Shows
Deconstructor of FunThe Shifting Landscape of the Gaming Industry in 2024 with Newzoo's Ben PorterIn 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 fu...
2024-05-131h 18
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #273 Istanbul Recap, Embracer sells Saber, Epic's on iOS in EUThe 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
2024-03-1457 min
Deconstructor of Fun6 x Operative Changes That Kept SciPlay Growing Despite the Market HeadwindsJosh 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)
2024-01-211h 02
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #266 The State of Mobile and Monopoly Go’s anti-Profitability ClaimsIstanbul 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.
2024-01-181h 06
Deconstructor of FunElena Grigorian, CEO of MyGames - My First 100 Days as a CEOstanbul 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)
2024-01-1559 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #258 Grouchy Kress Alert 🚨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.
2023-11-161h 10
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #245 Kress Returns to Question Netflix, Blizzard, Subscriptions and Venture CapitalistsJoin 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.
2023-08-171h 05
Deconstructor of FunIn Conversation: The Secret Science of GamesHalo, 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...
2023-06-0647 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #230 Why AI is in every single pitch / How Subway Surfer IP should be used / Nintendo's upcoming announcementHold 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 Th...
2023-05-041h 11
Deconstructor of FunTWiG #224 - Istanbul Recap / Silicon Valley Banking Meltdown / Do You Believe In BelieverThe 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.
...
2023-03-161h 06
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #216 Ubisoft Staff Threatens to Strike over 4-Day Work Week / Laying out the Bull case for MobileTWIG 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!
2023-01-191h 14
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #214 (The Unofficial) Deconstructor of Fun 2022 Gaming AwardsHappy 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
2023-01-041h 01
Deconstructor of FunIn a Privacy-Centric World, Creative is More Important Than EverWith 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.
2022-12-1839 min
Deconstructor of FunFinding Success with a Sex-Positive Game Hook UpIt may be unthinkable for the Deconstructor of Fun audience, but people are still finding success with premium mobile games in 2022. It all depends on your aspirations and what your goals are. In this episode, Ethan Levy interviews fledgling game designer Sophie Artemigi whose freshman debut, the sex-positive Hook Up The Game found chart-topping premium game success on the App Store thanks to clever Tik Tok marketing and a Pride Month feature. We talk about the challenges Sophie faced along the way, the bravery of putting parts of yourself into your work, and generally joke about how Ethan is...
2022-08-121h 05
Deconstructor of FunArt Directors Reveal the Secrets to Successful Art OutsourcingArt outsourcing can become a game changer or a hopeless money sink. To discuss how to outsource art in the smartest and most effective way, the Deconstructor of Fun podcast was joined by Silver Saaremäel, co-founder and Art Director of a boutique art outsourcing studio Fantastic Vagabonds (ex-Wooga & Crytek), and Kshiraj Telang, Art Director from Moon Active (ex-King and Rovio).
2022-08-0855 min
Deconstructor of FunIn-Game Ads for Console and PC Games - Opportunity or Threat?Lately, there's been a lot of talk about Xbox building an advertising program and the implications this program may have on both business and players. We're joined by Dave Madden, President of PlayerWON, to discuss the best practices for in-game ads within PC and console games. Dave has plenty of insights to share as his company, PlayerWON, is the pioneer of in-game ads in the free-to-play console and PC games.
Links: Dave Madden, PlayerWON, Deconstructor of Fun
2022-05-301h 05
Deconstructor of FunDeep Dive into A16Z's GAMES FUND ONEThe $600M GAMES FUND ONE, a16z’s inaugural fund dedicated to building the future of the games industry. A16Z has been investing in games for over a decade being the investor of the likes of Zynga and Oculus.
We're joined by Jonathan Lai, General Partner at A16Z to discuss what makes GAMES FUND ONE stand out from the rest of the gaming and interactive media funds.
Jonathan also breaks down what verticals the new fund is going after and how the fund evaluates founders. We also discuss the effect of the bear mark...
2022-05-2258 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #176 LIVE from Istanbul featuring a Special Guest StarThis episode was recorded live at the end of the first Deconstructor of Fun event. Major thanks for Google for powering the event. All the videos from the event can be found here: (www.deconstructoroffun.com/blog/2022/4/3/deconstructor-of-funs-istanbul-event-highlights)
News:
Sony officially unveils its revamped three-tier PlayStation Plus subscription service
Apple struggles with Netherlands court could lead to a major shift
Links:
The Istanbul Event
Questions and Feedback
The Newsletter
The Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer...
2022-04-031h 10
Deconstructor of FunAvatar Platform for Cross-App Metaverse with Timmu Tõke, CEO of Ready Player MeTimmu Tõke is the CEO of Ready Player Me, a platform that creates cross-game avatars for the metaverse. In this podcast, we discuss the philosophy of the open metaverse, interoperability, cross-game services, the current state of NFTS among many other fascinating topics.
Links:
Timmu Tõke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmutoke/
Crypto Punks: https://punks.readyplayer.me/
Ready Player Me: https://wolf3d.io/
Deconstructor of Fun:
Questions and Feedback
The Newsletter
The Slack Group
Host: Mishka Katkoff
The sponsors:
ironSource, Appsflyer, Pl...
2022-02-1453 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #169 Google Stadia's big pivot and the rise of games that spy on you!News:
Google reportedly aims to pivot Stadia into wider streaming market
The Unnerving Rise of Video Games that Spy on You
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Ethan Levy and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Google, ironSource, Appsflyer, PlayerWon,
2022-02-1057 min
Deconstructor of FunHow to Kill a Game and Pivot SuccessfullyHow do you kill a game without killing the team? Sophie Vo, Niklas Herriger, and Mishka Katkoff discuss their past experiences as well as the dos and don'ts of ending a project and starting a new one.
