Deconstructor of Fun
596 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 84 ratingsDeconstructor of Fun podcast is created by games professionals for games professionals. We explore the business side of the games industry with the goal of bringing listeners content that is relevant, insightful, and entertaining on a weekly basis.
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/jenniferdonahoe
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
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Episodes
Grit Talk with Brett Nowak, CEO of Liquid & Grit
August 22, 2023 09:54 - 1 hour - 103 MBBrett 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 a...
TWIG #245 Kress Returns to Question Netflix, Blizzard, Subscriptions and Venture Capitalists
August 17, 2023 16:20 - 1 hour - 151 MBJoin 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 t...
TWIG #244 Has Netflix lost it? Does Nintendo even care about mobile?
August 10, 2023 13:58 - 54 minutes - 126 MBThe 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. --- Support this podcast: https://po...
Co-Development: an Inside Look with Tim Bennison, COO @ Hot Head Games
August 08, 2023 11:10 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBIn 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 ...
TWiG 243: Tim Sweeney's Diabolical Plan, Pikmin 4 Picks Up Another Record, and Match3’s Newest Puzzle
August 03, 2023 21:18 - 57 minutes - 130 MBJen 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
Star Trek Timelines Team on Maximizing Your LiveOps with Web Shops
July 31, 2023 14:21 - 42 minutes - 96.4 MBWeb 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 D...
TWiG #242 Dinosaurs Crash an Eggy Party & Battle Pass Galore
July 27, 2023 12:03 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBWith 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. >>> get the newsletter >>> join t...
In Conversation: Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley on Leading the Rebellion
July 26, 2023 09:54 - 1 hour - 143 MBIn 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 disc...
Mastering Remote Work Culture: A Conversation with Playrix
July 24, 2023 06:00 - 51 minutes - 47.6 MBDiscover 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstru...
TWiG 241: Web3 Like a Phoenix, FIFA’s Rebrand Scores a Goal, and Tiktok’s Truth
July 20, 2023 14:38 - 1 hour - 149 MBGoogle 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
No Bull with Joseph Kim, Founder of LILA Games & Game Makers
July 17, 2023 08:14 - 1 hour - 74.3 MBIs 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 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spo...
TWiG 240: A BIG Return, A BIG VC Check, and A BIG Brand That Can’t Seem to Win
July 13, 2023 14:14 - 1 hour - 143 MBThe 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. --- Support this podcast: ...
In Conversation: CliffyB on Gears of War, Epic and Control Freak
July 11, 2023 16:20 - 47 minutes - 109 MBYou 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 c...
TWiG 239: A Ken't Miss Collaboration, Niantic’s Final Folly and the Real Cost of AAA Development
July 06, 2023 14:14 - 1 hour - 142 MBBarbie 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 (h...
How Heroic Labs Helps You Grow Retention and Focus on the Fun
July 03, 2023 13:35 - 51 minutes - 119 MBWith 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 he...
TWiG 238: Honkai Star Rail! Monopoly Go! Diablo Immortal! Nikke! 2023 1H Review
June 29, 2023 13:35 - 1 hour - 154 MBCan 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...
In Conversation: Inside UGC Game Development with Gamefam CEO Joe Ferencz
June 27, 2023 15:14 - 49 minutes - 114 MBGamefam 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...
TWiG 237: LiveOps Deconstruction - How do Candy Crush & Royal Match Keep it Fresh? LiveOps Marketing with Celebrities - is there ROI?
June 22, 2023 07:00 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBWe 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 highlig...
In Conversation: Bringing UA Measurement to PC & Console
June 20, 2023 07:00 - 43 minutes - 60 MBAn 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 Ad...
TWiG 236: Summer Games Fest Gets Hot and Under The Hood of Chrome Valley
June 15, 2023 11:08 - 1 hour - 150 MBWith 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcaster...
TWiG 235: Apple Vision Pro! Diablo IV! Privacy Manifests come for device fingerprinting!
June 08, 2023 11:47 - 1 hour - 150 MBThe 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 t...
In Conversation: The Secret Science of Games
June 06, 2023 14:25 - 47 minutes - 65.1 MBHalo, 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 resear...
TWiG 234 500m Gamers on Tik Tok Can't Be Wrong / Supercell Unleashes the Flood
June 01, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 62 MBOver 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 wo...
TWiG 233 Overwatch 2 Scraps High Profile PvE Mode / PUBG Returns to India
May 25, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 85 MBFirst, 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
In Conversation: Life is Bigger than Your Career with Ethan & Sophie
May 23, 2023 07:00 - 32 minutes - 45.1 MBThis 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 behav...
