, Down, Up'

06:31 Exploring Company Growth Patterns

10:19 The Importance of Company Culture

30:16 Understanding Psychological Safety

43:03 The Importance of Actions Over Words

44:10 Changing Culture Through Leadership

46:20 The SEAL Team Leadership Experiment

47:32 Scaling Teams and Maintaining Culture

48:57 Principles and Values in Leadership

53:34 The Role of Timing in Success

58:58 Navigating Growth and Maturity Phases

01:11:25 Challenges of Innovating Within Established Companies

01:24:32 Reflections on Leadership and Wisdom

01:28:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of This Week in Games, we dive into the intriguing rumors surrounding a potential new PlayStation Portable and discuss Elon Musk’s rumored AI game studio, which could reshape innovation in the space.

On the business side, we analyze the closure of Ubisoft studios and the enduring popularity of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. 

In mobile gaming, we spotlight Habby’s big launches, including Capybara Go and Archero 2, before discussing Path of Exile 2's early access success. 

Plus, we compare two heavyweight Eastern shooters, Marvel Rivals and Delta Force, and examine why so many new MOBAs struggle to gain traction. 

Don’t miss this deep dive into the industry’s most exciting stories!

Chapters:

02:48 Shills
04:17 Hybrid Casual Playbook Release
04:38 App Monetization Report
10:30 Fortnite's Record-Breaking Season
14:29 PlayStation Portable Rumors
16:47 Elon Musk's AI Game Studio
18:39 Investments and M&A
24:33 Ubisoft Studio Shutdowns
30:07 Pokemon Trading Card Game Success
35:37 Habby's Big Launches: Capybara Go and Archero 2
40:44 Path of Exile 2 Early Access
43:18 Battle of the Eastern Shooters: Marvel Rivals vs. Delta Force
48:27 The Struggles of New MOBAs
56:51 Conclusion and Sign-Off

In this episode, host Mishka Katkoff is joined by Sergei Vasiuk, LiveOps Director at Wargaming and author of 'Running a Successful Live Service Game.'

The two delve into Sergei's book, discussing everything from the evolution of gaming models to data-driven development, player engagement, monetization strategies, and the challenges of global operations.

This episode is a treasure trove of insights for anyone in game development or LiveOps. Tune in for practical advice, learnings from Wargaming, and how to keep players engaged and your game profitable!

00:41 Importance of Live Operations

01:08 Overview of Sergei's Book

03:34 Sergei's Journey and Role at Wargaming

07:50 The Evolution of Gaming Models

12:03 Challenges and Strategies in Live Service Games

31:29 The Future of LiveOps and Community Engagement

38:23 Building Relationships with Content Creators

40:12 The Role of Data in Game Development

42:11 Understanding LiveOps and Player Engagement

45:34 The Importance of Decision Making in LiveOps

58:34 Balancing Monetization and Player Experience

01:11:16 Global Operations and Regional Relevance

01:18:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Dive deep into the world of game development and user acquisition with AppLovin’s Daniel TchernahovskyIn this episode, we explore the growth of mobile gaming, the significance of hybrid monetization, and the impact of automation and AI on user acquisition strategies.

Learn how Applovin's journey from startup to powerhouse company evolved, the importance of maintaining company culture, and strategic insights on app and game monetization.

00:51 Daniel’s Journey with Applovin

08:21 Industry Trends and Insights

18:23 The Rise of Hybrid Monetization

31:46 Aligning Marketing and Product Teams

35:09 Understanding Benchmarks and Metrics

37:14 Integrating User Acquisition in Development

38:33 Team Dynamics and Agile Development

42:50 Predictive LTV and Visualization Techniques

47:35 Avoiding the Doom Loop

56:50 The Rise of Apps vs. Games

Happy Thanksgaming! This week, the Deconstructor of Fun crew kicks things off with a recap of the buzzing Slush event before diving into a deep analysis of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. From there, we tackle Ubisoft’s heated return-to-office controversy and explore Hasbro’s massive $150 million investment in gaming.

The latter half of the episode delves into Royal Kingdom’s prolonged soft launch strategy and wrap up with a discussion on FIFA’s latest collaboration with Mythical Games. Can they rival EA FC?

Tune in for insights, reflections, and a glimpse into what lies ahead in the evolving gaming landscape!

00:00 Happy Thanksgaming!

02:54 Slush Event Recap

08:26 Heroic Labs Updates

17:37 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Analysis

29:49 Ubisoft's Return to Office Controversy

36:54 Hasbro's $150 Million Investment in Gaming

41:03 Mattel vs. Hasbro: A Tale of Two Toy Giants

45:48 The Interconnectedness of Toys and Gaming

54:47 Game District's Acquisition of Gleam Games

55:49 AppCharge Raises $26 Million for Gaming Apps

56:36 Royal Kingdom's Market Strategy

01:10:47 Mythical Games' New Arcade Football Game

01:15:44 Wrapping Up: Reflections and Future Prospects

Phillip Black sits down with Leo Yao, General Manager of Timi Studio Group’s J3 studio, for an exclusive look at the making of Call of Duty Mobile and the upcoming Delta Force.

Discover how Timi shocked Activision with a two-month Nuketown demo, the secrets behind COD Mobile’s record-breaking live ops, and why Delta Force pivots to tackle Battlefield.

Insights:

• The surprising dominance of Crossfire in China over global FPS franchises.

• The East vs. West FPS divide—tactical vs. arcade gameplay.

• Delta Force’s PC-first pivot, cross-platform ambitions, and bi-monthly content updates.
• Timi’s roots in humility and adaptability for live-service success.

Chapters:

00:53 Leo Yao and Timmy's Studio Group

02:31 Call of Duty Mobile: Development and Success

05:21 Challenges and Strategies in the Mobile FPS Market

09:23 Team Structure and Company Culture at Timmy

14:14 Cross-Platform Gaming and Future Trends

18:10 Chinese PC Shooter Market Insights

21:21 PC vs Mobile: A Developer's Perspective

23:38 Delta Force: Fitting into the FPS Landscape

25:49 Live Service and Content Updates

28:23 Monetization Strategies for Delta Force

30:14 The Rise of Extraction Shooters

36:54 Why Delta Force? The Strategy for IP's Revival

38:44 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As Kress’ World of Warcraft account turns 20, we blow out the candles and reflect on a surprising reason behind EA’s disastrous AI investor presentation. Jen delivers a valiant defense of Monopoly Go’s new TV campaign, while Phil reviews the early returns of Pokémon TCG Pocket. Big in Japan, as they say? The group wraps up with what might be the year’s final Embracer hazing session, absolving themselves of any remaining crimes.

chapters: 01:19 Birthday Wishes for WoW and Half-Life 2

04:48 EA Tries to Soothe AI Worries

10:03 Game Industry Awards and Nominations

14:47 AAA Devs and Startups

19:04 PlayVentures' New Gaming Fund

21:24 Miniclip Acquires EasyBrain

28:32 X Rioters and Supervive

31:15 Capybara Go and Archero 2

32:02 Pokemon TCG Pocket Success

38:47 Marvel Snap and Sinister Loot Boxes

41:15 New Monopoly Go Campaign

Join us on the Deconstructor of Fun Podcast as we delve into LiveOps strategies for Q5 with esteemed guests Sezer Degirmenbasi, head of EMEA for mobile gaming at TikTok, and John Wright, head of publishing at Kwalee.

In this episode, you’ll discover what Q5 is and why it's crucial for game marketers and learn detailed strategies for leveraging TikTok's LiveOps tools to extend your game's lifecycle, increase user engagement, and maximize revenue

00:00 Introduction

00:56 Understanding Q5: The Invisible Quarter

06:10 LiveOps Strategies and Definitions

11:27 TikTok's Role in LiveOps Success

16:24 TikTok's LiveOps Program Explained

21:56 Creative Strategies for LiveOps

27:55 The Need for Differentiation

29:34 Reviving Older Games with TikTok

36:56 Success Metrics for LiveOps Campaigns

46:54 Final Thoughts and Advice for Developers

51:02 Culturalization in LiveOps

54:35 Conclusion and Community Engagement

HYBRIDCASUAL PLAYBOOK: metahybridcasualplaybook.splashthat.com 

In this podcast episode, Michail Katkoff hosts Manish Gajria, Director of Product from Meta, and Ryan Davies, Head of Performance Marketing from Kwalee to discuss the current trends in the mobile gaming market, focusing on value optimization, hybrid casual games, and the impact of AI on user acquisition strategies.

They explore the challenges of measurement and attribution in a changing landscape, and the importance of creative strategies, and share success stories from the industry. The conversation highlights the evolving nature of gaming marketing and the tools that Meta is developing to support advertisers in achieving better outcomes.

Chapters 0:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

01:46 Meet the Guests: Manish Kashria and Ryan Davis

02:19 Current Trends in Mobile Gaming

04:15 Value Optimization in User Acquisition

07:24 Challenges and Strategies in Gaming Marketing

17:37 Hybrid Casual Games: The New Frontier

33:19 Success Stories and Case Studies

34:54 Gaming Apps and Value Optimization

36:17 Subscription Apps and Value Optimization

38:14 The Role of UA Managers and Automation

44:53 Combining Optimization Techniques

48:24 AI in User Acquisition

57:16 Measurement and Attribution Challenges0

1:04:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

After Kress released the rockets at large VCs last week the crew gets back into heated venture capital discussions exploring the complexities of VC investments in gaming and the shifting landscape of game development and funding.

The conversation also touches on the potential leadership changes at EA, the implications of recent acquisitions in the gaming industry, and the performance of companies like Roblox. The discussion highlights the strategic moves by companies like MTG and Take-Two, as well as the challenges and opportunities in the current market landscape.

Hosts: Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Phillip Black, Jen Donahoe

Content: 01:30 Mishka's Banter and Shills

06:41 Corrections and Clarifications

10:22 VC Investments in Gaming

22:04 Crunchyroll and Meta Updates

24:59 EA and Disney Rumors

27:20 Wall Street's Favorite CEOs

30:18 MTG's Strategic Acquisitions

31:46 Plarium's Surprising Valuation

37:51 Take-Two's Divestments and Chartboost Sale

43:51 Roblox's Impressive Growth

49:55 Dream's New Puzzle RPG

56:00 Conclusion and Upcoming Topics

Keywords: game industry, venture capital, Crunchyroll, mobile gaming, EA leadership, gaming news, game funding, gaming trends, gaming investments, acquisitions, MTG, Plarium, Take-Two, Roblox,

Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto, and Eric Kress live from GamesForum San Francisco.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview

01:29 Panelist Intros

05:53 First Topic: Unfiltered Growth and Monetization

12:50 Incentivized Advertising: Past and Present

17:59 Challenges and Future of Incentivized Ads

27:27 Expanding Beyond Gaming: Brand Collaborations

32:15 Exploring Roblox's Integration with Shopify

32:52 The Shift in Game Design and Monetization

35:29 Surviving in 2025

36:12 Mobile and Console Gaming's Existential Crisis

37:55 Opportunities and Challenges in Mobile Gaming

39:00 The Role of Small Studios in the Gaming Market

44:11 Netflix's Foray into Gaming

50:57 Challenges in Game Discovery and Engagement

59:42 The Future of Gaming and AI in Marketing

01:00:05 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

Eric roleplays as his Old Man Yells at Cloud Halloween costume, sparing no expense at Netflix’s strange announcement and an ugly breakdown of modern venture capital. Laura tells us if Pokemon’s new mobile game looks more like Go or Masters, while Jen gives a eulogy for Space Ape. Phil raves at Call of Duties monster success and asks Nadella to release the Game Pass tapes.

00:26 Nintendo Switch Earnings Analysis

16:31 Netflix's Interactive Titles and Generative AI

20:49 Supercell Acquires SpaceApe

23:02 Dragon Age and Call of Duty Updates

31:51 Pokemon TCG Mobile: First Impressions

38:50 The Role of VC in Gaming Startups

42:09 Investment Trends and Success Stories

45:22 VC Firm Challenges + The Future of VCs in Gaming

In this episode of Deconstructor of Fun, we dive into the shifting landscape of influencer marketing in the gaming industry, focusing on the emergence and impact of creator programs.

Our guests: Patrick "Chief Pat" Carney (Tribe Gaming), Scott Walker (Ninja Kiwi), and Justin Sacks (Nexus.gg) — industry experts and key voices in creator marketing—explore the evolving roles of influencers and creators, moving from short-term campaigns to deeper, sustained partnerships that drive community engagement and revenue.

We discuss how companies like Supercell have pioneered successful creator programs and examine the role of platforms in supporting these initiatives. We also address the challenges developers face in managing creator programs, particularly for smaller studios, and how user-generated content (UGC) is reshaping the gaming experience.

Tune in to learn how creator programs are transforming marketing, community building, and even game development itself.

Host: Jen Donahoe

Chapters:

04:36 Defining Creator Programs

06:47 Creator Program Benefits

11:52 Supercell's Creator Program

20:09 Building a Creator Platform

21:44 Implementation

26:08 Challenges in Developer-Marketer Collaboration

26:45 Web2 Play-to-Earn Concept

28:52 Impact on Small Developers

30:38 Revenue and Engagement Metrics

34:04 Nexus and Creator Programs

36:06 Supercell's Creator Program Evolution

38:18 Brawl Stars and Community Management

40:57 Administrative Challenges in Creator Programs

43:45 UGC and Future Developers

Keywords: influencer marketing, creator programs, gaming, Supercell, Nexus.gg, community engagement, mobile games, revenue share, content creators, game development, game development, content creators, revenue sharing, player engagement, user-generated content, mobile games, creator programs, game marketing, community building, game monetization

It’s Halloween and conference season, so we’re diving into all the latest insights without of course missing a basketball update. In today’s episode, we got Call of Duty’s continued dominance, Battlefield’s woes, Apple’s App Store for gaming, China’s rise in 4x games, and Barbie’s design mismatch. Dive in for all things gaming, snark included! Hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Phillip Black and Mishka Katkoff Keywords: gaming news, game industry, conferences, shooter games, Netflix gaming, Apple gaming store, gaming industry, Switch 2, Roblox, web stores, child safety, investments, Bungie, Sony, studio closures, Tencent, shooter games, Forex games, mobile gaming, Barbie game, Call of Duty, Battlefield, gaming trends Chapters: 01:39 Halloween and Conference Season 03:56 Basketball Update and Conference Insights 10:36 Shooter Panel + Market Trends 16:46 Netflix's AAA Game Shutdown and Apple App Store Rumors 22:15 Nintendo Switch 2 Rumors 26:34 Roblox's Child Safety Measures 31:29 Investments, Divestments, and M&A 38:50 The Struggles of IP-Driven Games 41:40 The MOBA Market in the West 45:30 Bungie Under PlayStation: Not Good 47:14 Sony Shuts Down Firewalk Studios 52:21 Chinese Developers and 4x Games 56:24 Barbie Game's Creative Mismatch 01:05:19 Call of Duty Continues Crushing It 01:10:21 Battlefield's Downfall

In this deep dive discussion, Adam Telfer, Chris Sides, Phillip Black, and Davan Brannan explore the current state of the PC and console shooter genre, analyzing player engagement trends, the impact of COVID-19, and the struggles of new game entrants in a saturated market.