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Host: Mishka Katkoff
Our sponsors:
ironSource, Appsflyer, PlayerWon,
2022-02-081h 12
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #168 Everything you haven't likely heard about Sony's $3.6B Bungie acquisitionNews:
Sony bought Bungie for $3.6 billion
Newzoo: NFT companies will transform into luxury and lifestyle brands
EA Says It's 'Not Driving Hard' in the Direction of NFTs
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Ethan Levy and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Google, ironSource, Appsflyer, PlayerWon, Xsolla
2022-02-031h 11
Deconstructor of FunTokenomics #3 How to Build a Blockchain Gaming Studio from ScratchTokenomics is a segment focusing on all aspects of blockchain gaming. In this episode we discuss how to make a pitch for your blockchain game, cover the latest blockchain headlines and answer fan questions.
Topics:
Twitter launches NFT Profile Pic Verification
Illuvium announces PvE closed beta
Loop Games to invest $100 million to expand Petherium.io blockchain metaverse
How to Build a Blockchain Gaming Studio from Scratch
Links:
Famous Aspects
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Host: Mishka Katkoff...
2022-01-301h 17
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #167 Metaverse rave looks boring and dead / App Store has 'too big to fail' problem / Respawns 3 new Star Wars gamesNFT Pro’s ‘Metaverse’ Rave Looks Boring, Dead
Respawn making 3 new Star Wars games for EA
The App Store has a ‘Too Big To Fail’ problem
Links:
Microsoft to Acquire Activision
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Google, ironSource, Appsflyer, PlayerWon, Xsolla
2022-01-271h 08
Deconstructor of FunAdvanced Audience Understanding with Joe Schaeppi, CEO of SolstenJoe Schaeppi, CEO of Solsten (ex-12Traits) is back on the podcast discussing how the top game companies in the industry use advanced audience understanding to acquire and engage their players.
Links:
Solsten
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Host:
Mishka Katkoff
Sponsors:
Google, ironSource, Appsflyer, PlayerWon, Xsolla
2022-01-261h 15
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #166 Why Microsoft Bought Activision and What Will Sony do Next?Links:
Microsoft to Acquire Activision
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Google, ironSource, Appsflyer, PlayerWon, Xsolla
Image: pymnts.com
2022-01-201h 16
Deconstructor of FunClash Mini - Contender or Pretender?Supercell seeks third brand extensions for its Clash franchise after the massive success of Clans and Royale. Clash Mini ventures into perhaps the most unattractive genre on mobile known as Autochess. The genre is plagued by low installs, poor monetization, and a graveyard of games from top publishers. Can Supercell breakthrough or was this just another good try? All above discussed by the powerful Hadrian Semroud and Javier Barnes
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Host:
Mishka Katkoff
2022-01-181h 29
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #165 Did Take-Two overpay for Zynga?Links:
Take-Two Interactive to acquire social game developer Zynga in $12.7 billion deal
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Google, ironSource, Appsflyer, PlayerWon, Xsolla
2022-01-131h 09
Deconstructor of FunTokenomics #2 Crypto Raiders ExplainedTokenomics is a segment focusing on all aspects of blockchain gaming. In this episode we discuss how to make a pitch for your blockchain game, cover the latest blockchain headlines and answer fan questions.
Topics:
Crypto Raiders Explained, Splinterlands $SPS Roadmap
Crypto Hit Aurory Has Already Raised $100m.
Polygon is paying out a $2.2m bug bounty
Polygon Under Accidental Attack
Most People Won't Know Web3 Exists
Square Enix promises ‘decentralized games’ in 2022
Why Gaming NFTs Are Not Oblivion Horse Armor 2.0
Links:
F...
2022-01-121h 22
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #164 The Year 2021 in NumbersIn this episode also: mobile publishers open up blockchain divisions, new SPAC from ex-Sony exec, Madden passes away and both Erics catch the COVID.
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
ironSource, Appsflyer, PlayerWon, Xsolla
Image: Newzoo
2022-01-061h 10
Deconstructor of FunIn-Game Audio Ads - the New Frontier of Ad MonetizationAudio ads. It's not a new thing. In fact, audio ads is the oldest way to deliver an ad from one human to another. So in this podcast we discuss the thesis behind audio ads on mobile in the post IDFA era, go into the weeds on how audio ads work and of course discuss the monetization potential they offer.
Links:
AudioMob
Christian Facey
Wilfrid Obeng
Get in Touch:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
2022-01-0447 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #163 End of the Year SPECIAL!In the final episode of the year the crew discusses most impactful news of the past year, biggest winners and losers as well as who made the most skeptical moves. Happy holidays y'all!
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat, Xsolla
Image: Epic
2021-12-261h 17
Deconstructor of FunTokenomics #1 Making a Perfect Blockchain Game PitchTokenomics is a segment focusing on all aspects of blockchain gaming. In this episode we discuss how to make a pitch for your blockchain game, cover the latest blockchain headlines and answer fan questions.
