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
Griffin just handed $100M to indie developers, Lilith is back with a pachinko creature collector that's turning heads, and Toon Blast hired Gus Fring for reasons that actually make sense.
In this episode, we break down:
● Griffin Gaming Partners' $100M indie fund and why project financing beats VC math for games
● Why the tourists are gon,e and the OG gaming VCs are back
● Embracer's endless restructuring and the Fellowship Entertainment spin-off
● The full Embracer collapse timeline, 44 studios closed, 80 projects canceled
● Google Play's AI-powered game discovery and what it means for your ASO strategy
● Why keyword stuffing is dead and how to write for Gemini
● Clash of Critters: Lilith's pachinko-core creature collector and the casualization of mid-core
● Why Chinese studios didn't invent advanced casual — they just perfected it
● Monopoly Go's decline and what levers Scopely has left
● Coin Master Board Adventure vs Monopoly Go, is there any real competition?
● Toon Blast's Gus Fring campaign and whether celebrity UA still moves the needle
● Why re-onboarding lapsed players matters as much as acquiring new ones
CHAPTERS:
01:39 Banter Roblox and Xbox Takes
02:47 Roundtable Events and Consulting Talk
05:14 Quick Correction It Takes Two
07:20 Google I O Play Updates
10:58 ASO SEO for AI Debate
14:01 Griffin Fund for Indies
17:57 Why VC Math Broke
21:10 Embracer Splits Again
24:13 Embracer Fallout and Asset Timeline
29:02 Mobile Game Data Setup
29:30 Lilith Clash of Critters Deep Dive
30:25 Portfolio Reality Check
30:49 Grim Metrics Decline
31:33 Pachinko Creature Collector
32:35 Gacha And Meta Layers
35:27 Why It Works Now
38:01 Advanced Casual Debate
41:19 Graphics And Monetization
44:25 Coin Master Vs Monopoly Go
48:08 Franchising And Growth Levers
55:38 Toon Blast Celebrity UA
01:00:21 Wrap Up And Next Week
The gaming industry has seen 24,000+ layoffs in 2024–2025 alone, and a wave of new consultants has followed. But how many of them actually chose this path?Michail Katkoff sits down with John Wright to unpack the raw, honest reality of gaming consulting: the anxiety, the income rollercoaster, the identity crisis, and the strategies that actually work.In this episode, we break down: ● Why 70% of gaming consultants are in survival mode (not thriving)● The psychological shift from exec to consultant, and why it's harder than it looks● How to avoid "doing yourself out of a job" when you succeed● The pipeline trap: when to walk away from a lead● Equity vs. cash: the risk of taking options over fees● Why fractional work is the key to staying sharp● How to build your personal brand before you need it● Who consulting is NOT for
Turkey's game industry is overheating, Xbox just hired a chief strategy officer that has the panel in meltdown mode, and Roblox is betting big on a HD pivot that could blow up in their face.
In this episode, we break down:
● Why Turkey is dominating the gaming landscape and what's fueling its growth
● The talent shortage threatening Turkey's gaming boom
● Why West Coast game development costs are becoming unsustainable
● Xbox's sweeping leadership shakeup and what it signals
● Why bringing in non-gaming tech executives won't fix Xbox's core problem
● Matthew Ball joining Xbox as Chief Strategy Officer, and why Kress is losing his mind
● Whether Xbox's real problem is content, platform, or leadership
● Why Roblox's push into HD content may be fundamentally misaligned with its audience
● The failure of AAA-style games on Roblox and what it reveals about the platform
● Whether Roblox's Incubator and Jumpstart programs can actually attract the right developers
● The tension between monetizing a young, income-capped audience and growing into a new one
● Arc Raiders' content update slowdowns and what it means for the West
● Why child safety compliance is becoming a bigger issue for game platforms
CHAPTERS:
01:34 Shilling And Updates
02:56 Shooter Monthly Check In
05:31 Corrections And Credits
07:24 Istanbul Event Recap
12:24 GamesBeat LA Highlights
16:32 Supercell NA Rumors
20:21 Xbox Leadership Shakeup
24:28 Xbox Content Crisis
25:42 Talent Exodus Warnings
28:04 Matthew Ball Shock Hire
33:39 Predicting the Ball Playbook
37:28 Roblox HD Pivot Risks
38:44 Wall Street Versus Virality
41:06 Three Reasons It Wont Work
45:41 Incubator Programs Reality
49:44 Frontlines AAA Lesson
53:09 Monetization Limits Debate
54:33 Safety Tools And Wrap Up
Marathon’s player numbers are collapsing, Apex Legends is surging again, and rumors suggest Disney may be entering the extraction shooter genre.In this episode, we break down:● Why Marathon’s retention and onboarding may be fundamentally broken● Whether Bungie can still save Marathon● How Arc Raiders became the first mainstream extraction shooter hit● Why extraction shooters still struggle with accessibility● The debate around wipes, PvP pressure, and economy design● Why Apex Legends is suddenly exploding again in DAU● How Apex keeps balancing casual and hardcore players● The hidden importance of movement and traversal in shooters● Why Apex’s live service design is still among the best in gaming● The rise of bots, softer matchmaking, and more accessible BR systems● Why Disney may be working on an extraction shooter● Whether sci-fi shooters are still too niche for mainstream success● Why the extraction shooter genre may still be in its early evolution