They discuss the decline in player numbers for popular titles, the challenges of maintaining engagement, and the implications for future game development. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the challenges and strategies surrounding the launch and retention of new first-person shooter (FPS) games.

The four also discuss the importance of live content, player migration, and the barriers new titles face in a saturated market.

The conversation ends with an exploration of the future of extraction shooters and the key elements developers must focus on to succeed in the competitive landscape of PvP shooters.

Chapters:

00:00 The Shooter Genre Landscape

02:36 Analyzing Player Engagement in Shooters

09:06 The Impact of COVID on Shooter Game Popularity

11:00 Contrasting Successes and Failures in Recent Titles

21:33 New Entrants and Their Struggles in the Market

28:35 The Challenge of Launching New FPS Games

32:00 Player Migration and Retention in FPS Titles

35:32 Barriers for New PvP Shooters

38:09 Strategies for Competing in a Saturated Market

41:58 The Future of Extraction Shooters

49:57 Key Takeaways for Developing Successful Shooters

Keywords:

PC, console, shooter games, player engagement, market analysis, COVID impact, game launches, FPS, PvP, PvE, FPS games, player retention, game development, extraction shooters, PvP shooters, gaming market, player migration, live service, game thesis, competitive gaming

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This episode of This Week in Games covers major shifts in gaming, as Netflix shutting down its AAA studio, TikTok’s LiveOps program, and the rise of influencer marketing and Supercell’s all-hands-on-deck approach to save Squad Busters. The episode also addresses the perceived decline of AA studios.

Hosts: Jen Donahoe, Adam Telfer, Phillip Black and Mishka Katkoff

On his 55th visit to beyond the Wall (aka. Finland) Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners delves into the influence of Finland's gaming scene, the global success of companies like Supercell, and the legacy of titles such as Angry Birds and Habbo Hotel. 

We discuss the impact of technology, transmedia trends, and how non-endemic players like Netflix are entering the gaming space. The conversation covers strategic mergers and acquisitions, the resurgence of PC gaming, and the exciting potential in emerging markets. 

Tune in to understand how cultural adaptability, partnership dynamics, and IP management are driving the gaming industry forward.

00:00 Introduction and Peter's Frequent Visits to Finland

02:59 Rovio and Angry Birds

08:35 Impact of Nokia and Finnish Gaming Success

15:08 Challenges and Opportunities in the Finnish Gaming Market

18:56 Global Perspective and Market Dynamics

27:09 Transmedia and Gaming Adaptations

37:33 Disney's Aha Moment

38:12 Legacy Media and Gaming

38:37 Warner Brothers' Gaming Success

39:21 Advice for Big IP Holders

39:37 Investing in Gaming Executives

40:37 Strategic Acquisitions

41:27 Sports Leagues and Gaming

41:55 Overinvestment Concerns

42:48 Netflix's Gaming Strategy

50:18 Transmedia Business Case

52:16 John Wick in Fortnite

55:20 Skills and IP Partnerships

01:07:01 Future of Gaming

01:10:49 Closing Thoughts

In this episode of TWIG (This Week in Games), the team dives into recent gaming industry news, starting with Google’s Play and Xbox announcements, followed by the Game Freak data breach and Xbox developments.

'They discuss Supercell’s mysterious Project Rise, the rumored Destiny Rising mobile game, and blockchain gaming with Off the Grid. The episode also highlights Azra Games’ Project Legends, speculates on Scopely’s next mega-deal, and wraps up with Supercell’s marketing shakeup.

00:00 Intro
01:55 Quick Hits
05:28 Google Play and Xbox Announcements
07:43 Game Freak Data Breach and Xbox News
13:16 Supercell's Project Rise
14:17 Destiny Rising Mobile Game
20:54 Off the Grid: Blockchain Gaming
29:54 Web3 Game Development Challenges
30:37 Marketing and Investor Influence
31:23 Player Reception and Crypto Integration
36:16 Azra Games and Project Legends
45:06 Scopely's Mega Deal Speculations
56:40 Supercell's Marketing Shakeup

Michail Katkoff sits down with Javier Ferreira, Co-CEO of Scopely, to explore the success behind Scopely's hit game Monopoly Go, which has generated over $3 billion in lifetime revenue.

Javier shares insights into Scopely's acquisition by Savvy, the impact of solid partnerships, and Scopely's future ambitions with original IPs.

Learn about effective game development, strategic risk-taking, and the evolving landscape of the gaming industry. Discover what makes Scopely a leader in IP-based gaming and Javier's views on the bright future of gaming.

00:00 Introduction and Learning Journey

01:06 Monopoly Go's Commercial Success

07:05 Scopely's Approach to IP and Game Development

13:13 Challenges and Convictions in Game Development

22:44 Impact of Savvy's Acquisition on Scopely

31:05 Future of the Gaming Industry and Final Thoughts

The TWIG team unpacks the latest developments in Ubisoft’s internal drama. They also dive into the troubled launch of Squadbusters and explore whether toxic positivity is a growing issue in game development. Plus, get the latest on the Epic vs. Google legal battle and the controversies surrounding Roblox. Tune in for sharp analysis and thoughtful discussion on all things gaming!

02:02 Event Highlights and Industry Insights

04:37 Savvy Games Group and Upcoming Podcasts

08:21 Ubisoft Drama and Tencent's Stake

13:35 Squadbusters Game Launch Misfires?

32:51 Exploring Toxic Positivity in Game Development

52:23 Epic vs Google Legal Battle

59:00 Roblox Under Fire

Saudi Arabia has a bold vision - to transform itself into a global gaming hub by 2030. 

With insights from Savvy Games Group CEO Brian Ward and Gerard Miles, co-CEO of executive headhunting company Mission One, we delve into the Kingdom's strategic efforts to build a robust gaming ecosystem in the Middle East. 

Discover the opportunities and challenges of navigating business in Saudi Arabia, and learn how cultural understanding and genuine connections can foster success in this burgeoning market. Gain valuable advice on investment prospects and expansion strategies from those at the forefront of these exciting developments.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Episode Overview

03:01 Guest Introductions and Backgrounds

05:18 Brian's Move to Saudi Arabia

07:35 Perceptions and Realities of Saudi Arabia

11:15 Female Participation and Workforce Transformation

16:29 Understanding Savvy Games Group

23:37 Long-Term Investment Strategy and E-Sports

30:00 Financial Discipline and Strategic Investments

34:49 Building a Self-Sustaining Gaming Ecosystem

38:13 Empowering Saudi Entrepreneurs

39:05 Building a Gaming Ecosystem

42:28 Global Comparisons and Strategies

49:18 Talent Development and Ecosystem Growth

01:02:06 Navigating Business Culture in Saudi Arabia

01:10:03 Opportunities and Advice for Businesses and Individuals

01:14:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Phillip Black, and Mishka Katkoff discuss the impact of California's new digital ownership law, highlights from the Tokyo Game Show, and the record-breaking numbers on Steam. They also delve into Ubisoft's delays, Behavior Interactive's acquisitions, and Meta's new AR glasses, concluding with a look at Genshin Impact's impressive revenue and market influence.

Takeaways

* Mishka shares insights from his recent travels and conferences.

* Squad Busters faces challenges in the competitive gaming market.

* Indie game publishing is on the rise with new trends emerging.

* California's new law impacts digital ownership for gamers.

* The relevance of the Tokyo Game Show is declining in the gaming industry.

* Steam continues to break user records, showcasing its dominance.

* Ubisoft's delays raise concerns about its leadership and future.

* Behavior Interactive is expanding through acquisitions despite challenges.

* Meta's AR glasses could revolutionize user interaction with technology.

* Genshin Impact's success highlights the potential for high-budget mobile games.

Segments:

03:07 Mishka's Adventures and Industry Insights

06:32 Squadbusters

08:14 Quick Hits

15:50 Epic Games and Legal Battles

18:58 Ubisoft Struggles

22:09 Behavior Interactive + M&A

27:16 Throne and Liberty: A New MMO Experience

31:34 Sports FC 25

34:51 India

37:52 Match Factory'

39:08 Monopoly Go's Going Soft?

44:20 Dragon Ball Z

45:27 Chris Likes Meta's Orion AR Glasses??

52:58 Genshin Impact

Host Jen Donahoe is joined by a panel of emerging game industry professionals—Pedro Bravo (Lead PM Monopoly Go at Scopely), Vlada Kumova (Game Producer at GameFam), and Lara Burić (Game Designer at Hutch).

The discussion centers around the challenges and barriers faced by the next generation of game developers as they enter the industry, the difficulties of securing opportunities, and the ongoing changes in hiring practices.

They share candid experiences about breaking into the industry, the expectations placed on junior versus senior talent, and the evolving dynamics of leadership and mentorship. The panel also explores the importance of fostering supportive environments and reducing crunch culture.

Tune in to hear valuable insights on how the next wave of creators is navigating the complexities of game development and paving the way for future industry practices.

02:34 Guest Intro

03:16 Pedro

04:07 Vlada

04:47 Laura

05:14 Challenges of Breaking into the Industry

11:20 Bipolar Hiring Vibes

18:07 Training and Mentorship

24:42 Early Career Challenges

28:10 Crunch Culture and Work-Life Balance

34:09 Specialization and Workload Management

36:54 Creating a Positive Work Environment

42:19 Effective Communication and Management

46:45 Gen-A and the future of Social Gaming

51:35 Wrap-Up

Kress bites back at Cupcake listeners, while Adam thinks a Space Marine live service is as dead as the Necrons. Phil thinks MoPoGo is groundbreaking, but no one is surfing the waves yet. Laura tells us the real origin story, and Jen has her best Italian accent.

00:00 Intro

01:49 Shills

02:46 AI in Gaming

07:16 EA Strategy

09:28 Adam & Laura: Origins

18:32 Industry Trends and Predictions

31:28 Favorite Podcast Moments

36:36 GDC Memories and Parasocial Relationships

37:55 Nintendo vs. Palworld Legal Battle

40:45 Dreamhaven's First Publishing Partnership

42:57 Microsoft's Game Pass Spending

44:27 Everdale's End and Brawl Stars' Rise

46:40 Space Marine 2's Success

49:10 Raid Shadow Legends' Impressive Run

50:42 Playtika's Acquisition of Superplay

53:17 Monopoly Go: A Social Casino Debate

59:07 Future of IP in Mobile Gaming

Mishka Katkoff chats with Sebastian Forsström, Head of Paradox ARC, to explore the world of indie game publishing at Paradox Interactive. Sebastian provides an overview of Paradox Interactive and dives into the role of Paradox ARC, a division dedicated to helping indie developers.

They discuss how Paradox evaluates and develops games, the importance of sustained user engagement, and effective marketing strategies. Sebastian also shares insights on publishing deals, revenue sharing, co-publishing agreements, and the critical role of DLCs in player retention. 

01:08 Sebastian's Intro
02:46 Paradox Interactive
05:23 Paradox Arc
11:35 Game Evaluation and Development
18:13 Sustained User Base + Marketing
23:44 Paradox Arc Deep Dive
34:09 Publishing Deals and Development Fees
38:26 Co-Publishing Agreements + Revenue Sharing
42:49 Marketing and Release Strategies
48:57 The Role of DLCs in Player Retention
53:27 Trends in the Indie Game Industry
59:39 Advice for Indie Developers
01:04:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The crew gets together to talk about the past and the future of This Week in Game show in this special 300th episode.

But it wouldn’t be a TWIG without a bit of news. Kress gets triggered by EA’s AI + UGC + Apps presentation. And we all wonder what happened to Spectre Divide - a highly anticipated shooter from a top team that seems to have missed its mark.

In this episode of the terrific trio: Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto, and Adam Telfer dive into product strategy and market insights, highlighting how developers are differentiating themselves in a saturated market.

The three also discuss Apple’s September event, analyze the PlayStation 5 Pro, analyze Sony’s broader strategy, and look at Roblox’s ambitious goals for expansion and its push to lead in user-generated content.

00:00 Introductions

04:05 Heroic Labs 2 Mil User Milestone

04:45 Apple's September Event

06:38 PlayStation 5 Launch

10:55 Layoffs & Closures

13:57 Sony

16:45 Top Games by Revenue in North America

24:01 Product Strategy & Market Insights

28:49 Differentiation in Gaming

33:44 GameDev & Marketing Challenges

40:48 Roblox's Ambitious Goals

Join host Jen Donahoe for an in-depth discussion on venture capital funding in the gaming industry with experts from Transcend Fund, Sisu Game Ventures, and PlayVentures.

The panel covers key topics including how VCs work, investment processes, team equity structures, board dynamics, and the unique challenges and opportunities within different gaming platforms.

Learn what gaming VCs are looking for and get insights directly from industry professionals who help shape the future of gaming startups.

00:00 Ad0

1:06 Panel Introduction and Topic Overview

02:59 Meet the Experts: Sikandar

04:48 Meet the Experts: Jere

06:35 Meet the Experts: Anton

10:25 Understanding Venture Capital

15:45 Equity and Cap Table Basics

21:17 Gaming VCs: What They Look For

27:12 Understanding Risk in Business Platforms

27:46 Content and Platform Agnosticism

28:18 Distribution and Growth in Gaming

30:05 Tech Investments in Gaming

31:33 Marketing and User Acquisition

38:42 Investment Pitches and Processes

45:32 The Role of Boards in Startups

54:27 Fund Size and Investment Strategies

58:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Phillip phones it in from Taipei as the team covers the launch of Spectre Divide, Crypto Czar's last hurrah Supercell's potential IPO. Eric Kress dives into Ubisoft’s mismanagement and its effect on company valuation while Adam compares key data insights from NewZoo and Circana. Mishka and Jen talk about influencer marketing trends and shooter game futures.

hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Mishka Katkoff, Adam Telfer and Phillip Black

Sign up for the industry's most insightful weekly newsletter!https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

Ever fancied yourself becoming a VP of a large publisher managing multiple cross-platform teams across several countries?

Tune in to the episode and figure out if this is a job for you! Dimo Dimov, Vice President of Live Games at Gameloft, shares his 17-year impressive career journey at Gameloft, from QA to VP.

He dives into Gameloft's international growth, his daily responsibilities managing live services for heavy-hitting cross-platform titles like Disney Speedstorm and Asphalt 9, and the shifts in LiveOps over the years.

Dimo also discusses the integration of marketing with game teams, forecasting, handling crises, and the future of live services with a focus on cross-platform challenges and AI advancements.

Tune in for insightful industry perspectives and lessons from a seasoned professional in game development and operations.