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Host: Mishka Katkoff, Ethan Levy, Anton Backman
2021-12-221h 05
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #162 Ubisoft's NFT announcement bombs / The Rock joins Fortnite / Spiderman comes to PUBG MobileArticles discussed:
Ubisoft's NFT Announcement Has Been Intensely Disliked
Fortnite kicks off Chapter 3: Season 1 with Dwayne Johnson and Spider-Man
Tencent brings Spider-Man to PUBG Mobile
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat, Xsolla
Image: Epic
2021-12-1756 min
Deconstructor of FunHow to Level Up as Leader with Niklas HerrigerNone of us is a born leader. And while some of us become good leaders over time, it tends, in my experience, to happen after lots of trials and tribulation. But what if you had someone coaching you? Doubling your XP and making you level up twice as fast.
In this episode, Niklas Herriger, who founded Gondola (acquired by Tilting Point), coaches startup CEOs, CTOs, co-founders, tech leads, executives, and investors both in the US and Europe.
We discuss how a great leader can multiply their team. How to track progress as a leader. The f...
2021-12-161h 36
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #161 Ubisoft goes NFT / Apple's plans to take commission outside App Store / How to be a great games CEOArticles:
Ubisoft Quartz, a Blockchain-Powered NFT Cosmetics System
Blockchain is only a game changer if players are stakeholders
How To Be A Great Games Company CEO!
Apple legal filing indicates it intends to collect commission regardless of whether developers use IAP or a competing payments platform
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable...
2021-12-091h 06
Deconstructor of FunFormer Apple App Store Head of Games BD, joins the podcast...Mike Schmid, who today runs Business Development at Rec Room, used to head Business Development for Games at Apple. In this episode we discuss Epic Games, Privacy Marketing, Netflix foray into gaming and the state of mobile games. Enjoy!
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Host: Mishka Katkoff
Sponsors: Facebook Gaming, ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Xsolla
image: IGN
2021-12-0757 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #160 Facebook loses crypto executive / Supercell sponsors Mr. Beast / Star Citizen has raised $400MArticles:
Executive behind Facebook-backed Novi crypto wallet to leave company
Star Citizen has now raised over $400M
Supercell sponsors Mr. Beast's Squid Game remake
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat, Xsolla
Image: Independent
2021-12-0355 min
Deconstructor of FunTrue Talk: Women in GamesWhile there’s a well-defined path to make your organization more appealing to a more diverse group of applicants, there’s not that much information on how to make the diverse organization run smoothly. That’s why we decided to record this podcast. To talk openly and freely about women in games with women in games.
Empathy is the secret ingredient of an inclusive studio. And there’s no better way to build empathy than listening.
BIG thanks to Anette Staloy (CMO Dirtybit and Co-founder of Women in Games Norway), Tiffany Keller (Director of Product for Subw...
2021-11-291h 39
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #159 Candy Crush' new CMO comes from a footwear company / Moon Active's $5 billion valuation / the Esports bubble debateArticles:
Moon Active valuation surges to $5 billion on back of $300 million Insight funding
Esports - a marketing investment?
Gaming Giant King Names Fernanda Romano as Chief Marketing Officer for Candy Crush
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat, Xsolla
Image: Adweek
2021-11-251h 10
Deconstructor of FunWhy Pokemon Unite Hasn’t Reached the Top (yet?)Pokemon Unite had a strong start. After initial Nintendo Switch launch, the game bursted onto mobile with 30M installs in the first week. Yet the installs quickly dwindled and the revenue dropped. It seems that after a roaring start the game quickly faded. This deconstruction explores the details why a game destined for success missed its mark.
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Hadrian Semroud
Javier Barnes.
Mishka Katkoff
Sponsors:
Facebook...
2021-11-211h 06
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #158 Axie Infinity troubles / Activision history of misconduct / Roblox analyst day recapThe best monthly blockchain report: Promo code: NAAVIKDOF
Articles:
Deconstructing Axie Infinity
Report: Activision Blizzard CEO knew about misconduct at the company for years
Roblox Analyst Day recap
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Facebook Gaming, ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat, Xsolla
Image: Cointelegraph
2021-11-181h 14
Deconstructor of FunBlockchain Gaming for DummiesYou have a decision to make: Jump on the blockchain gaming bandwagon or continue to roll your eyes from the sidelines.
To make your decision a more calculated one, Michail Katkoff from Deconstructor of Fun sat down with Ethan Levy aka. The Crypto Kid and recorded a Crypto Gaming for Dummies episode on the Deconstructor of Fun podcast and YouTube channel.
Some of the topics covered:
What does blockchain mean in the context of gaming and how is it applied?
Why do you need blockchain in games? Couldn’t existing tools and tech do th...
2021-11-141h 36
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #157 Zynga hires VP of blockchain gaming as NFT hype hits a crescendoArticles:
Baseless NFT hype hits a crescendo
Zynga hires a VP of blockchain gaming
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Facebook Gaming, ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat, Xsolla
Image: Cointelegraph
2021-11-111h 03
Deconstructor of FunHow to Brand a New Studio with Joe Nicholls, President & co-Founder of Timbre GamesHiring is the most difficult and crucial part of building up a studio. What makes it easier is having a great employer brand. With a big name like Supercell, Activision or EA you’re more likely to attract great employees and retain your current ones. Your job ads produce an abundance of applicants, which in turn reduce your recruitment costs. And as you get those great hires in, they will refer their coworkers allowing you to scale up faster.
But how do you build an employer brand that can compete for employees against the established talent magnets in...
