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
The crew gets together to talk about the past and the future of This Week in Game show in this special 300th episode.
But it wouldn’t be a TWIG without a bit of news. Kress gets triggered by EA’s AI + UGC + Apps presentation. And we all wonder what happened to Spectre Divide - a highly anticipated shooter from a top team that seems to have missed its mark.
In this episode of the terrific trio: Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto, and Adam Telfer dive into product strategy and market insights, highlighting how developers are differentiating themselves in a saturated market.
The three also discuss Apple’s September event, analyze the PlayStation 5 Pro, analyze Sony’s broader strategy, and look at Roblox’s ambitious goals for expansion and its push to lead in user-generated content.
00:00 Introductions
04:05 Heroic Labs 2 Mil User Milestone
04:45 Apple's September Event
06:38 PlayStation 5 Launch
10:55 Layoffs & Closures
13:57 Sony
16:45 Top Games by Revenue in North America
24:01 Product Strategy & Market Insights
28:49 Differentiation in Gaming
33:44 GameDev & Marketing Challenges
40:48 Roblox's Ambitious Goals
Join host Jen Donahoe for an in-depth discussion on venture capital funding in the gaming industry with experts from Transcend Fund, Sisu Game Ventures, and PlayVentures.
The panel covers key topics including how VCs work, investment processes, team equity structures, board dynamics, and the unique challenges and opportunities within different gaming platforms.
Learn what gaming VCs are looking for and get insights directly from industry professionals who help shape the future of gaming startups.
00:00 Ad0
1:06 Panel Introduction and Topic Overview
02:59 Meet the Experts: Sikandar
04:48 Meet the Experts: Jere
06:35 Meet the Experts: Anton
10:25 Understanding Venture Capital
15:45 Equity and Cap Table Basics
21:17 Gaming VCs: What They Look For
27:12 Understanding Risk in Business Platforms
27:46 Content and Platform Agnosticism
28:18 Distribution and Growth in Gaming
30:05 Tech Investments in Gaming
31:33 Marketing and User Acquisition
38:42 Investment Pitches and Processes
45:32 The Role of Boards in Startups
54:27 Fund Size and Investment Strategies
58:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Phillip phones it in from Taipei as the team covers the launch of Spectre Divide, Crypto Czar's last hurrah Supercell's potential IPO. Eric Kress dives into Ubisoft’s mismanagement and its effect on company valuation while Adam compares key data insights from NewZoo and Circana. Mishka and Jen talk about influencer marketing trends and shooter game futures.
hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Mishka Katkoff, Adam Telfer and Phillip Black
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Ever fancied yourself becoming a VP of a large publisher managing multiple cross-platform teams across several countries?
Tune in to the episode and figure out if this is a job for you! Dimo Dimov, Vice President of Live Games at Gameloft, shares his 17-year impressive career journey at Gameloft, from QA to VP.
He dives into Gameloft's international growth, his daily responsibilities managing live services for heavy-hitting cross-platform titles like Disney Speedstorm and Asphalt 9, and the shifts in LiveOps over the years.
Dimo also discusses the integration of marketing with game teams, forecasting, handling crises, and the future of live services with a focus on cross-platform challenges and AI advancements.
Tune in for insightful industry perspectives and lessons from a seasoned professional in game development and operations.
00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message
03:00 Dimo's Career Journey
05:33 Life as VP of Live Games at Gameloft
07:34 Managing Multiple Teams and Projects
09:42 Empowering Teams and Strategic Planning
15:18 The Evolution of LiveOps at Gameloft
27:39 Marketing and Community Engagement
36:00 Balancing Personal Preferences in Game Development
37:37 Challenges of Managing Live Operations
38:25 Structuring Content and Pipelines
40:37 Team Dynamics and Reporting Structures
50:37 Leveraging AI and Tools in Game Development
56:51 Future Trends in Live Services
01:03:34 Key Learnings and Advice for Game Developers
01:09:48 Exciting Upcoming Projects at Gameloft
The crew is one down as Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, and Mishka Katkoff hop in to knock one off on the road for #300. In this episode, Mishka gives his takeaways from Gamescom. We discuss a conspiracy theory on why Steam is allowed in China and talk about Wukong and Supercell's new CFO. Most importantly, this episode settles the case about Tim Hortons for good.
BIG UP for our supporters!
Heroic Labs, Sensor Tower, AppsFlyer and Xsolla
Order your cup of Tim Hortons super hot for this first all-Canadian episode! The lost-and-found podcast host Adam Telfer delves into the state of the industry with Newzoo's Devan Brennan. Topics covered include market trends, forecasts for mobile gaming and the PC market, console performance, and the challenges faced by new free-to-play live service games. The two also explore the optimism surrounding indie and AA game development, and strategies for managing the costs of premium games. Segments 00:00 Ads01:26 Devlin Brennan from Newzoo02:25 Understanding Newzoo's Market Reports04:46 General Market Trends: Growth and Forecasts07:35 Mobile and PC Gaming: Key Drivers and Insights09:24 Console Gaming: Current Trends and Future Prospects21:41 The Rise of PC Gaming and Cross-Platform Play28:14 Mobile Gaming: Heavy Hitters and Market Challenges31:48 Ads33:31 The Rise of Blockbuster Single-Player Games36:58 Balancing Game Length and Development Costs47:54 The Future of Indie and AA Games53:12 Challenges in Free-to-Play Live Services58:53 Strategies for Live Service Success01:07:45 Final Thoughts and Industry Plea
Fresh from another Tim Hortons ribbon cutting in Dubai, Adam Telfer returns to the cast. He’s packing heat, laying down hot takes on The Finals, Once Human, and the colossal capital required to ship single-player games. Meanwhile, Eric drops a margin call on Riot’s transmedia move while Jen rallies in defense. Phil thinks everyone is missing the real Wukong takeaway with a mysterious winner. The group discusses a somber Newzoo report and how single-player games can survive.
Get the latest dose of game industry news shaken, not stirred. In this episode, Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, and Laura Taranto debate the merits of VR, discuss Zynga's match-three strategies, and evaluate market trends in the mobile gaming sector. Plus, the crew takes a look at the dreadful reception of the Borderlands movie and the ongoing challenges in launching successful game franchises. To cap the episode off, we take a deep dive into the reason behind Bungie's recent layoffs. 00:00 Intro 02:34 Economic Insights 03:17 Transmedia Failures 4:48 College Tours and Family Updates 06:41 Gaming Events and AWS Support 16:01 Market Reports and Industry Growth 30:32 Exploring Match-Three Puzzle Games 31:27 Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery 32:42 Playtika's Strategic Shift 35:28 Bungie's Layoffs and Sony's Acquisition Strategy 42:54 Nexon's Earnings and Market Strategy 45:32 Take-Two Interactive's Performance and GTA VI 54:40 Zynga's Portfolio and Market Performance 64:11 Concluding Thoughts and Future Episodes
In this episode, Dennis Fong, CEO and co-founder of GGWP, discusses his remarkable journey from being the world's first professional gamer to a successful serial entrepreneur. He shares insights from founding and selling four companies, emphasizing the importance of open conversations and the tough realities of making pivots and layoffs. Dennis also reflects on his motivations, and the challenges he's faced, and offers advice on culture building, securing funding, and overcoming doubts in the entrepreneurial world.
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