CHAPTERS:
03:11 Marathon In Trouble
06:30 Why Players Bounce
08:23 Saving Marathon
09:42 Onboarding Versus Difficulty
11:08 Marketing Retention Reality
15:32 Cryoarchive Endgame Explained
17:01 Tarkov Side Project Reveal
22:46 Arc Raiders Update Check
27:21 Live Service Reengagement
30:10 Why Arc Raiders Clicks
31:44 Accessibility Push Needed
33:23 Sandbox Health Ideas
36:19 Apex Season Surge
39:02 Movement and Progression
42:33 Market Forces and China
46:35 Bots and Softer BRs
49:02 Disney Extraction Rumor
50:35 Star Wars and Fortnite Link
52:21 Wrapping Up
John Wright and Vincent join Josh Chandley for the monthly deep-dive into what's actually moving the needle in mobile user acquisition.Questions we answer in this episode:● Is Sensor Tower now a monopoly, and should you be worried about pricing?● Why did Google reinstate Freecash but Apple still won't?● Is there one person at Apple secretly controlling which apps live and die?● Is Misplay buying its way to relevance, or is this a smart strategic pivot?● Does Misplay have a window to capitalize on Freecash's iOS ban?● AppLovin added more revenue this quarter than all of Unity's ad networks combined, so why are we still comparing them?● Can anything, or anyone, actually stop AppLovin at this point?
Supercell enters the toy business, Playtika fully embraces casual games, and Turkey’s puzzle game machine keeps printing hits and billion-dollar studios.In this episode of TWIG, Jen is joined by Adam, Phill, and LT to break down the biggest stories in mobile games, from Grand Games’ massive $70M raise to the deeper economics behind hybrid casual, DTC monetization, and why puzzle games are evolving beyond traditional match-3 design.Topics Covered:● Grand Games raises $70M, and why Turkey has become the world’s most concentrated puzzle game ecosystem● How government subsidies, repeat founders, and UA rebates are fueling Turkey’s gaming flywheel● Why hybrid casual puzzle games are breaking classic casual game design rules and still winning● Playtika shifts away from social casino and doubles down on casual hits like Disney Solitaire● Royal Kingdom’s aggressive celebrity UA campaign and whether it actually moved the needle● Royal Match quietly launches web shop payments and new event monetization systems● Why DTC revenue is becoming critical for casual mobile games● The “worldification” of live service games after Genshin Impact and whether open worlds are sustainable● Sega and Rovio are restructuring after disappointing mobile performance and failed synergy bets● Supercell partners with Spin Master for Clash and Brawl Stars toys● Angry Birds teams up with Subway Surfers in a new crossover event● Wordle gets a TV show because apparently everything becomes IP nowCHAPTERS: 00:13 Welcome and Episode Lineup02:08 Health Updates and Travel Plans03:03 Adam Check-In and AI RAG Tool05:25 DOF Roundtables Announcement08:55 Gran Games Funding Breakdown09:49 Turkey Puzzle Flywheel12:04 Hybrid Casual Design Debate23:47 Emotional States in Puzzle Play26:30 Playtika Shifts to Casual28:30 Playtika pivots casual29:55 D2C Mix hits 40%30:47 Royal Kingdom check-in32:44 Cannibalization and UA blitz35:11 Match 3 needs weird38:01 Royal Match goes web shop42:54 Worldification debate49:41 AI and open worlds50:50 Quick hits Wordle and toys54:18 Rovio Sega restructure59:40 Wrap-up and goodbye
Why are gaming VCs shifting capital to consumer apps? In this episode, Henric Suuronen and Harri Manninen, founding partners of Play Ventures, one of gaming's top venture funds with $500 million under management and over 100 portfolio companies, break down how they evaluate founders, why they require a two-year vesting cliff, and what co-founder conflict really looks like from the investor side.
We discuss the venture capital math behind gaming startup funding, why consumer apps trade at higher multiples than games, how to read founder chemistry during a pitch, and what Play Ventures looks for in early-stage teams from Istanbul to Singapore. A personal conversation between friends who funded my startup, Savage Game Studios, before its acquisition by PlayStation.
CHAPTERS:
01:54 From Mobile Games to Apps
08:04 Backing Younger Hungry Teams
10:45 Founder Dynamics Due Diligence
15:54 Reading Founder Chemistry
20:44 Giving Clear Nos and Feedback
26:22 Board Truths and Founder Conflict
32:31 Impulsive Founder Decisions
35:54 Early Stage VC Role
41:48 Ecosystem Golden Eras
45:25 Scaling the VC Firm
49:41 Culture Without Hierarchy
55:14 Closing, Thanks, and Wrap
Supercell absorbs Merge Mansion, Xbox fires its veterans and hires from Instacart, and the math behind gaming's VC collapse finally gets laid out in full.