2021-11-081h 33
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #156 Let's talk AppLovin / Activision tumbles / Silver bullets in gamingTopics covered:
New World — Amazon’s Rollercoaster Hit
Social media company Snap falls as much as 23% after a blow to its Q3 earnings from Apple privacy changes and supply-chain disruption
5 Reasons Why I Became Bullish on Blockchain Gaming
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Facebook Gaming, ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat, Xsolla
Image: AppLovin
2021-11-0558 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #155 Our take on Amazon's New World / Snap's 23% IDFA fumble / Reasons to get bullish on blockchain gamingTopics covered:
New World — Amazon’s Rollercoaster Hit
Social media company Snap falls as much as 23% after a blow to its Q3 earnings from Apple privacy changes and supply-chain disruption
5 Reasons Why I Became Bullish on Blockchain Gaming
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Facebook Gaming, ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat, Xsolla
Image: helpmykidlearn.ie
2021-10-281h 01
Deconstructor of FunEverything You Didn’t Know About Playrix with Maxim Kirilenko, CBDO at PlayrixWhile we all know of Playrix, we also know very little about the company. There are almost no English-speaking articles on how they make games or what is their organizational structure. I don’t remember ever reading about their culture nor hearing about their future plans. The company prospers behind an iron curtain. And if you don’t speak Russian, you’d likely be clueless, until now…
I had the privilege to sit down with Maxim Kirilenko, Playrix’ Chief Business Development Officer, and ask all the questions that I wanted about the company. We talk about:
Playrix 17...
2021-10-251h 04
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #154 Epic allows NFTs / Stillfront sued over earnout dispute / AppLovin whistleblower storyTopics covered:
Steam Bans and Epic Allows NFTs
Kixeye shareholders sue Stillfront for $30M over earnout dispute
AppLovin SDK Re-Routed Apple’s SKAdNetwork Postbacks To Itself
Ironsource will buy mobile ad and app monetization firm Tapjoy for $400M
Unity reveals Ad Mediation and Bidding coming to its Dashboard
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
...
2021-10-211h 04
Deconstructor of FunHow to Ship Successful Word Games with Michael Martinez, CEO of FunCraftI think we can all agree that Deconstructor of Fun is pretty good at predicting the mobile games market. Well, here's another prediction: FunCraft is going to be one of the rising stars of 2022.
I got to sit down with my good buddy Michael Martinez to talk about his company's path to finding early success and how they are planning to feed the fire and grow.
If you're savvy, you'll join this fun rocket ship as soon as possible. Because its going to be a ride for the stars you'll regret on missing out.
Links:
Michael Martinez
FunCraft
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2021-10-1950 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #153 All Crypto Everything & how to be a great Product Manager in gamesTopics covered:
How to be a Great Product Manager (by Joe Kim and Brett Nowak)
EA promotes Laura Miele to COO, making her one of the most powerful women in gaming
NFTs, Ultima Online, and player-run game economies (by Eric Seufert)
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Facebook Gaming, ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat
Image: paxful...
2021-10-141h 12
Deconstructor of FunGrowth Triggers #10 Audio ads in the post IDFA landscape with a guest star, Amit Monheit from ODEOOAudio ads. It's not a new thing. In fact, audio ads is the oldest way to deliver an ad from one human to another. So in this podcast we discuss the thesis behind audio ads on mobile in the post IDFA era, go into the weeds on how audio ads work and of course discuss the monetization potential they offer.
Links:
ODEOO
Case Study in Hypercasual games
Amit Monheit
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2021-10-1351 min
Deconstructor of FunCrypto Gaming 101 with Aleksander Leonard Larsen (COO, Sky Mavis) and Anton Backman (Play Ventures)Seemingly every week a crypto gaming company raises a monstrous amount of capital for a game that not so many of us in the industry are even familiar with.
These are staggering numbers seem to make very little sense. So what better way to understand what's going on than asking an investor, who invests into blockchain gaming, and a founder who has just recently raised a massive investment rounds.
Whether you're tuning in to learn or to roll your skeptical hippo eyes, this podcast is for you!
Links:
Aleksander Leonard Larsen
2021-10-051h 25
Deconstructor of FunLets Talk: Netflix Games - Past, Present and PredictionsNetflix entry in the games business has been rapid, methodical and diverse. In this episodes we'll discuss what has happened till date, review Netlix' strategy and offer predictions of what could happen next.
Links:
Chris Heatherly
Ethan Levy
Get in Touch:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff
Sponsors: Facebook Gaming, ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable
2021-10-041h 07
Deconstructor of FunInstant Games 2.0 with Justin Waldron, President of PlaycoThe way I think about instant games is different after recording this podcast with Justin Waldron.
As do you, I had certain perception of instant games that were based on what has been done before. You know, the HTML5 games, the Facebook Messenger games, and the iMessage games. Yet what Playco sees as an opportunity is quite different from what has been done before.
I think you'll enjoy this podcast since it's not about the post app store world or how to do instant games better. This podcast is about emerging social platforms an how...
2021-10-0147 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #152 When you ‘Ask app not to track,’ some iPhone apps keep snooping anyway / UK Cracks Down On In-Game MicrotransactionsTopics covered:
When you ‘Ask app not to track,’ some iPhone apps keep snooping anyway
New World is Already Steam's Most Played Game of 2021 Despite Server Struggles
Niantic Shutting down AR Catan Game
Zynga Announces FarmVille 3 for Mobile
UK Cracks Down On In-Game Ads And Microtransactions
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Sponsors:
Facebook Gami...
2021-09-2950 min
Deconstructor of FunHow to Scale a Merge Game with Antti Hattara, CEO of Starberry GamesDuring the past couple of years the market has been crazy about merge games. And it's easy to understand why. The core mechanic is simple and engaging leading to high rates of engagement.
Merge games are also very simple to soft launch as it takes about 8 weeks to get one of these games into the hands of players. The low entry barrier is also the reason for the market getting flooded by merge games that have not been able to scale.