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

03:00 Dimo's Career Journey

05:33 Life as VP of Live Games at Gameloft

07:34 Managing Multiple Teams and Projects

09:42 Empowering Teams and Strategic Planning

15:18 The Evolution of LiveOps at Gameloft

27:39 Marketing and Community Engagement

36:00 Balancing Personal Preferences in Game Development

37:37 Challenges of Managing Live Operations

38:25 Structuring Content and Pipelines

40:37 Team Dynamics and Reporting Structures

50:37 Leveraging AI and Tools in Game Development

56:51 Future Trends in Live Services

01:03:34 Key Learnings and Advice for Game Developers

01:09:48 Exciting Upcoming Projects at Gameloft

The crew is one down as Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, and Mishka Katkoff hop in to knock one off on the road for #300. In this episode, Mishka gives his takeaways from Gamescom. We discuss a conspiracy theory on why Steam is allowed in China and talk about Wukong and Supercell's new CFO. Most importantly, this episode settles the case about Tim Hortons for good.

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Heroic Labs, Sensor Tower, AppsFlyer and Xsolla

Order your cup of Tim Hortons super hot for this first all-Canadian episode! The lost-and-found podcast host Adam Telfer delves into the state of the industry with Newzoo's Devan Brennan. Topics covered include market trends, forecasts for mobile gaming and the PC market, console performance, and the challenges faced by new free-to-play live service games. The two also explore the optimism surrounding indie and AA game development, and strategies for managing the costs of premium games. Segments 00:00 Ads01:26 Devlin Brennan from Newzoo02:25 Understanding Newzoo's Market Reports04:46 General Market Trends: Growth and Forecasts07:35 Mobile and PC Gaming: Key Drivers and Insights09:24 Console Gaming: Current Trends and Future Prospects21:41 The Rise of PC Gaming and Cross-Platform Play28:14 Mobile Gaming: Heavy Hitters and Market Challenges31:48 Ads33:31 The Rise of Blockbuster Single-Player Games36:58 Balancing Game Length and Development Costs47:54 The Future of Indie and AA Games53:12 Challenges in Free-to-Play Live Services58:53 Strategies for Live Service Success01:07:45 Final Thoughts and Industry Plea

Fresh from another Tim Hortons ribbon cutting in Dubai, Adam Telfer returns to the cast. He’s packing heat, laying down hot takes on The Finals, Once Human, and the colossal capital required to ship single-player games. Meanwhile, Eric drops a margin call on Riot’s transmedia move while Jen rallies in defense. Phil thinks everyone is missing the real Wukong takeaway with a mysterious winner. The group discusses a somber Newzoo report and how single-player games can survive.

Get the latest dose of game industry news shaken, not stirred. In this episode, Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, and Laura Taranto debate the merits of VR, discuss Zynga's match-three strategies, and evaluate market trends in the mobile gaming sector. Plus, the crew takes a look at the dreadful reception of the Borderlands movie and the ongoing challenges in launching successful game franchises. To cap the episode off, we take a deep dive into the reason behind Bungie's recent layoffs. 00:00 Intro 02:34 Economic Insights 03:17 Transmedia Failures 4:48 College Tours and Family Updates 06:41 Gaming Events and AWS Support 16:01 Market Reports and Industry Growth 30:32 Exploring Match-Three Puzzle Games 31:27 Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery 32:42 Playtika's Strategic Shift 35:28 Bungie's Layoffs and Sony's Acquisition Strategy 42:54 Nexon's Earnings and Market Strategy 45:32 Take-Two Interactive's Performance and GTA VI 54:40 Zynga's Portfolio and Market Performance 64:11 Concluding Thoughts and Future Episodes

In this episode, Dennis Fong, CEO and co-founder of GGWP, discusses his remarkable journey from being the world's first professional gamer to a successful serial entrepreneur. He shares insights from founding and selling four companies, emphasizing the importance of open conversations and the tough realities of making pivots and layoffs. Dennis also reflects on his motivations, and the challenges he's faced, and offers advice on culture building, securing funding, and overcoming doubts in the entrepreneurial world.

In this episode, Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto, Phillip Black, and Mishka Katkoff dive into the unexpected closure of Game Informer.

The conversation then shifts to financial matters, with insights on the stock market and breakdowns of quarterly earnings reports. We examine the latest on the Microsoft & Activision deal, VC funding trends, and web-based game distribution.

The podcast continues with a discussion on Bungie's recent layoffs and Jam City's strategic moves, followed by a spotlight on Supercell's hiring spree in Helsinki and the console launch of Valorant along with other new game announcements. Wrapping up, we explore the explosive growth of Roblox and share their final thoughts and recommendations.

We assembled an Avengers-style team of Consumer Insights leaders from publishers and Vendors Blizzard, Riot, Zynga, and Beta Hat to dig into how Consumer Insights can help Devs and Marketers make and market successful games.

The team digs into how each company approaches CI, uncovers trends around older and younger gamers, and gives tips for teams looking for financing or greenlight.

The session is filled with tips and stories, helpful to anyone in the games industry.

Host & Guests: Jen Donahoe - Strategic Marketing Consultant

Matt Penfield - VP of Consumer Insights at Zynga

Mike Swiontkowski - Head of Global Research and Consumer Insights at Blizzard

Bennett Robbins - Global Head of Publishing and Ecosystem Insights at Riot

Stan Kwon - CEO at Beta Hat

02:03 Overview of Consumer Insights

06:16 Role of Consumer Insights in Companies

08:52 Qualitative vs Quantitative Research

21:12 Market Trends and Insights

30:58 Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite

31:25 False Signals and Market Opportunities

32:44 Understanding Player Preferences

35:51 Consumer Insights in Game Development

37:09 The Speed of Consumer Insights in GaaS

38:19 Multi-Platform Gaming

39:41 Multiplatform Player Experience

42:01 Devs and Marketers Collaboration

50:27 Tips for Early-Stage Developers and CI

01:00:46 Wrap-Up

Jen and Phil close the book on licensing…or do they…while Eric closes the book on the 500 World of Warcraft gear score. Laura looks at Scopley’s new global forgotten franchise, and the team examines mounting Twitch losses. Eric makes 10 x new faces in the episode.

After dropping mice nuts somewhere on the Blizzard campus, Eric returns to remind Matthew Ball of his crypto advocacy. Jen raises the banner for games as toy brand extensions and enrolls in Joost’s class. Phil is ready to be The Second Descendant and reports on Rainbow Seige’s new marketplace. 

Pete Hawley (former executive at 100 Thieves, EA, Zynga, Lionhead, Sony, Telltale, and Mythical Games) and Alexander Seropian (founder of Bungie, Industrial Toys, Wideload, and Look North Games) unpack their experiences with the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) platform, discussing marketing strategies, player engagement, technical limitations, and opportunities. 

00:00 Introduction to Heroic Labs

01:01 Meet the Legends: Pete Hawley and Alex Seropian

01:43 Pete’s Journey and Insights

03:27 Exploring UEFN: Challenges and Opportunities

08:19 Alex's Perspective on UEFN

11:33 The Future of UEFN 

23:11 ROI in UEFN Development

35:42 Challenges in Game Development

44:14 Monetization Strategies

49:53 Marketing and Launching 

01:02:52 Lessons Learned 

01:12:54 Final Thoughts 

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The prodigal pair of Jen and Eric return from trotting around L.A. in the Jade Inferno mobile, while Laura laments the lack of Disco Ball. Phil stacks the chips on Zenless Zone Zero’s role in MiHoYo’s portfolio. Jen gives us the 411 on Disney IP’s 911 on mobile. Why do they all fail? And finally, we get real data on Valve salaries.

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This episode is perfect for those interested in game development while managing significant brand collaborations.

Join our host Mishka Katkoff as we delve into game development and IP licensing with Peter Hansen-Chambers,  co-CEO of Hutch. 

Peter shares his journey to become a co-CEO and explores the unique strategies behind Hutch's successful racing games like F1 Clash and Top Drives. 

Discover the importance of strong relationships with car manufacturers, learn about the evolving strategies driving Hutch's success, and gain valuable insights into maintaining long-term partnerships with major brands. 

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00:00 Introduction 

00:45 Hutch's Game Development

03:03 Peter Hansen's Journey at Hutch

04:21 Challenges and Successes in Game Launches

07:26 Licensing and Partnerships with Car Manufacturers

13:13 Navigating Approval Processes and Brand Relationships

19:21 Pitching to Major License Holders

30:40 Evaluating Brand Partnerships

31:52 Understanding Developer Expectations

33:03 Navigating Manufacturer Relationships

35:35 Balancing Enthusiasm and Practicality

43:43 Importance of Face-to-Face Interactions

46:13 Maintaining Long-Term Relationships

48:29 Common Mistakes in Licensing

57:54 Future Plans and Projects

60:31 Final Thoughts

Join us for a Whiskey Tasting at Gamescom:

https://event.appsflyer.com/gamescomwwwtasting/DOF 

The Californians are out and it’s two-and-a half-Europeans running the show! Instead of talking about the ongoing European Football Championship or the election results in France and the UK, the trio will dive into Nintendo’s AI avoidance, hybridcasual puzzle games, and Squad Busters. We will also address what Netflix told us and debate 4-day work weeks…

Hosts: Laura Taranto, Phillip Black, Mishka Katkoff

Join host Mishka Katkoff on the Deconstructor of Fun podcast as he talks with Solsten founders Joe Schaeppi and Bastian Bergmann. They discuss the latest gaming industry trends, the importance of change management, and the critical role of audience resonance. Learn how AI enhances studio efficiency, the value of a measured approach, and how Solsten uses psychological data to improve user experiences, along with insights from unique data sets.

00:00 Introduction

01:08 Market Overview and Challenges

06:44 Attention and Engagement in Gaming

12:29 Marketing and Brand Positioning

32:05 The Role of IP in Gaming

39:39 Fail Fast Mythology

44:36 Web3 Gaming Revolution

46:19 Marketing and Game Development Synergy

49:41 The Lean Startup Method in Gaming

57:52 AI and Efficiency in Game Development

01:20:30 New Revenue Models in Gaming

01:23:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

So much news, and so little time!

The crew discusses the acquisition of Singularity 6 and how it's one of the first superfunded star-studded studios that burned all the capital raised only to be acquired at a micenut valuation.

We discuss Netflix Games' latest spin on how all is great despite the head of games leaving the organization and replacement still to be announced.

And we cap the episode off with Amazon Games' strategy debate.

your hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Phillip Black and Michail Katkoff

Industry's leading newsletter: www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

Join host Michail Katkoff on the Deconstructor of Fun podcast as he delves into the remarkable career journey of Kieran Donovan, founder of k-ID. Explore how Kieran transitioned from a screenwriter to a lawyer and then to a successful startup founder, raising $51 million in just 9 months. Discover what k-ID is all about, a pioneering platform aimed at creating safe online gaming experiences for youth, and their significant traction with major investors like Lightspeed Ventures and a16z. Learn about the complexities of gaming regulation, strategic decisions in venture capital, and the importance of robust youth online safety solutions. Don't miss this insightful conversation!

With Miska discovering the true meaning of Tinto Verano, the crew convenes to celebrate Eric’s promotion to senior consultant. Meanwhile, Jen reminds us that Rocket League isn’t a real football game, and Eric finally finds a VC investment with scale. Phil stares down Fortnite numbers while Laura reminds us Switch is the train that keeps chugging. Plus, anime girl horse racing.

00:00 Intro
03:05 Shills
08:39 Apple's Legal Troubles with the EUDMA
12:52 FIFA and Rocket League Partnership
15:01 Investments and M&A
26:47 Executive Departures and Speculations
33:22 Tango Closure Mystery
34:21 Dungeon Fighter's Mobile Success
36:10 New Games
47:46 Nintendo Direct Highlights
57:32 Epic's Mobile Strategy and Fortnite's Future

Sensor Tower State of Gaming 2024 www.sensortower.com/state-of-gaming-2024

Data.ai Mobile App Market Forecast 2030

www.data.ai/en/go/mobile-app-market-forecast/

Don't miss out on this in-depth discussion — subscribe to the Deconstructor of Fun Podcast and newsletter for more expert insights.

https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

In this episode, Lexi Sydow, Director of Corporate Marketing and Insights at Sensor Tower, unleashes her mobile gaming market insights. She covers significant trends in mobile gaming and marketing, app vs game dynamics, ad spending on TikTok and YouTube, regional differences, IP collaborations, and the future of subscription gaming. Gain valuable insights on market normalization post-COVID and ATT changes, and learn about the trajectory of apps surpassing gaming revenues.

00:00 Introduction

02:58 Mobile Gaming Market Trends

07:26 Regional Differences in Mobile Gaming

11:23 Impact of ATT and Post-COVID Market

21:38 Subscription Gaming: Netflix and Apple Arcade

25:48 Top Games and Publishers

28:56 Marketing Trends in Mobile Gaming

31:01 UGC Ads and Community Engagement

31:21 Monopoly Go's Strategic Community Targeting

34:53 The Power of Social Media Platforms in Gaming Ads

36:27 The Rise of IP and Brand Integration in Games

39:41 Transmedia Trends 

44:11 Apps vs. Games

58:42 Marketing Predictions 

01:04:50 Final Thoughts

They say a week without TWIG is like a beach without sand. Well, it seems like there's sand in Squad Busters' growth engine. The game had the most bombastic launch of any Supercell game and is now experiencing the fastest fall as well. The crew analyzes early numbers and potential reasons behind the rapid decline.

We also talk about Netflix Games, which seems to have ended its honeymoon period and is now having a come-to-Jesus moment after big investments and not-so-big returns.

your hosts: Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe and Phillip Black

The Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter:

https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

Klang Games out of Berlin has raised 77M over 6 funding rounds from reputable investors like Supercell, LVP, North Zone, and Makers Fund. 

The company was established in 2013, 11 years ago. They haven’t shipped the game they have been raising against. So they can’t have any scalable objective data to show they are heading in the right direction. 

And despite all of this, they are somehow able to raise consecutive rounds of tens of millions. Year after year! 

In this episode, we got Klang co-founders talking about their journey thus far and me trying to figure out how in the hell they are able to get funded for their never-ending story. 

Huge thanks to co-founders Mundi Vondi and Odder Magnusson for coming on the podcast. I wish their game, when or if it eventually comes out, much success. 

Trigger warning: if you’re a founder struggling to raise funding despite doing every little thing that VCs requested and showing promising early KPIs, this podcast may enrage you.

In this week's show, the crew dives into Voodoo's acquisition of BeReal and the Sandbox's 20M convertible note. With all the events taking place the crew discusses Xbox Showcase, Ubisoft Forward, and the Summer Game Fest.

With Phil out and Miska in Spain, this is the first Nordic-free episode in a year.

hosts: Jennifer Donahoe, Laura Taranto, Erick Kress, and Mishka Katkoff

sponsors: Xsolla, Heroic Labs, AppsFlyer and Sensor Tower

Gerard Miles (www.linkedin.com/in/gerard-miles) is a veteran executive headhunter, who shares his extensive 15-year journey with a special focus on the gaming industry over the past decade. 

We explore Gerard’s founding of Mission One (www.missionone.io), a company dedicated to sourcing top-tier executives globally, and delve into the significance of executive search in a rapidly expanding industry. 