In this episode of TWIG, Mishka is joined by Josh Chandley, John Wright, and Ethan Levy to break down the biggest moves in games this week, from Finland's most beloved merge studio quietly running out of road to why gaming VC funding has dropped 95% since 2021.
Topics Covered:
● Supercell acquires Metacore and why a profitable $30M a month game still couldn't survive
● What the 70% layoffs tell us about liveops competition and the limits of celebrity UA campaigns
● Xbox replaces 24-year veterans with Instacart execs, and whether growth engineering can fix a content problem
● GameStop bids for eBay with no synergy pitch and why the meme stock era never really ended
● Roblox voluntarily takes a billion dollar hit on bookings and why it might be the smartest long-term bet in the room
● The math that broke gaming VC funding, from $12.5B in 2021 to $627M in H1 2025 and what founders should do instead
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Cold Open Jail Joke
00:11 Meet the Hosts
01:47 Episode Headlines
02:21 Theme Park Mario Talk
03:13 Line Monetization Schemes
04:40 Istanbul Events Plug
05:37 Consulting Shoutout
07:03 Supercell Buys Metacore
08:38 Metacore Rise and Stumble
10:51 UA Cuts and Layoffs
20:00 Strategic Investor Dynamics
23:14 Xbox Leadership Shakeup
24:42 Game Pass and Content Gap
26:48 Microsoft IP Live Service Vision
28:59 Xbox IPs Need Long Runs
29:55 GameStop Buys eBay Meme
32:22 Roblox Safety Overhaul Fallout
35:32 Age Verification Debate
37:02 Roblox Monetization and 18 Plus
43:03 Ustwo Cuts Costs Reality
45:16 Freelancers Bands Model
47:25 Premium Math Doesn't Work
51:19 VC Funding Math Broke
59:06 Is This the New Normal
01:01:56 Wrap Up and Thanks
Xbox doubles down on a DAU strategy with no real plan to get there. Ubisoft keeps cleaning house while its franchises collect dust. And the most doom-and-gloom post ever written about the games industry lands on LinkedIn, and it's hard to argue with.
Topics Covered:
● Xbox's public memo: Rebranding back to Xbox, shifting to DAU as a north star
● UK games subsidies: £28.5 million, three funding tracks, and why Turkey is still running laps around everyone
● Ubisoft Canada shakeup: Four big departures, Assassin's Creed Hex in trouble, and why Tencent might be the only real solution
● Marvel Rivals vs Overwatch 2
● China vs the West: The structural advantages nobody talks about and what Western developers can actually do about it
● The doom post: 10 reasons western gaming is structurally uninvestible, and where the guys agree and push back
CHAPTERS:
00:20 Show Intro and Agenda
01:35 Boys Only Banter
02:56 Shills
04:03 Istanbul Trip Plans
04:38 Division Resurgence Update
07:59 Xbox Memo Breakdown
17:33 UK Games Subsidies
23:45 Fortnite Shampoo Ads
26:55 Habi's New Game
30:58 PC Pivot Reality Check
32:06 China Publishers Paper Tigers
32:42 Marvel Rivals vs Overwatch
34:47 Blizzard Momentum Update
37:24 Ubisoft Canada Shakeup
43:59 Why China Dominates Mobile
46:29 Creativity vs Pragmatism
50:23 Game Industry Doom List
Match-3 is harder than ever to win, clones are getting taken down, and Royal Kingdom is scaling toward the top of the puzzle market.In this episode of Puzzle Monthly, we break down the real state of puzzle games in 2026, from Turkish startup funding to Supercell’s latest attempt, Pixel Flow clone drama, and whether Royal Kingdom can actually challenge Candy Crush.Topics Covered:● Turkish puzzle startups raise fresh funding and why the ecosystem keeps producing hits● Supercell tries puzzle again with Hay Day Match, and why timing might be wrong● Is Match-3 innovation dead? The debate on risk vs scale in today’s market● Pixel Flow clone gets taken down. Are copycats finally under pressure?● The real monetization strategy: UA costs, clones, and ad funnels explained● Royal Kingdom’s explosive growth and whether it can ever reach Candy Crush level● Why most new puzzle games fail, and what it actually takes to win todayCHAPTERS: 01:35 Turkish Seed Funding Wave02:13 Cheer Games and Hexa Sort Playbook05:23 Supercell Tries Heyday Match09:45 Why Match Three Is Stuck10:47 Innovation vs Scale Debate12:52 King Sequels and Meta Lessons15:56 Farm Heroes Saga Hits $2B21:08 Pixel Flow Clone Takedown23:27 Trade Dress And Platform Rules24:57 Why Copycats Make Money26:54 Clone Ads As Strategy29:52 Royal Kingdom Relaunch Story31:39 Growth Charts And Celebrity UA33:13 Can It Beat Candy Crush33:30 Paid Installs Profitability Math35:00 Organic Fame And Payback Window37:08 Cannibalization Versus Incremental38:42 Live Ops Similarities And PVE43:14 Wrap Up And Next Episode
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