My guest today is Antti Hattara, CEO of Starberry Games. As many start-ups, also...
2021-09-2746 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #151 Dapper Labs raises another $250 million, deep games for masses, and FIFA's updated loot pack strategyTopics covered:
Deep games for the masses
FIFA 22 is bringing back 'preview packs,' but regular loot boxes are staying too
NBA Top Shot creator Dapper Labs raises another $250 million
Links:
The We Works book to read "We Works the Cult of We"
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Image: Dapper Labs
2021-09-2359 min
Deconstructor of FunHere's How You Can Capitalize From the Apple vs. Epic Court RulingThe court has ruled that Apple must allow iOS apps to offer payment options besides the ones subject to App Store's 30% fees. Essentially, these payment methods link outside of the core app experience. We explore the best ways for game studios, large and small, to capitalize on this massive change.
Guests:
Chris Hewish
Eric Seufert
Links:
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Host:
Mishka Katkoff
2021-09-2059 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #150 The App Store is the Games Store and Apple should recognize this / Can Supercell Boost Beatstar Into a Major HitTopics covered:
Can Supercell Boost Beatstar Into a Major Hit
Apple must allow other forms of in-app purchase, rules judge in Epic v. Apple
The App Store is the Games Store. Apple should recognize this.
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Image: Apple
2021-09-161h 01
Deconstructor of FunWe just raised $100M - here's what's next with Ian Proulx, CEO of 1047 Games1047 Games is the developer of Splitgate, a portal-like shooter in beta that has amassed 13 million installs. And now this fully remote team of 40 up-and-coming developers has been laced up with hundred million Dollars to take grow their first game into a household name.
In this episode we discuss how they achieved their amazing launch numbers after the first beta felt somewhat flat. We'll also chat how the company got started and how are they going to deploy their massive war chest to surpass the expectations set by the prominent investors.
Links:
1047 Games careers
2021-09-1449 min
Deconstructor of FunCreative optimization and Iteration in the Context of iOS 14 with Miri GrowthTopics covered: 1) What’s really going on in the market at the moment? 2) Creative testing in iOS 14 3) How to produce creatives 4) Trends in creatives 5) Snap and TikTok
Links:
Miri Growth
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Host:
Mishka Katkoff
2021-09-1055 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #149 Supercell's Everdale / Nifty Games raises $38M / Axie Infinity’s $1.2 Billion Annualized RevenueHeadlines:
Supercell's Everdale: a Genre Definer or a Pretty-Looking Social Appointment System?
Nifty Games adds $38M to its coffers for sports Clash mobile games
Axie Infinity’s $1.2 Billion Annualized Revenue Overtakes Candy Crush’s 2020 Total Revenue
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Image: Supercell
2021-09-081h 01
Deconstructor of FunSecrets to Successful Cross Promotion with Playtika's Yuval YosefiThe sudden rise of the weight companies put on cross-promotion is of course due to the IDFA deprecation that has to some extent further accelerated consolidation in the industry. As large publishers grow larger and operate across all the key gaming genres they are looking for tools to increase the life-time values of their large and diverse player base.
Paytika is one of the main consolidators in the industry. They have in many ways been on the forefront of effective cross promotion growing games across multiple genres and audiences.
In this episode I'm joined by...
2021-09-0634 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #148 Apple concedes amid antitrust pressure / Facebook undercounts installs on iOS14 / Miska's internet evaporatesHeadlines:
Apple will let developers accept payment outside App Store, in major concession amid antitrust pressure — The Washington Post
Facebook Undercounted SKAdNetwork Conversions For iPhone 12 Users Since February
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-09-0241 min
Deconstructor of FunHow to Hire the Perfect Art Director for GamesA great Art Director will make your game stand out. They will build a strong art team and inspire both the developers and the executives with their creative vision. A perfect art director is just as a important as your technical director - and one could argue that sometimes Art Director should be the first hire on the team.
In this podcast we discuss:
Who's an AD?
When to hire an AD?
What kind of an AD will fit your game project
Common pitfalls of an AD
Guests:
Kshiraj Telang, AD at Moonactive
2021-08-301h 18
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #147 Hot takes on new game releases / Liftoff ❤️ Vungle / LILA Games value deck / Riot Games on mobileHeadlines:
New Game Releases Madden, Call of Duty Vanguard, Marvel
Analyzing Riot Games’ move to mobile
Liftoff and Vungle agree to merge into one mobile growth company
LILA Games’ Values
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-08-261h 06
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #146 The Problem with VR / Mobile Games to Surpass $120B in 2021 / App Store RegulationsHeadlines:
The Problem with VR
App Annie: Mobile games on track to surpass $120B in 2021
Is app store regulation too little, too late?