Gain valuable insights into the complexities of hiring gaming executives, cultural integration, and the exclusive value of knowing both the industry and its people. 

Discover the challenges of headhunting for key roles, the importance of leadership, communication, and strategic understanding, and how to build long-term relationships in this high-stakes world. 

We also tackle diversity, cultural fit, and common hiring pitfalls, offering practical advice for professionals aiming to navigate executive careers in the dynamic gaming sector.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview

02:31 Gerard's Journey into Gaming Recruitment

06:16 Executive Search Process

13:52 Challenges in Attracting Top Talent

29:50 Qualities of Exceptional Executives

45:31 Understanding Client Culture

46:39 Soft Signals in Candidate Assessment

51:13 The Importance of Diversity in Hiring

58:16 Common Mistakes Executives Make

01:02:07 Community Questions: Industry Insights

01:07:17 How to Get Noticed by Headhunters

01:10:07 Red Flags in Executive Hires

01:13:24 Big vs. Small Companies: Executive Hiring

Join the industry's spiciest newsletter: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe With Mishka gobbling birthday whey cakes, the crew looks at Squad Busters’ week 1 returns, and it’s not pretty. The specter of Boom Beach is starting to cast its shadow. Meanwhile, Phil talks about Destiny 2 stumbling in its last hoorah, while Laura talks about Stumble Guys standing straight. Jen gives the 411 on new EU app stores, and Eric thinks Star Wars Hunters breaks the MOBA curse. Or not.

Join us for an insider tour of Voodoo’s HQ and uncover the journey to hybrid casual success with Voodoo’s Gabriel Rivaud, VP of Gaming.

Gabriel Rivaud: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriel-rivaud-21210744/ Michail Katkoff https://www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/ Sign up for our weekly newsletter. You won't regret it! https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

Squad Busters is released and we have more thoughts about it. Ubisoft's XDefiant hits 1M unique users, bringing Phil immense joy. Crew debates who does Fall Guys better than Fall Guys? Stumble Guys...? We'll also warm you up for the upcoming Summer Games Fest on June 7.

signup to our masterful weekly

newsletter:https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

The hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Laura Taranto, and Phillip Black

Phillip Black, Michail Katkoff, and guest analyst Matthew Emery deconstruct Supercell's 6th billion Dollar franchise just before it is launched to the global audience. To read the full deconstruction, go to: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/blog/2024/5/26/squad-busters-supercell-hits-the-apex-or-spins-off-track

Anime corrections, baseless speculation about Applovin, Take-Two earnings, and the GTA 6 launch date window. We speculate on the reason for Squad Busters’ massive 40M pre-registrations. Phil can’t wait to talk xDefiant. Mishka cosplays Jen and covers ad creative.  All that and more on today’s TWIG

your hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Phillip Black and Michail Katkoff

Join seasoned UA and marketing consultant Matej Lančaric as he shares his decade-long journey from being an employee to running a global user acquisition consulting business. Discover his transition to solopreneurship, client management tips, and leveraging AI tools. Gain insights on balancing work, creativity, and family life alongside the importance of genuine passion and unique goal-setting approaches. 

This episode is packed with valuable advice for both aspiring and veteran consultants, including tips on growing professionally, networking, and content creation. Perfect for anyone looking to master the solopreneur path with hard work, persistence, and enjoyment.

Matej’s solopreneur journey in his own words

https://lancaric.me/matej-lancaric-the-story-of-a-solopreneur/

The state of ad creatives in-app marketing report:

https://www.appsflyer.com/resources/reports/gated/state-of-creative/?formsent=true

The big topic of the episode is Netflix which struck a partnership with Roblox. What does this mean to Netflix Games? Hear our hypothesis. The crew has BIG debates about Eurovision, and Tencent's role is Supercell's turnaround as well as anime. Your hosts: Jen Donahoe, Michail Katkoff, Phillip Black, and Eric Kress

Segments:

00.00 Shill & Banter

09:20 News & HOT takes 44:23 Netflix Games is in trouble? 61:30 Xbox PR disaster

In this episode of the Deconstructor of Fun podcast, host Mishka Katkoff engages with Ben Porter, NewZoo's Director of Consulting, to delve into the profound shifts within the gaming industry reflected in NewZoo's latest report.  They explore a variety of pressing topics such as the industry trends post-COVID-19, console market dynamics, opportunities for game developers, the impact of AI and technological advancements, and the shifting dynamics of player engagement. Additionally, they address the economic aspects influencing the industry, including inflation and the increase in demand for profitability over growth.  A key discussion revolves around the challenges and strategies for future growth, touching on the importance of breaking through market concentration with innovation and versatility in game development. Ben provides insights into the role Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Deconstructor of Fun Podcast 01:39 Introducing Ben Porter and NewZoo 04:29 The Pulse of the Gaming Market in 2023 13:30 The Challenges and Opportunities in PC and Console Gaming 30:31 Navigating the Mobile Expansion for PC and Console Publishers 38:05 PS5 Exclusives and Market Diversification 39:18 The Shift from Mobile to AAA: Challenges and Changes 40:01 Xsolla: Empowering Game Developers for Global Success 40:34 Analyzing Market Concentration in PC and Console Gaming 42:04 The Secret Sauce Behind Top PC and Console Titles 44:20 Navigating the Competitive Landscape of New Game Titles 52:16 The Impact of Remakes and Remasters in the Gaming Industry 58:02 The Role of Transmedia in Engaging and Expanding Game Audiences 01:03:38 Understanding Playtime Trends and the Future of Gaming 01:12:52 High-Level Predictions and Closing Thoughts

Players prevail with Helldivers 2 vs Sony PSN, Nintendo announces Switch 2 is coming before the end of Q125, Unity gets a new boss, Squadbusters racks up the pre-registrations, and Turkish Spyke Games goes to the Moon (Active).

Hosts: Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto & Phillip Black

Listen and watch (there are visuals!) as industry veterans Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto and special guest Ken Landen deep dive into 'Legend of Mushroom,' the idle action mobile game that's taken players (and revenue) by storm. We'll break down the game's mechanics, exploring what made this game into the success it is today. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the realm, there's something here for everyone.

Recently hitting the milestone of 30 years working in game design, Spry Fox Chief Creative Officer Daniel Cook has long been a leading voice in the game industry. To celebrate his long and distinguished career-spanning games like Realm of the Mad God, Triple Town, Alphabear, and Cozy Grove.

MIA host Ethan Levy returns to the mic to talk to Dan about his many lessons and accomplishments. Most importantly, Dan talks about how as a team, Spry Fox found their shared, authentic voice, and how this has led to efficiency in production and success in the marketplace as they consciously chose to specialize in cozy games.

The prodigal son, Ethan Levy, makes his return to the podcast as the team discusses Newzoo’s latest PC and Console data as well as Liftoff’s 2024 Casual Gaming Apps Report. Hold tight for your weekly dose of news! 

Hosts: Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto, Phillip Black & Ethan Levy

Andrew Rose, the Chief Product Officer of Voldex, shares his journey and experiences in the Roblox game development space. Voldex, a company that acquires and scales Roblox games, has seen success by applying traditional free-to-play game development strategies in the unique ecosystem of Roblox. 

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Game industry professional? Join our Slack channel: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack

Get ready for your weekly dose of unfiltered game industry news. In this episode, the crew discusses Supercell's and Dream's latest titles. We also talk about the history and future of celebrity collaborations within games.

Your hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Laura Taranto & Phillip Black

our partners: AppsFlyer, Xsolla, Heroic Labs & Data.ai

Product Deep Dives looks at Playrix's Township to deconstruct how this game went from a farming sim to a multi-billion dollar success. Join Laura Taranto and Jen Donahoe as they reap what this game has to offer!

Make sure to watch with video, as we have data and insights you won't want to miss.

In today’s mature mobile gaming market, the importance of building a brand, storytelling, and creating distinct brand identities is crucial for success. 

This podcast delves into the journey of revitalizing Futureplay’s Merge Gardens through an emphasis on strategic IP creation, branding improvements, and effective storytelling. 

Guest: Martin Mohr, CCO @ Bond Creative Agency

Links:

The case of Merge Garden

Martin Mohr

Bond Creative Agency

Who are BIG gaming funds good for? Are the AAA game studios going to extinct? And why is Fallout such a damn good show? This and many more questions were mulled by the TWIG crew. 

Oh, and Eric Kress is back. That means that the profanities are flying once again. 

Your hosts: Eric Kress, Michail Katkoff, Jen Donahoe, and Phillip Black.

Our partners: Xsolla, AppsFlyer, Heroic Labs, and Sensor Tower.

Dive into the world of Istanbul's venture capital scene with Laton Venture's Görkem Türk.

Together we explore essential topics like investment strategies prioritizing founding teams' quality, the evolving role of culture in startups, and future trends in gaming such as AI and socialization-focused experiences.

Don't miss out on industry insights. Sign up for our newsletter! www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

What is the impact of privacy updates on ad revenue and user acquisition strategies? 

In this episode, Google’s Ross Brockman and Kwalee’s John Wright discuss the need for adaptation, innovation, and the importance of leveraging first-party data for customized user experiences. 

The conversation reflects a balance between acknowledging challenges and maintaining optimism for growth and evolution in the ad monetization landscape.

Thanks to our sponsors: Xsolla, Heroic Labs, AppsFlyer & Data.ai

Buckle up kids because this episode has barely any profanity. Kress is MIA while the team talks about Brawl Stars' Baby Shark collaboration and the state of the gaming market. Phil geeks out on inflation, Mishka talks about interest rates, Jen discusses toy lines and Laura is put on the spot to cover the latest layoffs news.

Eric Kress sits down with Matt Wyble, COO of Second Dinner, to talk about Marvel Snap and what's next for Second Dinner. What does a studio do with $100M in the bank? The two spend some time talking about the state of Blizzard and the state of the industry.

This podcast serves as a valuable resource for non-technical executives seeking to enhance their understanding of backend services and make informed decisions to support the success of their games.

The discussion focuses on the critical role of informed decision-making in selecting between proprietary builds and third-party solutions, navigating transitions between backend services, and maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of backend operations in game development.

Thanks for the expert guests:

Rafael Cordoba (Bandai Namco Mobile)

Chris Molozian (Heroic Labs)

The team shares their GDC reflections, unveils how bankers work in gaming, and ravels in the Web3 bonanza. We also dive knee-deep into two titles: Activision's Call of Duty Warzone which launched last week to challenge Call of Duty Mobile. Moon Active's Travel Town, seems to be scaling without any breaks.

Hosts: Laura Taranto, Erick Kress, Phillip Black, and Michail Katkoff

continue the conversation: www.deconstructoroffun.com

Sola Saulenko, CMO of Pixonic, a MY.GAMES studio joins Mishka Katkoff to discuss the intricacies of building a successful game franchise.

Together they explore topics such as the balance between organic growth and strategic planning, the evolution of games into franchises, the challenges of transitioning from a hit game to a franchise, and the importance of passion and creativity in brand building.

The podcast offers valuable insights into the process of developing and sustaining a game franchise in a competitive market landscape.

Mihai Gheza is the CEO of Machinations, an economy simulation software. Recorded at Slush, we cover economy simulations, AI balance, and whether data scientists should become economy designers

Machinations: https://machinations.io/

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The whole crew got together for a fun on-site recording. The trash talk reaches Market Street levels as we discuss how bad San Francisco is, what in the hell is going on with Netflix Games, Turkish subsidies for game companies, and Supercell's latest PR salvo.

Team: Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Mishka Katkoff, Phillip Black and Laura Taranto

Get on board with one of the best newsletters in the business: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe Joakim is a seasoned entrepreneur (Next Games) turned venture capitalist (F4 Fund). In this conversation Joakim provides valuable insights into the intricacies of venture capital investments, emphasizing the importance of innovation, adaptability, and strategic planning for startups aiming to thrive in the competitive gaming industry. F4 Fund https://f4.fund Joakim’s book, Long Term Game: How To Build A Video Games Company https://www.amazon.com/Long-Term-Game-Build-Company/dp/952942874X

The cast recaps the 3rd annual Think Games Istanbul Summit hosted by Google and Deconstructor of Fun. See the link below to register and watch the recorded sessions. The team tackles new news from Epic being allowed on iOS in the EU to Discord's new game SDK to the state of startups in Finland. Also, the cast appears on a data.ai state of mobile webinar. Check it out here https://go.data.ai/state-of-mobile-gaming-webinar-2024/

Apply to join the Slack Community and get the DoF weekly newsletter.

https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack

Event links

Think Games Istanbul:

https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024

Jen's GDC roundtable

https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/lgbtq-executive-and-entrepreneurship-and-allies-roundtable/903078

Hosts:

Michail Katkoff @mkatkoff ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/⁠⁠

Eric Kress @ekress ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/⁠⁠

Laura Taranto @laurataranto ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/laurataranto/⁠⁠

Phillip Black @econosopher ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/⁠⁠

Jen Donahoe @Jen_Donahoe ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdonahoe/

DoF Newsletter: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe Hemal Thaker https://www.linkedin.com/in/thakerhemal/ Moritz Baier-Lentz https://www.linkedin.com/in/moritzbaierlentz/ In this eye-opening podcast, industry insiders Hemal and Moritz provide candid insights into the current state of the gaming industry, discussing market challenges, the impact of layoffs, the dynamics of venture capital and publisher models, the potential of Web 3, the role of AI, and predictions for the future. From navigating downturns to seizing emerging opportunities, this conversation offers valuable advice for founders and executives alike, shedding light on the realities of the gaming landscape while inspiring optimism for the road ahead.

Join our newsletter: www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

Andy Duthie, Executive Producer of a soaring title HAWKED, joins the podcast to peel back the curtain on remote team management and offer his playbook on how to make remote work work and projects of all sizes and scopes. 

Andy Duthie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyduthie/

Jen, Kress, Laura, and Phil continue with the food puns analogies and decide if Apple Arcade is rotting after a mobilegamer.biz article. Also, the cast praises Unity for its newfound transparency, hits some of the Nintendo Direct Highlights (which aren't that high), keeps taking layoffs, and uncovers Playtika’s new strategy.

Apply to join the Slack Community.

https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack

Event links to apply or register:

Think Games Istanbul:

https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024

GDC Beta Hat & DoF Pre-Game Party March 17 - ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSceighlzx-X0Khv2NMmJom29dtWhAsEpros-1xhBCNQfIqqAA/viewform⁠

Xsolla, DoF, Mattel Party March 19: https://events.xsolla.com/gamenightgdc2024

DoF, AppsFlyer, Data.ai Brunch March 19: http://dataai-gdc-brunch.splashthat.com/DoF

Hosts:

Michail Katkoff @mkatkoff ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/⁠

Eric Kress @ekress ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/⁠

Laura Taranto @laurataranto ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/laurataranto/⁠

Phillip Black @econosopher ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/⁠

Jen Donahoe @Jen_Donahoe ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferd⁠

Join us in Istanbul:

https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024

Paul Gouge is one of the best founders in the industry. He has built three companies over the past two decades. These companies have not only made fantastic games but have also been acquired four times, with Playdemic, being bought first by Warner Brothers and then by EA under Paul’s leadership.

