GameMakers

Epic spent five years and over $100M breaking the platforms' 30% tax — then cut V-Bucks by 20% to "pay the bills." If the company that  won  the fee war still gets squeezed, what does that say about everyone else? The answer isn't about fees. When AI makes content infinite and attention stays finite, the only asset that appreciates is the direct relationship with your players — t...

AI is making it cheaper to build games. It's doing nothing for the cost of building the right game. That distinction is about to crush more studios than any technology shift in the past decade.                                    Ran Mo is the CEO of Proxima and creator of Suck Up — arguably the first commercially successful game to use AI at runtime. The game generated over 100 million YouTube...

Last month, I sat on a panel about where the gaming industry is headed. The conversation was good — but there was one thing I didn't say out loud. In this episode, I break down the key trends I think will define gaming in 2026: The noise problem is about to get much, much worse — and it's hitting from both sides Small teams aren't an anomaly. They're the new default. "Nobody c...

AppLovin just crossed $250 billion in market cap. Stock up 127% YTD. EBITDA margins at 82%. Is this the beginning—or the top? We assembled the most qualified panel possible to break it down: an operator running millions through AppLovin's platform, a gaming-focused financial analyst, and an institutional investor who's seen these cycles before. What emerged isn't your typical bull-bear...

Most game studios either skip validation entirely or waste hundreds of thousands on academic testing that doesn't move the needle. Both approaches kill products. In this episode, we discuss why product validation is the difference between success and years of wasted development—and introduces two frameworks to fix your process. You'll discover: The Pyramid Decision Model: When to trust tas...

Most game studios waste weeks of runway on the wrong analytics decision—here's how to avoid that mistake. Traditional analytics SDK vendors like Amplitude, Mixpanel, and Braze promise plug-and-play simplicity but deliver silent failures, contract negotiations, and escalating costs that can destroy startup velocity. In this episode, we discuss why the old analytics playbook is obsolete in 2025—...

Most game studios think they have a talent problem. They don't. They have a structure problem. Chris Casanova spent 15+ years as a producer across Microsoft Xbox, Mojang (Minecraft), Relic Entertainment, Offworld Industries, and Hypixel Studios. He's watched talented teams fail repeatedly—not from lack of skill, but from organizational friction. Traditional studios organize around craft si...

Western AAA development is not dead. Battlefield 6's 7 million unit launch proves it. This episode deconstructs how EA and Vince Zampella reversed the "disaster" of Battlefield 2042 by focusing on leadership, community feedback , and a smarter studio structure. Then, we explore why leadership is the ultimate "alpha". Joseph Kim breaks down the stunning turnaround of the UCL...

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund just closed the largest gaming acquisition in history—$55 billion for Electronic Arts. But this isn't the typical private equity playbook. In this episode, host Joseph Kim sits down with two M&A experts who break down what's really happening:- Chris Petrovic - Board Chairman & CBO at FunPlus, former President of Publishing at Zynga where he...

Why is your ad revenue flat even when your game's traffic is growing? Margins are getting squeezed by hidden fees, and old strategies of yelling at partners no longer move the needle. In this episode, we sit down with veteran ad monetization consultant Kelly Kang to get her modern playbook for building a resilient and profitable ad strategy from the ground up. Kelly Kang has optimized ad strat...

This week, we're breaking down the end of an era: the historic $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts. Go inside the deal to hear the likely banker's pitch that sold EA's board and what this massive leveraged buyout means for the future of the games industry. Then, we shift from titans to upstarts to uncover the secrets behind Grow a Garden , the Roblox game from a 16-year-old deve...

Is your game only available in English? You could be ignoring over 80% of your potential players. In this deep dive, I sit down with Alexander Murauski, CEO of localization agency Alkonost, to unpack the entire game localization playbook from start to finish. We cover the critical strategies, ROI analysis, and common mistakes that can make or break your global launch. Learn why you should start lo...

On this episode of Game Makers, we explore three critical topics: how Delta Force's mobile revenue soared past PUBG's by 75% , why the "Take-Two Mafia" thesis is a myth centered on the wrong company , and a powerful framework for fixing your recruiting process by treating candidates like customers. In this episode, you will learn: MACRO: How Delta Force's monetization and LiveOps strategy led to a...