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-08-181h 06
Deconstructor of FunMetaverse, NFTs and Creator Economies with Jon Radoff, CEO of BeamableIn this podcast we're going to discuss:
From Disruptor Beam to Beamable
Working with Big IPs and publishers
Defining Metaverse
Creator Economy and NFTs
Investing into Metaverse
links:
Jon Radoff
Building the Metaverse blog
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Host:
Mishka Katkoff,
2021-08-161h 27
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #145 Why did Zynga plummet despite record earnings, Golf Rivals vs. Golf Clash and how FIFA Ultimate Team boosted its salesHeadlines:
Zynga’s Q2 2021 bookings of $712M are up 37% from a year ago
Zynga acquires StarLark studio and Golf Rival game for $525M
FIFA Ultimate Team's new Preview Packs actually boosted loot box sales, EA says
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-08-121h 08
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #144 Tencent tanks as regulatory concerns mount, Blizzard president gets booted and Riot generates $100M on mobileHeadlines:
Blizzard president out in wake of discrimination lawsuit and employee walkout
Tencent tanks after Chinese media calls online gaming ‘opium’ as regulatory concerns mount
Riot Games' mobile titles generate over $100m
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-08-0554 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #143 Tilting Point Raises $235M, Blizzard Sued over Frat Boy Culture, Facebook Talks MetaverseHeadlines:
Activision Blizzard Sued Over Frat Boy Culture, Harassment
Mark in the Metaverse
Tilting Point Raises $235 Million to Fuel Expansion and Acquisitions
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-07-2858 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #142: No IDFA? No Problem! Netflix Hires Facebook Gaming Exec and Peloton Makes a GameHeadlines:
Netflix Hires Facebook Gaming Executive Mike Verdu
Peloton plans to launch an in-app video game
No IDFA. No Problem. Apple Can’t Kill Gaming
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-07-211h 03
Deconstructor of FunCall of Duty Mobile - Past, Present & Future with Chris Plummer (Head of Mobile) and Matthew Lewis (GM, CoDM)How Call of Duty Mobile went from concept to soft-launch. How the game broke all the records with 135M installs during launch month. What caused the turnaround in 2021 after revenues declined post-launch. What is the future of Call of Duty Mobile and Activision Mobile as a whole?
Guest:
Chris Plummer, Head of Mobile at Activision
Matt Lewis, VP of Mobile, GM of Call of Duty Mobile
Join Activision
Links:
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2021-07-1939 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #141: Google expands ad targeting in mobile games, WoW update dissapoints, NoPixel and Grand Theft AutoHeadlines:
WoW Disappointment, Plus Twitch, Start Mass Exodus Into Final Fantasy XIV
Google expands ad targeting in mobile games amid pandemic gaming boom
NoPixel and Grand Theft Auto V
Links:
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Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-07-1454 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #140 Secret for growing Brawl Stars, Game deals surpassed $60B, next Assassin’s Creed will be a live service gameWelcome everybody to This Week In Games!
News for today:
Drake Star Partners: Game deals surpassed $60B in the first half of 2021
Supercell's secret for growing Brawl Stars to a $1 billion success
Ubisoft’s next Assassin’s Creed will be a live service game
Links:
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-07-0751 min
Deconstructor of FunNo Rules Rules - the merits and pitfalls of a ruthless cultureAccording to the book No Rules Rules, Netflix's culture is ruthless - both in terms of execution and in the way they treat their employees.
In this episode, Sophie Vo, Joakim Achren, and Yours Truly discuss the merits and the challenges of the Netflix culture in a games company setting.
We also talk about the pitfalls many companies face as they attempt to introduce pieces of the Netflix culture into their vastly different organizations.
Links:
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Elite Game Developers
2021-07-051h 16
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #137: Deep Dive into NFT and Netflix Games + Special Guest Star!Welcome to This Week in Games!
We discuss NFTs in games with Ethan Levy, who also talks about his recent Deconstructor of Fun article - How Netflix could become the 'Netflix of Gaming'.
LINKS:
Level Up 2021
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-06-171h 12
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #133: Scopely's Game Acquisition Approach, Our Analysis of Zynga, Ubisoft goes F2P, Xbox Partners with TimiWelcome everybody to This Week In Games!
News for today:
#1 Ubisoft's free-to-play turn could be the new normal for big franchises
#2 Xbox teams up with Tencent’s Honor of Kings maker Timi Studios
#3 HOW SCOPELY TRIES TO DO GAME ACQUISITIONS THE RIGHT WAY
#4 Zynga Quarterly Earnings Call
LINKS:
Secrets of Game Growth with Deconstructor of Fun, Mobile Dev Memo & Twitter
Level Up 2021
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
2021-05-181h 00
Deconstructor of FunScaling So Far with Savage Game StudiosCEO & Co-Founder of Savage Game Studios, Michail Katkoff, joins Matthew Ellis for a chat in the latest episode of Scaling So Far 🎙
Having led and built teams at the like of Supercell, Rovio & Zynga in the past, Michail shares advice on hiring awesome studio talent, the impact of having leaders who listen, & keeping your culture alive & evolving 👾
... oh & he answers the question on everyone's lips - what being a "Savage" means to them 🤔
Listen in & follow Deconstructor of Fun for more #freetoplay insights from Michail 👌
Scaling So Far podcast: 🎧 https://lnkd.in/dYZsyXq
2021-03-2957 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #117: New PUBG Mobile Game, Tencent Gonna Buy EA or Take-Two?, Vicarious -> Blizzard, Strategy and Sports Predictions!Welcome to TWIG #117!
Today we cover:
#1. A new PUBG Mobile game is on the way
#2. Report: Tencent raising billions to buy EA, Take-Two, or others
#3. Vicarious Visions merged into Blizzard
#4. Deconstructor of Fun Strategy and Sports Predictions
Hosts:
- Miska Katkoff (@m_katkoff)
- Joe Kim (@jokim1)
- Eric Kress (@ekress)
- Adam Telfer (@adamwtelfer)
As always, pls feel free to send us feedback!
2021-01-271h 03
Deconstructor of FunGrowth Triggers #1 How Apple Played Epic, Platform Wars and the Marketability LoopGrowth Triggers is a new segment on Deconstructor of Fun podcast focusing on all matters growth. This podcast is definitely insightful, for sure entertaining and as always, highly opinionated. We call it how we see it.