In this episode, Paul talks about his fourth company, Fourth Star. And how that is the culmination of all his learnings to date. 

The TWIG crew breaks down the Xbox news. The egg puns fly as the crew debates who wins the Eggy Party, Stumble Guys, Fall Guys battle. We feature our first-ever TWIG junior segment with a friend of the pod Henry Lowenfels and his sons Mickey (8) and Rocky (10), who don't mind ads in Roblox but call people who make ads in console games F*wads. Any cursing was 100% supervised and approved by parental consent. Don't cancel the hosts, please!

Event links to apply or register:

Think Games Istanbul:

https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024

GDC Beta Hat & DoF Pre-Game Party March 17 - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSceighlzx-X0Khv2NMmJom29dtWhAsEpros-1xhBCNQfIqqAA/viewform

Xsolla, DoF, Mattel Party March 19: https://events.xsolla.com/gamenightgdc2024

DoF, AppsFlyer, Data.ai Brunch March 19: http://dataai-gdc-brunch.splashthat.com/DoF

Hosts:
Michail Katkoff @mkatkoff www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/
Eric Kress @ekress www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/
Laura Taranto @laurataranto www.linkedin.com/in/laurataranto/
Phillip Black @econosopher www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/
Jen Donahoe @Jen_Donahoe www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferd

Join Jen Donahoe TWIG co-host and Strategic Marketing Consultant at Beta Hat and JadeInferno and Gordon Bellemy, CEO of GGP (Gay Gaming Professionals), to hear how GGP supports underrepresented or, better phrased, under-estimated groups in the game industry.

GDC2024 features a number of events that everyone can benefit from. Come join us!

Find all the event information at GGPs LinkedIn page events section

March 20, 3:30pm GDC - LGBTQ+ Executive and Entrepreneurship and Allies Roundtable moderated by Jen Donahoe

March 20, 7:30 GGP Networking Event at DNA lounge right next foor to the Zero Proof board game night at Buzzworks

March 21, 5:40 PM GDC Breaking Boundaries Roundtable

Join us in Istanbul:

https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024

John Wright, VP of publishing at Kwalee joins the podcast to discuss publishing in 2024. The thing is, publishing on mobile is experiencing a bit of a renaissance. This is due to all the ever-restricting privacy changes and the decrease in available capital smaller companies were using to scale their games. 

event links: GDC Marketing Brunch /GDC Tech Brunch

When Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen drops his annual blog post, the gaming folks around the world rush to read it. The TWIG crew is no different. Though we might be a tad mod critical…

In this episode, we also discuss Disney’s investment in Epic. What are the implications of this deal? Why does Epic need this money? And what is Epic's future?

This episode is brought to you by Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Philip Black and Mishka Katkoff. 

Join Jen Donahoe and Laura Taranto in a cozy yet banter-filled deconstruction of Century Games' Whiteout Survival. You'll feel like you’re stepping into a meeting with product and marketing, figuring out how to make and market the next great game as we deconstruct winners. Have a game you want to see on Product Deep Dives? Contact us at [email protected] Intro 00:00 - 05:08 Century Games Key Takeaways 05:08 - 06:57 Key Takeaway 1 06:57 Key Takeaway 2 09:19 Key Takeaway 3 11:08 Key Takeaway 4 14:38 Key Takeaway 5 17:12 Data.ai Review 21:49 Century Games Company Review 25:50 Whiteout Survival Predecessors 27:10 Whiteout Survival Decon 33:46 Summary 58:00

Think Games Istanbul talks announced:

https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024

No matter how you look at it, we’re witnessing the inevitable demise of Xbox. All signs (read: leaks) are pointing to the fact that Microsoft’s foray into gaming is coming to an end. The crew analyses why this happened and what it will mean for both the ecosystem and the people involved.

In this episode, we also deconstruct Matthew Ball’s essay “The Tremendous Yet Troubled State of Gaming”. The piece was too long even for ChatGPT, so you can thank us later for going through the insightful yet painful read. Matt, we love you. Please write more often and shorter articles…

The doom and gloom of this episode is brought to you by Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Philip Black and Mishka Katkoff. 

Join us in Istanbul!

www.deconstructoroffun.com/istanbul

“Never trust experts nor believe in business friendships. Never allow others to change your vision. And never underpay yourself.” Those are the 4 critical nevers that Anton Krasnyy once wrote on LinkedIn.

Anton is a former founder, CEO, and Chairman of Murka, a social casino company originally from Ukraine acquired by Blackstone in 2019.

Despite the strong words, I’ve always found Anton to be very empathetic. That’s why I wanted him to come on the podcast and talk in detail about the four critical never and show his real personality, which may come off the wrong way in a written form. 

While it's not as crazy as the Unity Runtime fee fiasco, it's a close second as the cast reviews Apple's plans to address the EU's DMA rules. Kress eats it and admits that Zynga might have potential this year, with Match Factory showing promise. Blizzard picks a new president, and the cast weighs in on her resume, making recommendations and predictions for her future. Riot and Blizzard called cults, in a good way.

Think Istanbul Game Summit (March 7)
https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024

Newzoo's Lead Analyst, Tom Wijman, returns on the podcast to discuss gaming market predictions for consoles and PCs.

You can access the full Newzoo report here:

https://newzoo.com/games-market-reports-forecasts

And check our previous episode here:

www.deconstructoroffun.com/blog/2023/11/2/console-gamings-triple-threat

Sign up to Istanbul Gaming Summit

By deciding not to hear the appeal of the Epic v. Apple case, the injection against Apple's anti-steering rules stands. This means that developers are now free to push US iOS players into web shops. But what doest that mean for the industry? And if this conversation doesn’t tickle your toes, the crew talks Palworld. A real Pokemon killer. 

The doom and gloom of this episode is brought to you by Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Philip Black and Laura Taranto. 

Josh Wilson, CEO of Sciplay returns to the podcast to tell the story behind the company’s evolution over the last two years. SciPlay has grown every quarter despite the economic and privacy headwinds thanks to strategic initiatives discussed in this episode. We also talk about the accusations the company has made and why it has been itself acquired. 

Istanbul Gaming Summit

⁠https://rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-i-google-x-deconstructor-of-fun⁠

segments:

Last two years at SciPlay: (0:00)

Why SciPlay keeps growing: (26:20)

Why SciPlay was acquired: (40:50)

Outro: (51:50)

Istanbul Gaming Summit pre-signup:

https://rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-i-google-x-deconstructor-of-fun

The squad dips their spoons into the Monopoly Go drama by giving their take on the profitability of Scopely’s blockbuster. We discuss the real reason why NetEase and Activision have suddenly kissed and made up. Scratch our heads as to why Tencent is launching yet another mobile MOBA and dive deep into the state of mobile. 

The doom and gloom of this episode is brought to you by Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Philip Black, and Michail Katkoff. 

stanbul Gaming Summit https://rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-i-google-x-deconstructor-of-fun Elena Grigorian joins the podcast after recently taking over as the CEO of MyGames. In this podcast, we cover both business and personal topics starting with what a new CEO should accomplish in their first 100 days in the position and ending with the challenges of balancing work and life in leadership positions. segments: Intro: (0:00) The role of a CEO role: (5:25) Work-life Balance: (11:56) MyGames SWOT: (16:52) Leadership Team: (21:54) Intercompany Knowledge Sharing: (24:05) Portfolio Strategy: (28:53) Organization Structure: (33:21) Expansion: (41:59) Market Predictions: (47:52)

2024 starts where 2023 ended - and that means layoffs. Unity slashes 1,800 jobs while Twitch fires every third person in the latest layoff rounds at these companies.

In this episode, we announce the Golden Twig "winners", discuss Clash Mini, and continue to scratch our heads about Netflix Games.

Thanks to the show's sponsors: Xsolla, AppsFlyer, Data.ai, and Heroic Labs!

Eric Seufert is a one-of-a-kind marketing expert. He has headed marketing at Rovio, Wooga, and N3TWORK. He has built Mobile Dev Memo into the leading site for marketing professionals. He became a venture capitalist after founding Heracles Capital.

In this podcast, Eric Seufert returns back to the podcast to discuss predictions for mobile marketing. A must-listen for all of us!

sign-up to our PGC event: https://event.appsflyer.com/appsflyerandheroiclabs

Happy New Year, and welcome to the first podcast of 2024! After checking in on the holiday activities, the cast digs into the big news hitting the Chinese game industy. Kress makes predictions about how companies around the world will react to the proposed China game regulations (limiting daily spend, removing loot boxes, etc).

Phil pulled out key insights from the Insomniac leak, and the cast discussed how Sony should approach live service across its console business.

The Survey: https://forms.gle/W1Cy2dRcvsaZhyiW9

Connect with the TWIG cast on LinkedIn

Philip Black, Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Laura Taranto

Which company took the most damage in 2023? What was the most disappointing game of the year? Who had the worst layoffs what were some of our most inaccurate takes?

Tune in to the realest awards show in the industry and hear our picks for each category on many more!

---

Join us at PGC London >>> VIP Roundtables

In-app ads are either important or crucial depending on the genre of games you’re making. In this episode, I’m joined by Felix Braberg, a true ad monetization expert. Together we discuss the effect of privacy changes on ad monetization, practical ways for games to double their ad revenue, the efficacy of different ad formats, and the changes onset by Apple, Amazon, and Google to the whole ad monetization ecosystem. connect with Felix (www.felixbraberg.com)

Host Jen Donahoe sits down with Xsolla's Interim CEO and President, Chris Hewish, to get the juicy facts from Xsolla's State of Play Report. The insights apply to all platforms and regions, so be sure to listen in.

They cover 4 key topics:

- The rise of real-time payments

- Alternative Payments

- Web shops with new data from the top 100 companies

- The upcoming EU DMA and side-loading in iOS 17.2 beta

For more information about the State of Play report visit the Xsolla Blog here

With Miska downing soju faster than meat off a KBBQ grill, Eric and Jen lay down the law on Monopoly Go's UA numbers. Laura celebrates Apple's end-of-year awards, while Phil tells developers to hide yo' kids, hide yo' wife; Fortnite is coming for your genre. The crew talks about Epic's court victory that produced Tim Sweney's only natural smile to date.

Want to catch your Data.ai 2024 predictions in a TWIG-like format? We got you covered! Jen Donahoe, Michail Katkoff, Brett Nowak and Eric Kress hosted by Lexi Sydow, deconstructed the gaming market while planting several jabs at each others' predictions.Topics discussed:

1. Are we seeing gaming bottom out, or is the market on the up?
2. Which areas in gaming are growing and why?
3. What are today’s top engagement and monetization features?

How do you acquire your very first players without a marketing budget? What guerrilla marketing tactics work for games, and how can you execute them creatively?

Host, Jen Donahoe asks Julie Bonnecarrère and Pavel Afanasiev, co-founders of Northern Lights Entertainment (NLE), about their journey to soft launching on mobile under extreme budget constraints.

NLE is developing Nebulae (https://nebulae.world/) - a 4x strategy MMO for mobile & PC, where politics is a core gameplay component, and where players collectively control numerous political regimes - in space!

The not-so-Fabulous Five are right back at it discussing GTA 6 trailer that broke the internet. We recap Slush, the latest boondoggle with Mishka and Phil. Predict what the console gaming market will be in 2024 and get our engines revved up by the latest Forza Customs and Chrome Valley Customs.

Connect with the TWIG Cast to give feedback and keep the conversation going!

⁠Philip Black⁠, ⁠Jen Donahoe⁠, ⁠Eric Kress⁠, ⁠Laura Taranto & Mishka Katkoff

Ethan's back, and so is Kress telling him to "Get the F Out of here!" Laura breaks down June's Journey $1B revenue milestone with Ethan chiming in with a history lesson on Hidden Object games. Jen covers the nominees for the gam3.gg Web 3 awards. Kress gives a state of mobile games industry update and the team talks about the state SKAN4 and the upcoming SKAN5.

Connect with the TWIG Cast to give feedback and keep the conversation going (in alphabetical order)

Philip Black, Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Ethan Levy, Laura Taranto

What is the role of Product Marketing Managers (PMMs) in gaming? The discussion emphasizes two key aspects that PMMs enable: Firstly, facilitating the identification of product-market fit early in the development phase, thereby preventing costly pivots after the game's launch Secondly, they allow Product Managers and Game Directors to concentrate on enhancing key performance indicators (KPIs) and team efficiency by serving as the primary liaison between the game team and internal/external marketing and user research teams. The episode delves into questions about what to expect from a PMM, how to identify a good one, the evolving nature of their role post-privacy changes, and optimal placement within a company's organizational structure. Jesse Lempiäinen, the CEO and Founder of Geeklab, a platform for efficiently testing product/market fit, provides insights and answers to these inquiries.

We have a full house and lots of topics to cover! The talk of the week is Scopely's Monopoly Go crossing $1B in revenue in just 7 months. We have a Esports smackdown and we also talk a bit about Web3 to keep things spicy.

Kudos to our sponsors: Heroic Labs, Xsolla, AppsFlyer, and Data.ai

In the heyday of 2022, there was an unprecedented surge in investment in Web3 games, capturing nearly half of all investment in both dollars and raw numbers. However, the excitement and speculation didn't translate into quality games, resulting in numerous failures within the industry. Warren Woodward, CCO and co-founder of Upptic, a leading growth agency for games, joins the podcast to explain what happened to the Web3 gaming dream and what the future entails.

Kress embraces grouchiness and brings the fire to today's podcast. Phil gets triggered by behavioural economics delivering an epic rant. Mishka weakly defends his “China” point and Jen talks about the latest Call of Duty that got drowned by the worst score in the history of the franchise. 

The crew discusses why console developers are backtracking from the Games-as-a-Service model and announces the Deconstructor of Fun Gaming Awards. The episode is capped by Zynga’s Match Factory breakdown.

In the latest podcast, Mishka delves into an all-encompassing discussion with Chris Hewish, President and interim CEO of Xsolla. Chris boasts an impressive gaming career that spans iconic companies like Skydance, Survios, DreamWorks, and includes a substantial 13-year stint at Activision.

Topics discussed:

1. Macroeconomics vs. Game Investments
2. Console Gaming: Challenges & Opportunities
3. Behavioral Economics
4. Unity’s Odyssey
5. Transmedia
6. Generative AI and Creative Workflows
7. Bonus…

With Miska resuming his jet-set life, Jen reviews hygiene at Blizzcon, while Kress tells us his opinion on the unexpected departure of PlayStation CEO and reminds us of the difference between Trekkies and fans. Laura and Phil go deep on Brawl Stars' new announcement - it's due or die. Phil can't understand The Finals, and neither can Eric. Omega Strikers is dead, and the team performs an autopsy.

BIG ups to our sponsors AppsFlyer, Heroic Labs, Data.ai and Xsolla!

Are you ready for the Merger & Acquisition Masterclass? Learn from Chris Petrovic, former Zynga Head of Corporate Strategy, why game companies venture into M&A, what are the biggest challenges and reasons leading to failed deals, current M&A trends, and more.

