Deconstructor of Fun

Brett 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-yea...

Join 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 ab...

The 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...

In 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...

Jen 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.

Web 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 joi...

With 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. L...

In 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 m...

Discover 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 h...

Google 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.

Is 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...

The 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...

You 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,...

Barbie 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 industr...

With 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&#...

Can 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...

Gamefam 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 e...

We 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 M...

An 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...

With 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 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 Privac...

Halo, 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...

Over 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 Vo...

First, 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.

This 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 balanc...