In this episode, we explore the major headwinds facing the games industry, from publisher-developer tensions to the viability of long-standing business models. We start with a raw look at industry layoffs before pivoting to a deep-dive analysis of Arena Breakout Infinite's turbulent PC launch, which reveals a massive culture clash in monetization strategy. This discussion offers critical insig...

Alpha: Clash Royale 5x Revenue, Understanding the Illegible Margin GameDev: The Problem with Product Validation Happy MAG-nificent Monday! 3-Macro : 3 stories impacting the competitive environment in which we operate Hike shuts down after India RMG ban Why GenAI is failing Amazon and Netflix announce Gaming+Streaming bundle 2-Alpha : 2 potential sources of  Finding Alpha Clash Royale hits 3 year a...

3. Macro Top 3 Most Significant Gaming News From Last Week: Dreamhaven Games Hit by Layoffs ( GamesIndustry.biz ) : Dreamhaven, the studio founded by former Blizzard Entertainment co-founder Mike Morhaime, confirmed it has undergone an unspecified number of layoffs. Despite the cuts, the CEO expressed optimism about the studio's future and the projects currently in development. Hollow Knight:...

Top 3 Gaming News From Last Week: NetEase Shuts Down Another Western Studio ( Game Developer ): NetEase has closed T-Minus Zero Entertainment. This marks the third Western studio closure as part of a broader reassessment of business priorities and has raised concerns about the stability of Western studios under NetEase's ownership. IGN Publisher John Davison Exits Following Major Layoffs ( Kot...

In an era where “good” isn’t good enough, this talk breaks down how to generate alpha—company-specific excess returns—by choosing the right game to play and going all-in on the highest-leverage moves. We cover the macro forces reshaping competition, case studies of teams that found alpha, and where velocity and AI change the basis of competition. What's your unique advantage? This talk emphasi...

GAME DEV REVIEW #1 NEWS: Top 5 Gaming News Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Officially Revealed ( GameSpot ):  Activision has unveiled the next entry in its massive first-person shooter franchise, "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7." The reveal trailer, showcased at Gamescom, provided a first look at the game's near-future setting and hinted at a narrative connected to previous "Black Ops&quot...

The games industry is in a state of flux. Layoffs are widespread, AI is disrupting hiring, and the future feels uncertain. To navigate this new landscape, we're joined by Keith Caswell, a 20-year HR veteran with leadership experience at Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Wizards of the Coast, for a masterclass in career and talent strategy. Whether you've been recently laid off, you're a...

Four years after Apple's ATT shook the mobile gaming world, measurement remains complicated—but not impossible. Airbridge CEO Roi Nam joins us for an unfiltered technical discussion on what's actually working in iOS UA today. We explore SKAN 4.0, the power of CAPI, Web-to-App strategies, and why some studios see 54% LTV lifts while others struggle. From boosting ATT consent rates to unders...

Join us for an eye-opening conversation about how AI is completely transforming the game animation industry. Viren Tellis, CEO of Uthana, shares how their technology is enabling developers to animate characters in seconds instead of days, democratizing game development for indie creators. What you'll discover: The three game-changing ways to create animations with AI (text, video, and smart librar...

What's the real cost of being a startup gaming founder? In this very off-topic conversation, my old friend Mishka Katkoff (Deconstructor of Fun) and I go deep on the topics nobody puts in their pitch deck. We share personal stories about the psychological and physical toll of the grind, and question the nature of ambition in the game industry. This isn't your typical industry talk. We disc...

Apple and Google are taking 43% more money from your game than you think – and your competitors are using web shops to capture that revenue instead. In this eye-opening discussion, Stash's Chief Growth Officer reveals how top mobile games generate 50%+ of revenue through direct-to-consumer channels while others leave millions on the table. Why you need to watch this:- Discover the hidden math...

The game development industry is in flux. From the intense pressure of the attention economy and global competition to the seismic shifts brought by Artificial Intelligence, how is the crucial role of the Product Manager evolving?   Join us for an in-depth exploration of these critical questions, featuring a panel discussion, "The Evolution of the Product Manager," and an exclusive after...