Your hosts
Michail Katkoff and Eric Seufert
2020-12-0350 min
Deconstructor of FunEast vs. West - How to Rival Chinese Game PublishersThe Chinese mobile market is expected to reach 21 billion Dollars in 2020 growing a staggering 17% year-over-year. In addition to having this massive - and from the Western perspective nearly impenetrable - home market, Chinese publishers have been having ever more success in the West.
Deconstructor of Fun podcast is joined by Daniel Ahmad, Yang Liu, and Eric Kress to discuss the characteristics of the Chinese mobile games market and how Western developers could better compete against their Chinese counterparts.
The topics covered are:
Why are Chinese games are succeeding in the West when hit titles fr...
2020-11-161h 01
Deconstructor of FunRiot's Valorant - The Origin StoryValorant's Game Director, Joseph Ziegler, and Lead Producer, Paul Belezza join the Deconstructor of Fun podcast to spill the beans on Valorant's origin story - from an idea to a game played and streamed by millions of fans around the World.
We dive deep into Riot's creative process from the developer's perspective, talk team sizes, launch strategies, live services, community, and working with and for the passionate community.
The game is growing and the team has an awesome pipeline of new content. They're looking for folks to help them realize the full potential of the...
2020-11-121h 06
Deconstructor of FunRant-cast: Eric Kress Unchained | IDFA Apocalypse, Why Tech Companies Fail at Games, Geopolitical ShenanigansWhat are the biggest issues and annoyances in the games industry that trigger Eric Kress? Come to an uncensored broadcast discussing these issues moderated by Chris Hewish from Xsolla and also joined by Joe Kim who will egg on Eric for maximum entertainment!
Host: Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla
Speakers:
Eric Kress, Deconstructor of Fun co-host
Joe Kim, Deconstructor of Fun co-host
Notes:
I (Joe Kim) have been corrected that probabilistic attribution actually doesn't require fingerprinting but instead can be executed by utilizing a technique called Mixed Media Modeling. Thanks Steve Palley...
2020-08-2957 min
Deconstructor of FunStarting a New Game Studio | 3 CEOs Who Raised Millions Talk Funding!Host:
Joe Kim, Deconstructor of Fun Podcast Host, Managing Partner of GameMakers, and CEO of LILA Games.
We are joined by the founders and CEOs of 3 recently funded game studios:
1. Antti Hattara, CEO of StarBerry ($1.3M led by Play Ventures)
2. Emily Greer, CEO of Double Loop ($2.5M led by London Venture Partners)
3. Travis Boatman, CEO of Carbonated ($8.5M led by Andreessen Horowitz)
Today we’ll be talking about what it takes to start a games studio and also how to get funding for your studio.
So more specifically w...
2020-08-211h 08
Deconstructor of FunElite Game Developers vs. Deconstructor of FunIn this episode I'm joined by Joakim Achren, seasoned Finnish games entrepreneur, turned online coach and mentor for aspiring games entrepreneurs and business folks. You can find the content he provides at (www.elitegamedevelopers.com).
The content that EGD offers includes:
The podcast where Joakim talks to founders, investors and other people who work closely with gaming startups. Here, have a listen.
The book.. You can grab the first chapter from here.
The blog, check it out here.
2020-03-171h 11
Deconstructor of FunTWIG 68: Bytedance Takes on Tencent, Nintendo Mobile Hit $1B, EA $1B on MTX, Garena Acquires Dauntless, Ubi Acquires KolibriWelcome to TWIG 68!
We've got the full crew today coming at you with a bunch of exciting news. Specifically:
#1. ByteDance Takes Aim at Tencent's Core Gaming Business
#2. Sensor Tower: Nintendo mobile games have earned $1 billion
#3. Sea’s Garena acquires Dauntless game maker Phoenix Labs
#4. EA Made Almost $1 Billion From Microtransactions Last Quarter
#5. Ubisoft Acquires Mobile Game Studio Kolibri Games
Also, you should definitely check out the interview we did with Kolibri's CEO Daniel Stammler on GameMaker's Youtube as well as our Deconstructor of Fun podcast ep...
2020-02-061h 04
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #46: Supercell Soft Launches New Game Rush Wars (and more Archero!)In this week's TWIG we discuss:
How Archero Shot to the Top, and How You Can Do Better (Deconstructor of Fun)
Supercell’s new mobile strategy game Rush Wars soft-launches in Canada, New Zealand and Australia (PocketGamer.biz)
Pokemon Masters launches globally on iOS and Android (PocketGamer.biz)
Playtika acquires Best Fiends mobile game publisher Seriously (VentureBeat)
Welcome to guest host Kenny Liu from Riot Games and author of the really great industry newsletter Kliuless: https://tinyletter.com/kliuless
Hosts Today (Twitter):
Adam Telfer (@adamwtelfer)
Eric Kress (@ekress)
Kenny Liu (@kliuless)
2019-09-0559 min
Deconstructor of Fun#14 How Archero Shot to the Top ft. Joe Kim, Abhimanyu Kumar, Florian Ziegler, and Eva GrillovaNewcomer Habby shot up out of nowhere with Archero which made over $35M in net IAP revenue over its first 3 months.
Find out how Archero was able to achieve big success and how it could have been designed even stronger in this episode's podcast.
Also, check out the original Deconstructor of Fun blog post covering the game by Manyu and Eva.
Many thanks to the co-hosts on this podcast. Ping us on Twitter:
Joe Kim = @jokim1;
Abhimanyu Kumar = @k_abhimanyu11;
Eva Grillova = @evei
Listen now!