As Microsoft reorgs Xbox leadership, we debate who could be the perfect person to replace Bobby Kotick as the CEO of Activision. We also discuss why our industry has all the layoffs in the middle of breaking sales records. And we also talk about games: Mario Wonder, Supercell's Mo.Co and Wonder Blast from Good Game Studios.

shoutout to our world-class spornsors: AppsFlyer, Xsolla, Heroic Labs, and Data.ai

In this episode, we explore the unique challenges and successes of a remarkable woman CEO in the gaming industry.

Our guest, Carol Miu, has shattered glass ceilings and achieved incredible milestones throughout her career. We'll dive deep into her journey, discussing gender disparities in the CEO role, her most memorable achievements in maintaining work-life balance, industry evolution, and her reflections on her career. Y

ou won't want to miss this inspiring conversation with a trailblazing leader in the gaming world. Stay tuned for valuable insights and advice!

How do game companies get press for their new games, big company moments, or new hires? We ask Neil Long, founder and editor of Mobilegamer.biz, for tips and tricks on how to approach game media to get press.

Neil Long is the founder and editor of mobilegamer.biz, a new site for the mobile games business. He started out in games industry journalism almost 20 years ago, and before launching mobilegamer.biz he spent seven years at Apple as an App Store games editor, working out of the London office. 

The non-sick trifecta of Kress, Phil, and Jen hold down the fort. Kress pushed back on the India opportunity, arguing it's only for the top-of-the-top games. The gang revisits the Unity runtime fee news with new insights and quotes reported by Mobilegamer.biz. Shameless speculation ensues about Microsoft's declining success with Game Pass, meaning they might want to cancel it. What happened to Payday3? Trading was canceled in Rocket League.

All this and the top game industry news of the week. 

How to deal with negative feedback? And the importance of self-esteem, self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-evaluation. 

In today’s Episode joined by my friend and former colleague, Sophie Vo. Sophie comes with 15 years of experience in the games industry working at companies like Gameloft, Wooga, Rovio, Voodoo, and Savage Game Studios.

Sophie is perhaps best known for her Rise & Play podcast and newsletter, which focuses on leadership challenges in the gaming industry.

According to Niko Partners, the India games market is projected to generate almost $900M in 2023 with almost ½ a billion players.  That's growth of 21% YOY from 2022 for revenue and 12% for the number of players. Probably the most interesting stat is that 97% of India’s gamers play on smartphones.

To dig in, we got the platform experts to come and highlight the various opportunities, from overall revenue to implementing new payment methods, sub-dollar price point IAP, exclusive products, and marketing tips.

We welcome Vinay Charaniya and Ash Dixit from the Google Play Partnerships team focused on India and SEA. Both of them consult gaming developers, helping them grow their games on the Google Play Platform. 

For developers who want to reach out to get more info on scaling their games for India (or other emerging markets), we have this simple form to fill out, and the Google Play Partnership team will reach out. Or, need India localization tips? Check out Ash's Medium article.

Laura and Phil deep dive into Monster Hunter's early positive numbers in Japan before arguing over Warcraft Rumble's design and art choice. Jen and Kress put the Activision and Microsoft merger to rest while setting up their fantasy drafts for new CEOs of Activision, post-Bobby Kotick's departure at the end of 2023, and Unity, post-John Riccitiello's departures. Finally, the team reviews all the reasons why Disney shouldn't, can't, and won't buy EA.

Is there an opportunity for AR gaming on mobile after all the attention coming to AR from the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro?

Here to unpack that topic is Asad J Malik, CEO of Jaru AR.

Asad is an augmented reality pioneer whose critically acclaimed narrative storytelling projects positioned him as a visionary in the space before completing his undergraduate degree. He has directed next-generation AR experiences featuring icons like Serena Williams and Lil Nas X and runs the AR company Jadu, launching a first-of-its-kind multiplayer augmented reality fighting game for mobile.

Check our Jadu Fight in AR

Available on iOS and Android

Needless to say, the games industry is going through a rough patch after a decade of booming growth. That is why this episode, with a16z’s Jordan Mazer, is very relevant both for companies and individuals. 
Jordan has unrivaled experience scaling high-performing teams at Amazon, Scopely, and Riot. He has interviewed thousands, if not tens of thousands professionals, Jordan shares invaluable insights and best practices for companies and individuals. 

Join us in Tel Aviv > LINK

The fabulous four discuss Epic's massive layoffs, Netflix's Love is Blind, Fortnite's price increases, and Unity CEO, John Riccotello's

Hosts: Jen Donahue, Laura Taranto, Eric Kress and Philip Black

Thanks to our world-class sponsors: AppsFlyer, Heroic Labs, Data.ai and Xsolla

Co-host of TWIG, Jen Donahoe, kicks off her one-on-one deep dive series of podcasts designed to give listeners actionable tips from experts in the game industry across marketing, publishing, media, and more.

First up, Robin Gray from Gray Media, founder of Gayming Magazine, the world's only LGBTQ video game magazine, and creator of the Gayming Awards, coming April 2024.

They discuss the benefits of and tips for authentically showcasing representation in your games.

Join us in Tel Aviv > SIGNUP

We have the full crew back in the house Together we analyze the latest turns in the Unity saga and most importantly (or least importantly) tell what we'd do should we be running the company. We also debate the role of Big Tech in the game industry's future.

SPEEDRUN >>> application link

Do you have 15 minutes, a strong core team, and an idea you dream about pursuing? If you said yes three times, you're in for an opportunity of a lifetime, also known as SPEEDRUN.

SPEEDRUN is a program for game startups, unlike anything you've seen before:

1. All teams accepted to the program receive 500k funding from a16z. That’s one of the best venture capital in the world. 
2. Your team will be welcomed to San Francisco for ten weeks to work on a demo that you'll showcase to over 300 top investors during the upcoming GDC. 
3. You'll get the best of the best mentors to make sure your demo will blow everyone's mind. And by mentors, we're talking about the likes of founders of Discord, Zynga, Supercell, King..

You have till the end of September to apply, so act fast! 

ps: use the code DOF for extra goodwill ;)

Tel Aviv Game Executive Brunch > SIGN UP

With Mishka multiple Spritz's deep in Italy and Laura somewhere in a Turkish Hot Air Ballon, Jen, Eric, and Phil get to the meat and potatoes: Go-DOT or GOD-oh? Unity’s proposed runtime response is public, while Eric uncovers buried AppLovin news… You can’t hide from the Kress! Jen reminds us that Privacy Manifest is here, and it’s coming for your fingerprints. Phil can’t get over the Microsoft leaks, and Eric is on the ground floor for Roblox’s developer conference.

Tune in for a captivating exploration of AI's impact on the gaming industry with Pieter Kooyman, CEO and Founder of Half Moon Studios. We discuss the role of AI from the perspectives of new and established organizations, C-level executives, individual contributors, and the ethical and emotional dimensions of this transformative technology. Don't miss out on this discussion!

Let's not mess around. You're here to hate listen as we dissect the PR firestorm coming out of Unity this week. We know it. You know it. Let's get into it!

We dive deep into the ever-evolving world of gaming, exploring the latest trends, successes, and challenges in the global gaming market.

We start by dissecting the landscape of mobile, PC, and console gaming. Tackle the question of what's working in the gaming industry, dissecting the impact of AI, the rise of handheld consoles, the promise of transmedia experiences, and the growth of cloud gaming services.

We also examine what's not working. Delving into Web3, the slow adoption of VR and AR, and the intricacies of the esports scene.

This episode provides valuable insights into key trends that we in the industry should keep an eye on. This includes geographic shifts in gaming popularity, macroeconomic influences on the industry, and the ever-evolving technology landscape, which continues to shape the future of gaming.

This week, Ethan sits down with Kayla Kinnunen, Executive Producer for the Minecraft Creator Platform. She explains how the platform empowers Minecraft creators to craft amazing content and share it with millions of players around the world. To date, Minecraft Creators have earned payouts of over $500 million crafting content for the worldwide sensation's still massive audience of over 140 MAU. We also learn some expert tips on managing expectations for such a devoted community, and how the Creator Platform team uses long periods of early access and developer participation to ensure new features deliver delight.

In this podcast episode, we dive into the remarkable success of the Nintendo Switch and what lies ahead for Nintendo. The Switch has surpassed Wii's total US sales and is closely trailing the Xbox 360 and PS2 in worldwide sales. We explore why it has thrived, including its handheld/console hybrid design, an impressive lineup of first-party games, broad demographic appeal, and Nintendo's strong brand loyalty.

However, the Switch does have its limitations, such as its outdated hardware, lackluster performance with third-party games, underwhelming online features, and a disorganized store interface.

Looking to the future, there's speculation about the next Nintendo Switch, expected sometime in 2024.

It's anticipated to follow an incremental upgrade model, offering processor power, storage, screen quality, and connectivity improvements. Despite its potential, it may still fall short compared to current-gen consoles.

Join us as we dissect the past, present, and future of Nintendo's beloved gaming platform.

In this power-packed episode, Joe Schaeppi shares his secrets of success for business leaders, founders, and innovators. From mastering board meetings to becoming the ultimate hub for innovators, building cultural diversity, nurturing empathy, and cracking the code on tricky interviews, this episode is a goldmine of invaluable insights to sharpen your entrepreneurial skills and propel your company to greater heights.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned founder, tune in to level up your game!

We have a full house! Phil and Mishka are back from Gamescom reminiscing their flourishing bromance causing Kress to gag (he’s just jealous). We talk about the recently announced slate of games. Jen and Laura debate Netflix Stories. And we summarize the latest market insight report from Data.ai.

Link > Helsinki VIP Happy Hour

A $55M seed round for a mobile gaming company sounds like a mistake until you talk to Rina Onar, the CEO of the company that raised it.

Rina is the co-founder of Peak Games, which sold to Zynga for nearly 2 billion Dollars. But instead of taking it easy after 13 grueling years growing Turkey's first unicorn games company, Rina hopped back on the grind mobile with her ex-Peak co-founders and is now steering Spyke Games as a CEO.

In this episode, we talk about the unique characteristics of Turkish gaming companies, how to enter mature categories successfully, what it takes to build a winning culture, and of course - how to raise monster seed rounds.

thanks to our sponsors: Hereic Labs, Xsolla, AppsFlyer, Data.ai

With Mishka and Phil living it up with all our lovely listeners at Gamescom, and Ethan to busy building to play pundit this week, it's everyone's three favorite hosts - Kress, Jen and Laura - holding down the fort without any deadweight dragging them down :) This week the crew goes deep on cozy games following the successful beta for cozy MMO Palia as well as discussing Gossip Harbor and the latest trends in the Merge game genre.

Brett Nowak, founder of insights platform Liquid & Grit joins the podcast to answer and ask three questions with Mishka Katkoff. The fellas talk about Brett’s grind from bootstrapping his company to where is today, a team of 45. They chat about Mishka’s immigrant mentality and debate about remote work. In this episode, Mishka also talks about his favorite and least favorite job from his 14-year-long games career. And of course, the two share their insights about the mobile games market and the future of the game industry as a whole.

Join the Deconstructor of Fun Talent Collective! > for Talent > for Companies

After two weeks of no correction, Mr. Kress returns back to the show to correct us all. The crew deconstructs the cannibalization of Genshin Impact by the publisher’s newest title Honkai. Talks about Roblox’s burning business and what the company should do about it. Analyzes Netflix’s foray into streaming. Talks about the subscription as a business model for games and debates whether the Venture Capital model of today is sustainable or not. 

The crew debates Netflix’s Games strategy after the company announces its new controller to play games on TV.  Jen goes into a full on Kress mode after Assasin’s Creed beta test rejection. Phil shares his praises to Baldur’s Gate and the team discusses the importance of community when gearing up for the launch. The crew also discusses Nintendo’s mobile plans. To cap it off, Mishka is back from his ultra-long vacation and is in his prime shilling mode. 

In this episode, Mishka Katkoff hosts a conversation with Tim Bennison, COO of Hot Head Games and a leader with over 25 years of experience in game development, creative product development, and more.

They discuss the nuances of moving into work-for-hire projects, client engagement, and strategies for success for a co-development studio in a rapid games industry. Tim provides essential qualities for co-development studios as well as strategies to exceed client expectations.

The two also discuss the importance of being honest, transparent, communicative, and understanding client needs. You’ll also learn why time zone alignment can be a key factor in successful co-development, and hear valuable advice regarding pitching and re-pitching projects.

Jen covers the hottest brand reveal of 2023 while Phil checks in on Tim Sweeney’s chess board. Laura designs a roadmap for Epic Games; you’ll never guess what lands first. The crew tries to match up Match Master’s $200M success and marvels Pikimin 4’s monster success. Eric and Mishka DM pictures of their vacation and promise to return soon.

Web Shops for free-to-play mobile games are a topic we bring up regularly on This Week in Games. The ability to monetize your most engaged players outside of Apple and Google's walled garden's is an invaluable tool in maximizing a successful game's potential and one the TWiG crew doesn't have enough first hand knowledge of.

In the spirit of learning, Ethan is very excited to be joined by Ben Tsacoyianis and Dave Hague from Tilting Point, along with Chris Hewish from Xsolla, to educate the DoF community on how we can use web shops to help retain and bring delight to our most devoted players. Tilting Point has long been leveraging Xsolla's web shop on their hit game Star Trek Timelines, and in this interview they drop knowledge bombs on how you can use Web Shops to improve revenue, player delight and even open up new marketing paths.

With Eric and Miska cruisin’, Ethan makes a return to host an Eggy Party. Shells are broken as Phil and Ethan debate the cost of Roblox and mobile “reskins”, but it’s unclear if everything is scrambled or sunny-side up. Jen revisits the 10th anniversary of Dota 2’s battle pass while Laura spills the deets on King’s new pass. Phil does his best Eric impression for Exoprimal’s Premium Plus launch.Listen to Phil’s Tavern Talk appearance on Youtube or Spotify.

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>>> join the community

Thanks to our amazing partners: Heroic Labs, AppsFlyer, Xsolla, Data.ai

In an era of AAA company consolidation, as independent studios and mega-publishers alike are gobbled up in a war for exclusive content, storied British game developer Rebellion remains stridently independent. Thanks to 25 years of hard work, and the success of franchises Sniper Elite and Nazi Zombie Army, the company now fully controls its fate as it funds and publishes its own games, comics and more. In this interview, Ethan sits down with Rebellion Co-Founder and CEO Jason Kingsley to discuss his new book Leading the Rebellion and learn more about Rebellion's past, present and future.

Discover the intriguing dynamics of remote work at Playrix, one of the industry’s leading gaming companies. Did remote work help them become a top mobile publisher, or are there hidden pitfalls that should be taken into account? Tune in as Maxim Kirilenko, Chief Business Development Officer at Playrix, divulges their strategies, challenges, and triumphs in navigating their large-scale remote and hybrid work setup.