TWiG 232: Did EA send Lord of the Rings Mobile out to die? Will Peridot be Niantic's next hit?
May 18, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 82.8 MBNew 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...
In Conversation: How Pedro Pascal Become the Face of Merge Mansion
May 15, 2023 07:00 - 49 minutes - 68.1 MBWith 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...
TWiG #231 - Xbox Admits Defeat in the Console Wars / Riot & Activision Settle Their Gender Discrimination Lawsuits
May 11, 2023 04:04 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBThe 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 are...
Appsflyer's Brian Murphy on The State of Mobile Game Marketing in 2023
May 08, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBAs 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...
Appsflyer's State of Mobile Game Marketing in 2023
May 08, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBAs 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...
TWIG #230 Why AI is in every single pitch / How Subway Surfer IP should be used / Nintendo's upcoming announcement
May 04, 2023 07:57 - 1 hour - 65.1 MBHold 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...
This Week in Games 229 - Toon Blast + Tony Hawk = Sybo's Next Hit?
April 29, 2023 07:00 - 43 minutes - 59.4 MBGet 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 ...
In Conversation: Riot SVP & League Studio Head Andrei van Roon
April 24, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 82.6 MB12 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 con...
TWiG 228 - Sega Buys Rovio! Monopoly Go feels the Love! CoD Warzone Goes P2W!
April 20, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 82.4 MBSega 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 Pe...
In Conversation: Alex Seropian on the Birth of Bungie and Life After Exit
April 17, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 108 MBThis 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 la...
TWiG #227 - Saudi Arabia's Gaming Ambitions / Super Mario's Blockbuster Movie / Kress Compliments New Zoo
April 13, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 86.2 MBGreetings, 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, La...
TWiG Hot Take - Savvy Games Group acquires Scopely for $4.9 billion
April 07, 2023 17:34 - 5 minutes - 8.16 MBKress 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
TWiG #226 - An Eric says goodbye, but which one? Also, E3 is dead again!
April 06, 2023 03:26 - 1 hour - 84.7 MBThis 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! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
In Conversation: Chris Heatherly on the Death of Games-As-Apps and the Ascent of Games-As-Content
April 03, 2023 15:18 - 1 hour - 92.5 MBJoining 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 th...
TWiG #225 - GDC Recap / Unreal Engine for Fortnite / Counterstrike 2
March 30, 2023 10:24 - 56 minutes - 78.2 MBEric, 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 :) --- Support this podcast: https://podcast...
TWiG #224 - Istanbul Recap / Silicon Valley Banking Meltdown / Do You Believe In Believer
March 16, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 90.8 MBThe 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 mo...
Kress' Corner 5: Moritz Baier-Lentz (Lightspeed Venture Partners)
March 10, 2023 16:21 - 1 hour - 88.6 MBKress 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? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
Kress' Corner 5: Mortiz Baier-Lentz (Lightspeed Ventures)
March 10, 2023 16:21 - 1 hour - 88.6 MBKress sits down with Moritz Baier 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? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/deconstructoroffun/support
TWiG #223 - Apex Legends Mobile Shutdown Root Causes / Knockout City & The Problem with Cosmetics / Niantic Needs a New Thesis
March 08, 2023 20:48 - 1 hour - 89.8 MBMost 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 o...
TWiG #222 - App Store Exposé! Hogwarts’ Sales Success!
March 02, 2023 08:00 - 56 minutes - 78 MBThe 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
Kress's Corner #4 - Eric gets Schooled by an Executive Coach
March 01, 2023 08:27 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBNiklas Herriger is a former founder, whose company Gondola.io, was acquired by Tilting Point in 2019. After the acquisition, Niklas transitioned to investing and started his executive coaching company, 8-Bit Coaching. In this episode, Niklas applies his skills to our unruly host extraordinaire, Eric Kress. The man with a BMI of a top executive and a leadership style of a hedge fund owner. ENJOY! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast...
Kress's Corner #4 - How to grow a Startup from 5 to 100 people?
March 01, 2023 08:27 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBMr. 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/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
TWiG #221 - Supercell's Strategic Shifts / Blizzard's Return to Office
February 23, 2023 11:32 - 51 minutes - 70.5 MBThe 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 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.sp...
TWIG 220 The problem with Kotaku and why Xbox Game Pass is the doom
February 16, 2023 15:30 - 1 hour - 88.4 MBWe got a spicy episode for you. Someone is either getting fired or assassinated as a result of this week's episode. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support
TWIG #219 TakeTwo Zynga Acquisition - perhaps most ill-advised acquisitions in gaming of all time
February 09, 2023 12:39 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBThis 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. ...