2019-09-0347 min
Deconstructor of Fun#11 Behind Tilting Point's $132M War Chest with President Samir El AgiliWelcome to the second episode of our Mobile Publisher Series. In each of the episode we sat down with the CEO of top mobile publisher and discussed how they approach publishing, what is their company’s strategy, how do they work with developers and how do they see the future of publishing on mobile.
If you missed our last episode with Scopley’s Co-CEO Javier Ferreira, I encourage you listen to it after this episode.
In this episode we had a pleasure to talk to Tilting Point’s President and CPO, Samir El Agili. We talked a...
2019-08-121h 13
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #25 Nintendo Wants to Tone Down Microtransactions on MobileWill Nintendo's honeymoon on mobile continue if they take their foot off the pedal?
In the latest TWIG we discuss:
#1 Apex Legends tops 50M players in first month
#2 Microsoft wants Xbox Game Pass on PS4
#3 Nintendo is asking its mobile gaming partners to tone down the microtransactions
Hit us up on Twitter (@m_katkoff, @jokim1, @ekress) to let us know, which news topics you want us to talk about next or more in-depth. Or to just let us know how we can improve.
Also, hit the subscribe button to get...
2019-03-1235 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #24 Why APEX Legends Is Obviously Not The Next 'Fortnite'In the latest TWIG we discuss:
#1 BioWare spreads out Anthem’s 90-day roadmap
#2 Why'ApexLegends' Is Obviously Not The Next'Fortnite'
#3 Electronic Arts: How To Destroy Shareholder Value
Hit us up on Twitter (@m_katkoff, @jokim1, @ekress) to let us know, which news topics you want us to talk about next or more in-depth. Or to just let us know how we can improve.
Also, hit the subscribe button to get notified when we deconstruct the latest news in games.
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Deconstructor of Fun's Game Leads' Dinner during GDC w...
2019-02-2757 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #21 The Big Breakup and the New SuitorAlso, Apple's new gaming subscription service.
In the latest TWIG we discuss:
#1 Destiny developer Bungie is ditching Activision after 8 years
#2 Metro Exodus will only release on the Epic Store
#3 Influencer plans say a lot about Epic Games Store’s vision of itself
#4 Apple could be working on gaming subscription service
Hit us up on Twitter (@m_katkoff & @jokim1) to let us know, which news topics you want us to talk about next or more in-depth. Or to just let us know how we can improve.
...
2019-02-0330 min
Deconstructor of Fun#6 Deconstructing Sexism in Games IndustryThis topic was probably the most difficult and definitely most sensitive we've tackled on Deconstructor of Fun podcast.
Huge thanks to the powerful ladies from Supercell who didn't shy away from discussing this sensitive topic shaping our industry and who are on the forefront of not only game development but also improving the industry as a whole.
Hope you get out as much out of this episode as we did.
2018-08-231h 22
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #4Welcome to This Week In Games, a podcast series from the fine people at Deconstructor of Fun.
News Deconstructed in this Episode:
#1 Confirmed: Fortnite on Android will drive its bus past Google’s 30% cut
#2 Google and Unity Partner for Mobile Game Ads
#3 Activision to Adapt More IPs as Mobile Games
#4 Activision and Tencent Bringing New ‘Call of Duty’ Mobile Game To China
Hit us up on Twitter (@m_katkoff & @jokim1) to let us know, which news topics you want us to talk about next or more in-depth. Or to just let us know how we can improve.
Also, hit the subscr...
2018-08-0837 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #3Welcome to This Week In Games, a podcast series from the fine people at Deconstructor of Fun.
News Deconstructed in this Episode:
#1 Supercell’s Clash Royale plunders $2 billion in revenues in two years
#2 Konami announces Super Smash Bros inspired Shonen Jump
#3 Apple features Super Evil’s Vainglory in ‘Unleash’ video
#4 Fortnite may bypass Google Play for Android release
Hit us up on Twitter (@m_katkoff & @jokim1) to let us know, which news topics you want us to talk about next or more in-depth. Or to just let us know how we can improve.
Also, hit the subscribe button to get notified...
2018-08-0238 min
Deconstructor of FunTWIG #2Welcome to This Week In Games, a podcast series from the fine people at Deconstructor of Fun.
News Deconstructed in this Episode:
1. AppLovin enters publishing
2. Jam City's potential IPO
3. Nexon's upcoming Marvel: Battle Lines
Hit us up on Twitter (@m_katkoff & @jokim1) to let us know, which news topics you want us to talk about next or more in-depth. Or to just let us know how we can improve.
Also, hit the subscribe button to get notified when we deconstruct the latest news in games.
Enjoy!
2018-07-2439 min
Deconstructor of FunThis Week in Games #1Welcome to This Week In Games, a podcast series from the fine people at Deconstructor of Fun.
The concept is simple:
- Your hosts are Joseph Kim (@jokim1) and myself, Mishka Katkoff (@m_katkoff)
- We highlight and deconstruct few of the most relevant latest news in games
- Most importantly, we keep it (relatively) short
Hit us up on twitter to let us know, which news topics you want us to talk about next or more. Also, hit the subscribe button to get notified when we deconstruct the latest news in games.
2018-07-1729 min
Deconstructor of Fun#1 Mobile Publishing - the Good, the Bad and the UglyIn this episode, I discuss mobile publishing with Anil Das-Gupta who is a Product Lead at Wargaming and a frequent blogger on Deconstructor of Fun.
2017-07-1143 min