Google announced huge play store web3 changes but with extraordinary strings attached. Is it enough sunshine in crypto winter? Jen issues a red card to FIFA rebrand doubters while Phil laments a FIFA Platform. Eric ponders Microsoft’s next moves as Laura preps impression material.

Is there a better way for Mishka Katkoff to return to the podcast than a no bull talk with the one and only, Joseph Kim?

In this episode, the current and former founders talk about the hard knocks and the greatest highlight of a startup life. They also discuss dealing with haters, lessons learned, work-life balance, and of course love of JK's life, Elon Musk.

Shoutout to our fantastic partners: Heroic Labs, Xsolla, AppsFlyer, and Data.ai

The prodigal son, Mishka Katkoff, makes his return to TWiG. And boy, did he bring the hot takes with him. Laura tells us of DC’s latest mobile attempt while the Lasso of Truth wrangles Eric for a failed bet. Jen seemingly tattoos “Deliver on the Core IP Fantasy” live on-air, while Phil inks a lower-back one, “F2P Forever”, in the wake of Naraka: Bladepoint’s defection. The cast delineates throwing their personal money to venture capital’s new wonderchild studio.

You know Clifford "CliffyB" Blezinski as the Lead Designer and face of Gears of War and Unreal Tournament. But in his life after Epic Games he has been a CEO, an angel investor, a restauranteur, a Tony-winning broadway investor and producer, a memoirist and now, a comic book author. He is so much more than just the dude weilding the life-sized chainsaw gun. In this incredible interview, Cliff talks with Ethan about Control Freak, his memoir about a life in the games industry, his brand new comic Scrapper and everything in between.

Barbie movie anticipation reaches all-time highs, but it’s not clear who paid who for brand integration into Stumble Guys. Marvel Snap escaped our H1 review, but not before dropping a doubling cube; we review its performance to a somber reality. Niantic doubles down on a confusing strategy while Xbox Trial leaks continue to bring home the insider bacon.

We're running an anonymous games industry job satisfaction survey. Findings will be shared next week. Consider adding your voice ⁠here⁠ (⁠https://forms.gle/RFVWVZZz5bG3awDE9⁠), it only takes a couple of seconds to complete.

This podcast was brought to you in part by Xsolla Pay Station. You can see it in action at xsolla.pro/payments-dof

With privacy changes affecting the front-end of the funnel across the entire mobile games industry, the importance of metagame driven long-term retention of your players has never been higher. Heroic Labs is one of the leading providers of gaming backend-as-a-service to help you run your game backend, live operations and social metagame with their services Nakama, Satori and Hiro. In this week's interview, Ethan sits down with CEO and Co-Founder Chris Molozian to talk about their services help small teams focus on the fun while building a deep, retentive metagame, social structures and world class live operations.

Can you believe we're already halfway through 2023? Neither can we. As teased last week, the TWiG crew checks in on some of the biggest mobile, free-to-play releases of the year so far. Laura invests in Baltic Avenue as she breaks down Monopoly Go. Phil brings up Fanlight 84 which Kress quickly deems mice nuts. Ethan illuminates the power of anime thirst in character collectors by highlighting Nikke: Goddess of Victory's jaw dropping revenue-per-download. Jen takes us to the Hell with Diablo Immortal. Plus, we celebrate Kress's birthday and learn all about his third mid-life crisis. All this and so much more this week in games.

Gamefam founder and CEO - Joe Ferencz - was early among professional game developers to spot and chase the Roblox opportunity. Now he runs the top publisher on the platform with hits including Sonic Speed Simulator, Twilight Daycare and Military Tycoon, as well as games on other UGC platforms like Deadpines on Fortnite Creative. Joe sits down with Ethan to talk about UGC gaming, if the Metaverse ever even existed, and what it takes to run a venture scaled business inside of another company's UGC platform.

We are tackling LiveOps from both sides of the equation this week with Laura deconstructing the latest and greatest in puzzle LiveOps from Candy Crush and Royal Match, and Jen prompting a lively debate on if celebrity marketing is ROI positive for mobile free-to-play. Ethan thirsts for the Jonas Brothers (despite the seemingly mid performance of their Candy Crush event) and also talks about PUBG Mobile's incredible $10b in lifetime revenue. That's right, TEN BILLION DOLLARS!$!$! Phil highlights the new crush in every Steam gamer's heart, the chart topping BattleBit Remastered. As an added bonus, we learn that while Jen is blasting through Champion League levels in Toon Blast, she is also blasting Metallica on her airpods. It's another action-packed week in the games industry and this episode is not to be missed!

An increasingly hot topic amongst the TWiG crew, and the industry at large, is mobile, F2P veterans looking to additional platforms for blue or purple oceans. Between the maturity of the mobile market, the challenges of breaking through as a new game or IP, rising CPIs, diminished targeting capabilities or the limited power of platform-level featuring, it feels like every company with live-service expertise is asking themselves where else they can ply their trade. That's why Ethan invited Adam Smart - Director of Product at Appsflyer and host of "In the Sandbox with..." - onto the podcast. In this wide ranging conversation, they discuss the forces driving the push to console, PC and cross-platform development and how free-to-play developers can bring their mobile platform playbook to these platforms. Given Appsflyer's recent launch of their measurement suite for console and PC, things are getting a lot easier for traditionally mobile developers interested in using performance marketing to scale their games on these platforms.

With Ethan out, the crew runs amok with more shocking regulatory news from the MSFT and ATVI merger. Will it ever end? Eric gives Embracer a much-needed reality check while Jen checks in the plethora of Summer Games Fest announcements. Laura reveals some surprising match-3 data while the crew debates the prospects of Space Ape’s Chrome Valley. Phil isn’t excited about FOMO rotating stores, despite the huge news of Diablo’s historic revenue week.

The games industry is not taking any time off for summer vacation as we're seeing another absolutely monster week of news. The Vision Pro is here, is Kress impressed by Apple's attempt at changing the world of computing again? Diablo IV is live and Phill breaks down their record setting launch. Jen explains everything you need to know about the latest change to ad tech - Apple's Privacy Manifests. Ethan demands that Kress bow down to MihoYo's global dominance as Honkai Star Rail is crowned the King of May Revenue. Laura analyzes if there are any up and coming puzzle games that can put a dent in the dominance of Candy Crush, Royal Match and Gardenscapes. Line your stomach with a glass of milk and give us a listen, because this is a spicy one!

Halo, Destiny, Hearthstone, Warcraft, Fable, Mass Effect, Shadowrun. What do all these classic series have in common? They've all been improved thanks to the UX research and tactics by John Hopson and the talented teams he has worked on. When Deconstructor of Fun Slack member Hopson shared the release of his book - The Secret Science of Fun - I loaded it up on audible and was blown away. It is filled with pragmatic, no nonsense, hands on advice on how to use the art of user experience research to improve you games with budgets ranging from monumental to microscopic. Ethan and John go deep on what UX research is, how it is best integrated into your game's development, and how the true art of UX research is when to be scientific, and when to be science-ish.

If you enjoy this podcast, you'll love the audiobook of The Secret Science of Fun which you can get on Audible.

Over 500m Tik Tok users watch gaming content every month, according to Jen's recent trips on the conference circuit, and this audience is one that the crew things you should be building your game thesis around from day one! Detective Ethan is on the case making wild conjecture on who may have been the counter-party that suddenly pulled out of Embracer's $2b deal last week. Laura unpacks Voodoo's latest strategic shift from hypercasual to hybridcasual. Is there more to this rebranding than wordplay? Phil uses the recent announcement of Bungie's Marathon extraction shooter to explain his oft cited Game Thesis framework. The full crew dissects Flood Rush and Squad Busters, the two latest Supercell soft launch games aiming for that $1b+ a year brass ring. And Kress goes deep on Sony's Playstation Showcase event that featured Marathon, Spiderman 2, Assassin's Creed, Metal Gear, Alan Wake, Final Fantasy, the non-Vita Project Q handheld streaming device and of course, some VR games. This week was filled to the brim with news and, as ever, your loyal TWiG crew is here to digest it for you.

First, join us all in welcoming Jen Donahoe as the new, full time member of the TWiG crew! This week, Kress talks about the Embracer implosion, Phil falls for Fall Guys' new creator mode, Jen explains PUBGs reenlistment in India, Ethan unpacks the critical production blunder that was the root cause behind Overwatch 2's PvE cancellation, and Laura takes the MC microphone for a drive.

This week the tables are turned as Ethan is the one being interviewed by Savage Games Studio GM and friend of the pod Sophie Vo. Ethan appeared on Sophie's conscious leadership podcast - Rise and Play - to talk about how your life has to be bigger than just your career. After 20 years of hard work, dedication and sacrifices Ethan reflects on his many regrets, the importance of living a balanced life, setting boundaries between your work and your personal life, modeling these values and behaviors for your employees and more. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out Rise and Play where Sophie has a wealth of podcasts and educational material to improve your skills as a conscious leader in the games industry.

New week, new guest host. This week, Director of Product Tiffany Keller gets behind the mic to talk about Omega Striker's cross-platform strategy. Laura talks about the "games for good" trend and if it can help Peridot or Longleaf Valley stand out from the pack. Kress explains why Superman is a terrible IP for gaming, and is bewildered by EA Mobile's seeming lack of support for their big Lord of the Rings launch. Despite the revelation that he is, in fact, a good 'ol Carolina boy, Phil loves talking about Eurovision for some reason. Ethan explains what superheroes he most wants to use to punch countless baddies in open world AAA games. And, we eventually get around to talking about Diablo IV's inevitable sales dominance and live ops plans.

Also, we almost make it a week without talking about Microsoft Cloud Gaming, but Ethan just can't let it lay. Until next week, Twiggies!

With their mysterious, high drama, high production value advertisements featuring soap opera worthy twists and turns, Metacore's creative game for Merge Mansion has always been top notch. But last March, the chart topping merge game made waves when it released a series of live action advertisements staring The Mandalorian himself, Pedro Pascal. How did Metacore land one of Hollywood's hottest stars at the absolute peek of his fame? How have these ads performed? And just what is Granny Ursula hiding in that mansion? To answer these burning questions, Tapio Tuomola and Mika Tammenkoski join Ethan in conversation to reveal everything. Everything, that is, except for Granny Ursula's master plan.

The crew is dropping heat with another action packed week of news. Guest host extraordinaire Jen Donahoe returns to the podcast to educate us on how to be a better ally in the wake of the Activision and Riot gender discrimination settlements. Phil breaks down the incredible admission of defeat on the part of Xbox's Phil Spencer as he, in Kress's words, says the quite part out loud. Laura defends the honor and integrity of free-to-play games and Ethan explains how Apple Arcade and Netflix aren't competing against each other, but against the hundreds of free, ad supported games launched on mobile every day. As every Twiggy knows, it's tough to beat with free!

Plus we cover the Call of Duty: Warzone delay, the big DOtA 2 update, Nintendo Live 2023 and the absolute dominance of Hogwarts' Legacy.

As every Twiggy knows, successful marketing tactics are the cornerstone of any top grossing free-to-play game. So Ethan was delighted to be joined this week by Brian Murphy, the Head of Gaming at Appsflyer, to discuss their recently released report on the state of game app marketing in 2023. And he was especially delighted because, as you'll hear, Ethan is extremely lazy and does not have time to read and digest an 80 slide report chock full of information about marketing your gaming app. So he perused the key findings page and then spent the following hour grilling Brian about it, as though he read the whole report. The sheer gall! So join in on this conversation, and you too can pretend you've deeply studied Appsflyer's state of game marketing report for 2023.

Hold on to your hats, Twiggies! This week and for the first time ever, we have a female host majority on TWIG! We welcome Jen Donahoe to the guest host hot seat to break down the pros and cons of working with Netflix as a publisher, with special insight into the brand and marketing aspects, and debate Laura on the best use cases for the Subway Surfers IP. Nintendo’s move to join Gamescom this year is a surprise to all and Kress supposes that a big announcement is coming. All this and more in the latest episode of This Week in Games from Deconstructor of Fun.

Get your spray paint ready, Twiggies, because this week Jayne Peressini returns to the guest host chair to break down Sybo's latest - Subway Surfer's Blast - alongside the reigning puzzle queen, Laura. Can you believe Laura commented on this game without first beating level 100, as is her custom?

Spurred by the latest, dramatic twist in the Microsoft/Activision "will they, won't they" merger, Kress and Phil get into a heated debate about the console business and cloud gaming (again). With Ethan missing in action due to an internet outage, there is no one to defend the honor of Eastern Gacha games as Kress foolishly doubts the prospects of impending blockbuster Honkai: Star Rail, dragging the latest juggernaut from miHoYo despite it's #1 spot on the US Top Downloads chart.

Don't forget to check out the latest MGVC Game Drive business accelerator program where DoF's very own Phillip Black will be sharing key insights shaping the games industry.

12 years ago, Andrei van Roon was working in transportation modeling and analysis in New Zealand. But ever since seeing a job posting on the Riot Games forums, he has been on a meteoric ascent through the ranks of the League of Legends maker. Beginning as a Champion Designer, Andrei has worked his way up to his current post as a SVP and Head of the League Studio. In this wide ranger interview, Ethan and Andrei cover topics ranging from just how one runs a 700+ plus organization, the many considerations that go into creating and tuning Champions on one of the world's most popular live service games, the impact of the hit show Arcane on the League ecosystem, the lessons learned bringing LoL to mobile with Wild Rift and what Riot has learned about cross-platform development and play between LoL/Wild Rift and Teamfight Tactics. This insider look at what Andrei has learned from 12 years contributing to some of the biggest entertainment franchises in the world is one for the history books.

Sega buying Rovio for $775mm is just the tip of the iceberg in a jam packed episode. Phil explains how CoD's latest kerfluffle breaks the social contract with its players. Kress pull out the classic "two drunks holding each other up" catchphrase to describe the Rovio acquisition. Ethan implores you to remember Phantasy Star Online 2, and declares that Monster Hunter Go will be a surefire hit for Niantic. Laura cracks the code on both Makeover Match and Monopoly Go. And special guest Jayne Peressini makes her TWiG debut to break down what record breaking CS:GO skin sales do and do not say about the viability of marketplace royalties for web3 gaming. Just like the global box office dominating Super Mario Bros movie, this one is not to be missed!

This week Ethan is gushing with fanboy love for a hometown hero of his, Alex Seropian, founder of Bungie. Few people can claim the same amazing entrepreneurial accomplishments as Alex, having founded and "exited" three different game companies (Bungie, Wideload, Industrial Toys) to three very different, public, Fortune 500 companies (Microsoft, Disney, EA). But after some deep history on the origins of Bungie and their pre-Halo hits like Marathon and Myth, Alex explains how misleading the label "exit" is. Because when you sell your studio to another company, you haven't exited, you've only taken the next step on the entrepreneurial journey. This one is chock full of firsthand wisdom from an absolute legend of the games industry, so buckle up.

And if you enjoy this episode, check out Alex's new podcast The Fourth Curtain! Alex and co-host Aaron Marroquin talk with industry luminaries about the making of some of the biggest games of all time. If you like this interview, you'll love The Fourth Curtain.

