Stay ConnectedDeconstructor 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 www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/
Eric Kress www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/
Phillip Black www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/
Jen Donahoe www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdonahoe
Copyright: © Deconstructor of Fun
Great creatives don’t guarantee great traffic. Karen Levy unpacks how to scale UA with structured testing, controlled volume, and ruthless iteration. We explore the rise of AI-driven pipelines, why UGC-style ads dominate TikTok and Reels, and why authenticity outperforms glossy fakes.
👉 https://supersonic.com/
What makes a hybridcasual hit? Guy Agiv explains how to design a core loop that hooks instantly but also unfolds depth over time. We cover the milestones from prototype to scale, how publishers and developers shift roles across the journey, and why “simplicity beats complexity” when it comes to retention.👉 Discover why elegant design—not clutter—is the secret to replayability.
Hybridcasual isn’t just “hypercasual with IAP.” Igor Beraslavski (GM at Supersonic) breaks down how publishing has evolved from testing prototypes to becoming a full-stack partner in design, monetization, and live ops. We discuss what publishers look for, how to spot market trends before the herd, and why most me-too products never scale.👉 Learn how to build lasting partnerships and survive in the most competitive corner of mobile.
Ben Feder has done it all: CEO of Take-Two Interactive during the GTA and Red Dead years, President of Tencent’s International Partnerships, and board member at Epic Games and Bad Robot. Now he’s turned investor, running Tirta Ventures, a fund at the intersection of AI and gaming.
In this conversation, Ben and Michail Katkoff explore what makes a great founder, why “operational VC” is a myth, and where the next billion-dollar gaming companies will come from. They discuss how AI is reshaping creativity, why talent is shifting away from the West, and what the next Walt Disney of interactive entertainment might look like.
🎮 Topics include:
00:00 From GTA to Venture Capital
06:00 VC vs. Private Equity in Games
15:00 The AI Bubble (or Opportunity?)
25:00 The Myth of the “Operational VC”
32:00 Where the Next Great Studios Will Emerge
45:00 The Future of Creativity and Intelligent NPCs
56:00 What the Next Wave of Gaming Giants Will Look Like
Jen Donahoe makes her triumphant return. She's joined by Eric Kress and special guest Stan Kwon from BetaHat.
We dig into:
Unity’s cross-platform payments
00:00 Welcome
03:12 Jen's Update
09:17 Industry Insights and Trends
14:56 Battlefield Six Analysis
23:05 Marketing Strategies and Success
26:12 Marketing Choices and Target Audience
27:13 Epic vs Google: Legal Battle Update
36:42 Unity's New Commerce Management Product
41:53 AI and Gaming: General Intuition's Ambitious Plans
49:16 Rovio's Restructuring and Industry Trends
52:40 Football Manager's Success and Future Plans
Mishka Katkoff is joined by Daniel Ahmad (Director of Research & Insights, Niko Partners) and Lisa Hanson (CEO & Founder, Niko Partners) for a deep dive into the latest trends and insights from the Asian, MENA, and Indian gaming markets. We cover regulatory changes in China, the rise of India as a gaming powerhouse, the evolving MENA landscape, and much more. If you want to stay ahead in the global games industry, this episode is packed with actionable intelligence!01:30 China’s Gaming Market: Policy Shifts & Opportunities09:00 Entering the Chinese Market: Risks & Strategies23:39 India’s Gaming Market: Growth & Monetization25:36 Western Success in India & Market Insights41:33 MENA Region: Female Gamers & Genre Trends42:50 GTA V & Mature Content in MENA44:15 Southeast Asia: Monetization & Generative AI1:10:02 Closing Thoughts
Supercell’s CEO releases a rare open letter calling for more industry collaboration, while Ubisoft’s nepotism controversy reignites debates around leadership culture. Netflix Games kicks off its Battle for the Living Room with a push into Smart TV party games, and early buzz around PlayStation 6 points to an AI-driven leap in graphics and efficiency. Meanwhile, Battlefield’s launch performance goes head-to-head with Call of Duty once again, and Disney enters the overcrowded match-3 market with Magic Match. All that and more, as we unpack the business behind the biggest moves in games this week.00:00 - Intro & Guest Welcome07:17 - China’s Gaming Policy Shifts & Market Access22:00 - Sponsor: Sensor Tower23:55 - China’s Game Development & Publishing Landscape38:35 - India’s Gaming Market: Growth & Monetization55:00 - Sponsor: AppCharge55:45 - India: Western Success Stories & Localization1:12:20 - MENA Region: Female Gamers & Genre Trends1:28:10 - Sponsor: AppsFlyer1:28:45 - MENA: Cultural Sensitivities & Mature Content1:47:30 - Southeast Asia: Monetization & Payment Trends2:05:00 - Southeast Asia: Generative AI in Gaming2:15:00 - Final Thoughts & How to Access Asian/MENA Markets2:20:00 - Outro & Community Call-to-Action
This week in games: Ilke’s open letter to the EU stirs the industry pot, AppLovin faces an SEC probe, and Epic drops its new Web Shops like it’s 2012 all over again. Ubisoft’s management drama continues, Istanbul’s gaming boom is no joke, and we wrap with a spicy take on the new wave of AI business slop.
00:00 Welcome
01:00 Intro & Shills
07:58 Ilke's Open Letter on EU Regulations
21:38 AppLovin Under Fire: SEC Probe and Stock Volatility
29:19 Epic Games' Web Shops Launch
36:50 Ubisoft's Management and Future
41:47 Istanbul's Gaming Industry Boom
51:32 AI Business Slop
01:01:00 EOS
A one-person poker roguelike sold seven million copies and outperformed studios with hundred-million-dollar budgets. In this episode, Playstack CEO Harvey Elliott joins Michail Katkoff to break down how they discovered Balatro, what makes a modern indie publisher truly valuable, and why the next wave of hits will come from focus—not funding.
02:07 Understanding Bellatro's Success: Metrics and Engagement
04:50 The Indie Developer vs. Publisher Dynamic
08:11 Finding the Right Fit: Indie Publishers and Developers
17:20 Standing Out in a Crowded Market: Indie Publishing Strategies
23:22 AI in Game Development: Opportunities and Challenges
33:26 Post-Launch Support: Keeping Games Alive
38:15 Creative Game Integrations and Developer Relationships
41:05 Royalty Structures and Developer Support
47:09 Negotiating Publisher Agreements and Revenue Shares
50:41 Funding Models and Developer Financial Security
56:27 Budgeting for Indie Games and Financial Viability
A new guest host, Josh Chandley, is stepping into the arena as we dig into Microsoft’s latest controversial moves and what they signal for the company’s long-term gaming strategy. Then, we unpack the historic $55B acquisition of EA by Saudi Arabia, the largest leveraged buyout in gaming history. What does this mean for EA, for the industry, and for the shrinking pool of public gaming companies? Finally, we explore AppLovin’s surprising push into e-commerce, and why it might be more disruptive than you think.
Timestamps
00:52 Guest Star Host: Josh Chandley
06:23 Microsoft’s Controversial Moves
13:35 The EA Acquisition: A Historic Deal
17:31 Industry Reactions and Analysis
29:12 Saudi Arabia’s Gaming Ambitions
31:39 Financial Concerns and Debt Management
40:16 AppLovin’s E-commerce Expansion
50:58 Unity’s Challenges and Opportunities
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