Greetings, Twiggies! The crew is back to discuss all the latest and greatest in games industry news. Hot on the heels of the big Scopely acquisition, Laura gives us a deep look at all of Saudi Arabia's recent moves into the games industry. Phil talks Super Mario Bros. box office domination, Kress compliments New Zoo, and as always, Ethan is here for the quips. We also talk the impending LoTR game from EA Capitol Games, Resident Evil 4's terrifyingly good sales numbers and most excitingly, Laura's new couch. All that and more on the latest This Week in Games.

Kress gives his quick take on Savvy's $4.9B acquisition of Scopely.  He reviews the pros and cons on this first major acquisition by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This week, one of the Erics says goodbye to TWiG, but which one? In the news, Kress mourns the end of E3 and regales us with a story of when PS4 was announced; Laura is already at the end of content of Dream Games’s new title Royal Kingdom and discusses their new social approach; an Economist article on “moviemaking and gamemaking are converging” triggers Phillip and Eric. Until next week, Twiggies!

Joining Ethan in conversation this week is long time games industry executive Chris Heatherly to discuss Chris's recent essay on LinkedIn about the death of the games-as-app era and the ascent of games-as-service. Chris argues that, fueled by "metaverse" hobbies such as Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft, we are entering an era of reduced content creation cost where the next land rush in the industry is going to be creating hit games within other experiences, as opposed to standalone apps. In this thought provoking and wide ranging conversation, Chris avoids the hype and talks specifics about what this games-as-content transition means, and why we should all be installing Unreal Engine for Fortnite.

Eric, Ethan, Laura and Phil are back from GDC and are eager to share all that they learned during the week long celebration of all things game development. They talk the biggest news of the show, including Unreal Engine for Fortnite + Creator Economy 2.0, the surprise announcement of Counterstrike 2, CCP's massive raise for a AAA Web3 game and more. And most surprisingly, vests! Kress hates vests y'all! Mind your drip or else face Kress's wrath :)

The crew is back from Istanbul and what an event! Eric and Laura give Ethan and Phil major fomo about all the amazing people and sessions they missed at the gaming event of the year! We preview all the amazing Deconstructor of Fun content coming next week to GDC then get into the news. We talk about the further democratization of the Epic Games Store, Redemption Games' spin out of AppLovin', the total meltdown of Silicon Valley Bank and its effects on the gaming startup ecosystem, and the monster $55 million raise for the newly minted Believer Games.

Remember, if you see a member of the DoF family at GDC, make sure to say Mice Nuts 😂

Kress sits down with Moritz Baier-Lentz to talk about if fundamentals matter in VC investing and whether we will return to the speculative investments that were made during the mania of the past few years.  And asked what exactly is investable in the gaming space for early stage investors?

Most of the team (and the audience) is off at the Istanbul Gaming Summit, leaving Ethan and Phil to hold down the fort. Today is LiveOps, LiveOps, LiveOps. We talk about the Apex Legends Mobile shutdown and the incredibly difficult challenge of feeding a live service content treadmill. We talk Knockout City's shutdown and the incredibly difficult challenge of profitably running a cosmetics forward monetization strategy. We talk Angry Birds Classic and the incredibly hard problem of getting organic traffic to your profitable games they are not #1 in the search results. And we talk Niantic's next game and the incredibly difficult challenge of finding a second, globe spanning phenomenon. 

Headed to GDC later this month? Don't forget to show up for Ethan's Sunday night casual meetup at Standard Deviant Brewing company to meet your fellow Fundies. Or the Xsolla Game Night we are co-hosting with Mattel and Xsolla on Tuesday. And if you see a member of the DoF team, don't forget to tell them "Mice Nuts!"

The crew discusses Neil Long's App Store exposé in The Guardian, Rovio pulling the classic Angry Birds from distribution, Playtika suspending new game development, Street Fighter: Duel's launch and the explosive success of Hogwarts Legacy. Join Laura, Eric, Eric and Ethan and help us settle which Eric is the grumpy one. 

Mr. Kress sits down with an executive coach and an investor Niklas Herriger to chat about what it takes for Founders, CEOs, and CTOs to grow their companies from 5 to 100 people. 
Niklas Herriger is a former founder, whose company Gondola.io, was acquired by Tilting Point in 2019. 

LINKS: 

http://niklasherriger.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/niklasherriger/

The crew assembles to cover all the latest and greatest games industry news, including the latest annual letter from Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen, Blizzard's return-to-office policy, the PSVR2 launch and more. Also, we've got a couple of exciting events coming up:

Istanbul Gaming Summit on Thursday, March 9th: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/istanbul

Xsolla Game Night at GDC on Tuesday, March 21st: https://events.xsolla.com/gdcgamenight

We got a spicy episode for you. Someone is either getting fired or assassinated as a result of this week's episode.

This week, Eric Kress updates us on the latest on Microsoft’s acquisition and Playtika’s bear hug of Rovio as well as a summary of earnings. Eric Seufert talks (rants?) about Alex Shea’s PCG talk on Hypercasual’s demise. Phillip discusses Knockout City’s sunsetting and joins Laura in covering Supercell’s beta game, Squad Busters.

Türkiye was hit with magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected. Join us in helping by following this LINK.

It's a newspacked and unfortunately negative news cycle this week for the games industry. This week opens (as always) with a non apology apology from Kress. Laura talks about the let down of the promising looking Forspoken. Phil reads Supercell's offloading of Everdale to Metacore as a bad portent and Ethan defends the strategy. We lament the death of E3, the death of Apex Mobile, the death of Battlefield Mobile and rumored lackluster PSVR2 pre-orders. We discuss Embracer and the Amazon acquisition of Tomb Raider, and round it out discussing the recent piece of investigative journalism into Valve's work culture.

Before he took the entrepreneurial leap to found Phoenix Labs, CEO Jesse Houston had an enviable collection of gamedev experiences across Ubisoft (Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six), BioWare (Mass Effect) and Riot (League of Legends). With such a depth of experience, the success of breakout hit Dauntless feels almost inevitable. In this week's spotlight interview, Jesse sits down with Ethan to talk about building Phoenix and how a well designed culture has been its secret superpower. With Phoenix, Jesse and co set out to build a forever company. And you can see that ethos in action with their amazing growth following an exit to Garena. It was the power of cultural values, for example, that led to the birth of upcoming Switch release (and guaranteed cozy game hit) Fae Farm. This interview is a masterclass in the power of a game company's culture and values to creating success.

In a week chock full of games industry news, we've got a full house as Ethan returns from paternity leave and new face Phillip Black makes his second appearance on the pod. We discuss Playtika's unsolicited offer to acquire Rovio and how we expect they'll respond. We discuss the many gaming SPACs of 2021 and 2022 and learn that Ethan bought into many of them and why they've been so disastrous for his retirement savings (wamp wamp). We cover the frayed NetEase/Blizzard relationship, the new spin off studio from the founders of Jam City and more. So put on your headphone and join Kress, Seufert, Laura, Ethan and Phil as we go deep on all the latest news.

TWIG has a special guest: Phillip Black! Phillip joins the usual mötley crew of Eric Kress, Eric Seufert, and Laura Taranto, to cover: Marvel Snap’s performance, roughly 3 months post-launch; Ubisoft CEO’s email to employees; Voodoo’s $3m privacy slip-up; Apex Legend’s Matchmaking as well as a few other smaller updates.

REMINDER: The Deconstructor of Fun x Google Istanbul conference is coming up on March 8-10th, 2023, mark your calendars! Signups liver January 25th!

If you've triggered a rewarded video ad anytime in the past few years, you have most likely seen a captivating, easy to understand advertisement for Lightheart Entertainment's hit game Mr. Autofire. With over $40m in lifetime revenue and still growing, Mr. Autofire is an understated and indisputable success story. In today's interview, Ethan sits down with Lightheart Co-Founder Miikka Ahonen about the founding of the company and the birth of Mr. Autofire. Most importantly, Miikka reveals the 5 Key Questions the Lightheart team used when assessing the concept behind the game and deciding whether this was or was not the right first game for Lightheart to bring to market.

TWIG’s 2023 Predictions. This week, the fearsome trio Eric K, Eric S, and Laura go through their 2023 Predictions: Eric K makes a call on the mobile & console markets, blockchain, China, and AppLovin; Eric S on content, M&A’s, brand advertising, and a few “too hot for TV” surprises; Laura on Apple & VR, monetization and innovation in mechanics. Until next week.

thanks to our sponsors:

www.xsolla.com > www.applsflyer.com > www.data.io

In a recent episode, Yevgeny Peres, the EVP of Product Strategy at Appsflyer, returned to the podcast to reveal and cure Ethan of his ignorance of many critical parts of the user acquisition side of game development. One of the big takeaways from this interview was the importance of a measurement framework that provides a unified, single source of truth for your marketing team.

Happy New Year! Erik, Eric, and Laura kick off 2023 by reviewing the TWIG 2022 Awards. The team discusses how last year fared with respect to web3 games and investors, talks about a host of acquisitions, gives thoughts on big moves from the biggest players, and, of course, debates about the best and most disappointing games launched. Until next week!

thanks to our sponsors:

www.xsolla.com > www.applsflyer.com > www.data.io

With privacy becoming more important to mobile players and the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) in-app advertising inventories, the quality of your creatives has never been more critical to the success of your games. This was one of the key takeaways from our recent discussion with Sandro Gelashvili, Head of Creative Works at Google, and Rau Dosymbetov, Creative Producer at Nexters, on the Deconstructor of Fun podcast.

This is the last TWIG of 2022! Closing out the year, Seufert, Kress, and Laura discuss the 2022 Game Awards and what game launches to look forward to in 2023, Apple’s concessions on outside the app store payments, a brief FTC vs MSFT update, Playtika’s layoffs and Brawl Stars removing Loot Boxes. Have a great end of the year and we look forward to delivering all your game-related news in January.

James Marr has been a Technical Director at studios including DeNA, Zynga and N3TWORK Studios. His work includes Eliminate, which was not only the first 3D, competitive shooter on the App Store, but its first free-to-play game as well, as well as top-grossing hit Legendary: Game of Heroes. In this wide ranging discussion, he goes deep on the qualities which separate Good vs Great when it comes to Game Engineering. He blows Ethan's mind talking about why it's not the hard skills like math and language proficiency as much as the soft skills - Empathy, Listening & Communication - which are the necessary ingredients of a truly great game engineer. This is hands down Ethan's favorite interview of 2022 and is simply not to be missed!

Eric Kress, Ethan and Laura gather this week to tackle Nintendo’s mobile strategy, the importance of taxonomy and game classification (part 2 to “Hybridcasual”), an Apple update on pricing and NFTs and Rovio’s newest character to their long successful Angry Birds franchise. Eric also shares his short but sweet second career as a basketball coach. Until next week.

Eric sits down with Rachit Moti at Layer Licensing to discuss how to discover and manage licenses and how his technology works.

Sarah Fuchs's background and success in game development is formidable to say the least. With a career spanning James Bond, The Godfather, Spore, We Rule, serving as the Head of Production for The Sims Mobile and the GM for Covet Fashion, Sarah's experience leading top-grossing mobile games is hard to match. Now, she has red-pilled on Web3 and teamed up with Amber Bezahler to bring fashion gamers to Web3. With $5m in funding from Griffin Gaming Partners and an all-star team, Muus Collective is poised to take the world of Web3 gaming by storm. 

In this wide ranging interview, Ethan and Sarah go deep on Sarah's experience developing games, how you go about building team and company culture, the importance of building a people first game studio and how Muus Collective is going to bring Web3 gaming to fashion gamers. 

Eric Seufert, Kress and Laura cover 2 major headlines this week: an update to Loot Box legislation down under and looking back at the effects of ATT on mobile gaming from Mobile Dev Memo. Smaller updates include the ATVI & MSFT deal, Boom Beach Frontlines’ sunset, a PocketGamer sponsored piece wanting to coin a new genre, Wildlife Studios layoffs and Supercell’s first hire in Austin. Until next week.

Guest host trio Javier Barnes, Philip Black, and Matej Lancaric discuss Marvel Snap's present and future. The crew dives into the launch, marketing strategy, gameplay, and systems of the hit title. They also discuss what we can expect from developer Second Dinner in the future.

Shoutout to our sponsors: AppsFlyer, Data.ai, and Xsolla

Eric, Eric and Laura are joined by guest David Nelson, former head of the experimentation group at King, to discuss the last 10 years of Candy Crush Saga and the Blizzard and NetEase divorce. Seufert shares his experience at Slush last week in Helsinki and Kress blames the switch hardware for the lackluster performance of the otherwise interesting new Pokemon game, Scarlet and Violet. And lastly, it wouldn’t be an TWIG episode without at least 1 mention of Netflix. Until next week.

In Esports giant 100 Thieves, Nadeshot, John Robinson, Valkyrae and their army of competitors, streamers and content creators have built one of the most impressive lifestyle brands and marketing superpowers in all of gaming. Now, they've brought on industry legend Pete Hawley to run their brand new game studio. Just a few weeks into development and they've already released the initial footage and play test of Project X. In this week's spotlight, John and Pete sit down with Ethan to tell us about the history of 100 Thieves, where it sits on the spectrum of streamer, competitor and lifestyle brand, why they decided to build out their own game studio and game, and how they are embracing open, collaborative, community driven development with their very first game. With a marketing reach over 150 gamers strong, and despite John and Pete's humbleness in the matter, it is clear that 100T has an absolute monster on its hands.

Eric and Laura cover their respective trips and dig into a few positive updates on Landmark’s funding and new game. The two rehash Nintendo’s partnership with DeNA, discuss releasing games in China, and rant on Newzoo’s mobile market update. Kress offers an update on Microsoft and Activision Blizzard acquisition.

It's big #20! In this latest episode of Tokenomics, Ethan sits down with Koh Kim, Head of Ecosystem at Sui maker MystenLabs. The company, formed by ex-Meta veterans, has raised a $300m treasure trove to build a new and better Layer1 blockchain purpose built for Web3 gaming. Koh tells us about her history in gaming, how she red-pilled on Web3 and why she joined up with Mysten, and how the Sui blockchain is the Layer1 that will allow gamedevs like you and me to build better Web3 game experiences.

Ethan and Eric S are in the house to talk about all the dramatic news this week! We're talking about massive layoffs across the tech industry and gaming in particular, new mobile game studios from NetEase and Nintendo, Playtika's latest earnings report, the dramatic and sudden collapse of FTX and the ongoing creator royalty debate going on in the world of NFTs.

Kress’s Corner - I sat down with Jason Chapman at Konvoy to discuss how VC’s really work.. How they invest, why they invest and most importantly how much money they make… We also explore how VCs navigate the booms and busts in the business cycle

Kress sits down with Robin Astrom at Wehype to discuss how influencer marketing can be an alternative/supplement to traditional marketing and how it can help products and brands find audiences in a hostile user acquisition market.  And how is it working with these Gen Z influencers…