Podcast
Deconstructor of Fun
Hosted by Deconstructor of Fun · EN
Deconstructor 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
65episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
TWIG #389: GTA 6 Pricing, Tencent Pulls Back from Japan, and Steam Machine Flops at Launch
Yesterday01:01:10Tap to summarizeGTA 6 finally has a price tag, Steam Machine lands with a $1,000+, and Tencent is quietly pulling out of Japan.In this episode, we break down:● Why GTA 6's $80/$100 pricing is good news for the industry● What the deluxe edition actually includes (and what it's missing)● The attach rate debate for GTA 6 on PS5 and Xbox● Why Tencent is exiting its Japanese gaming investments● Who's actually still buying game studios right now● Unreal Engine 6 and what it means for developers● Epic's new AI tools shown at Unreal Fest● Tim Sweeney's "Team Open" pitch and his war on Roblox● Who the Steam Machine is actually built for● General Intuition's $320M raise and what it means for AI in gaming● Roblox's new brand integration tax and why creators are worried● Why Queen Digital Entertainment shut down after burning $50MCHAPTERS:00:20 Welcome and Agenda02:14 Canada and World Cup Banter03:40 Seattle Roundtable Plug05:07 Mishka LinkedIn Apology07:42 LA Roundtable Recap10:15 Audience Polls and GTA Hype11:38 GTA 6 Pricing Details14:32 Deluxe Edition and Monetization17:05 Attach Rate and Online Revenue20:23 Tencent Divestment Rumors22:22 Who Still Buys Studios25:47 Bull Case and Buyouts26:06 Tencent Strategy Shift26:35 Unreal Fest Highlights26:55 Unreal Engine 6 Roadmap27:53 AI Tools in Unreal28:36 Tim Sweeney vs Roblox29:04 Team Open Vision31:26 Interoperability Debate35:00 Epic Reality Check40:53 Valve Steam Machine Pricing46:41 Who Is It For48:05 General Intuition Funding50:21 Roblox Brand Runtime Fees54:38 Creator Impact and Risks58:26 Queen Digital Shuts Down01:00:14 Wrap Up and Goodbye
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Why Most Game Engines Die, and How AI Builds "Living Worlds"
4d ago00:56:17Tap to summarizeAndrew Bowell, CEO of Iconic, who spent 15 years at Havok and a decade at Unity, discusses the future of game development, AI integration, and the challenges of building new game engines. He shares insights on technological shifts, AI's role in creating immersive worlds, and why his company is building an engine to “craft intelligent, living worlds”.https://iconicgames.io/02:10— The shift toward dynamic, emergent, personalized gameplay04:39— Why Iconic won’t end up in the “engine graveyard”10:13— “Intelligent living worlds” explained16:12— Dogfooding and building the engine through its own game19:35— Deterministic vs open-ended gameplay23:11— What Unity got right about AI26:52— The real paradigm shift in gaming37:59— Player-first, not technology-first46:26— Where AI adoption in games stops today51:56— Remote vs hybrid culture at Iconic
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My Wife Uninstalled Roblox. Then I Talked to Their Safety Team.
1w ago00:54:20Tap to summarizeRoblox's Chief Safety Officer and VP of Safety Products join the podcast to answer the question every parent is asking: Is it actually safe?What's covered:● Why Roblox's safety chief uninstalled the app for his own daughter● The new Roblox Kids and Select accounts launching in June● How facial age verification works at scale, and how parents keep breaking it● AI moderating 150 million daily users across every server, every second● The "predator hunters" YouTube show that went viral, and why Roblox banned them anyway● How bad actors move kids off-platform to Discord and Snapchat, and what Roblox does about it● Why Roblox faces more scrutiny than TikTok or YouTube despite tighter restrictions
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TWIG #388: Xbox's Spinout Plan, Metacore's Mass Layoffs and Netflix's FIFA Flop
1w ago01:04:21Tap to summarizeMicrosoft is laying the groundwork to spin Xbox off, Supercell just cut 70% of Metacore's staff after burning through $180M. Meanwhile, EA just launched a real ad platform for sports games.In this episode, we break down:● Why Xbox keeps losing its top studio leadership● Whether Microsoft is actually preparing to spin off Xbox● What Sharma's first 100 days reveal about her real strategy● Why Believer raised $55M to ship an AI plugin instead of a game● How Supercell's Metacore acquisition turned into a 70% staff cut● Why EA's new in-game ad platform might actually make sense, for once● Why microdrama apps are growing fast but can't fix their retention● Why Konami's eFootball is quietly beating FC Mobile in revenue● Why Netflix's FIFA World Cup game became an instant disaster● Why the consumer apps "threat" to gaming doesn't hold up under the dataCHAPTERS:00:42 Topics Preview02:04 Shills and Events03:01 Roblox Safety Podcast04:08 Puzzle Monthly Updates06:05 Conference Island Recap08:48 Xbox News Rundown11:49 Kress on Xbox Spinout20:07 Sharma 100 Days Analysis25:32 Believer AI Plugin29:40 Metacore Acquisition Fallout33:38 EA Advertising Debate35:02 Ads In Sports Games36:34 Why In Game Ads Failed38:08 Roblox Brand Detour40:37 Micro Drama Boom41:45 Retention And Monetization44:18 Merge Drama And Subscriptions47:57 Konami Strategy And Collabs51:03 FIFA Netflix Game Rant54:38 Consumer Apps Threat Myth58:59 Attention CPI And Webshops01:02:19 IDFA Rumor And Farewell
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Puzzle Monthly #3: Merge vs Match-3, Gossip Harbor's Rise, and the Future of Merge
2w ago00:46:09Tap to summarizeGossip Harbor is beating Candy Crush, Merge Mansion is going to Supercell, and the Merge genre is at an inflection point.In this episode of Puzzle Monthly, we break down the real state of Merge games in 2026, from the history of the genre to why Gossip Harbor succeeded where others failed, and what the next Merge hit might look like.Topics Covered:● The history of Merge — from Tripletown to Merge Dragons to Merge 2● Merge 2 vs Merge 3: how the economies actually differ● Why Gossip Harbor surpassed Candy Crush while Merge Mansion collapsed● The no-fail-state problem and how live ops try to solve it● Board clutter, storage frustration, and persistent board design● Sensor Tower data: Travel Town vs Gossip Harbor vs Merge Mansion● Hard order labeling and whether Match 3 lessons apply to Merge● What the next Merge game should look likeCHAPTERS:01:07 Merge Takes Center Stage02:07 Origins of Merge Games02:38 Merge Two vs Three03:48 Core Loop Explained06:03 Merge Mansion vs Gossip Harbor07:54 Live Ops Without Fail States09:40 Why Merge Feels Boring11:51 Progress and Board Order15:45 Dog Quest and Board Clutter17:45 Persistent Boards and Storage19:24 Monetization Paradox20:11 What's Next for Merge21:28 Soap Opera and Generator Ideas22:12 Persistence Makes UX Hard22:48 Persistent Boards Shift23:32 Making Merge Feel Dynamic24:28 Separate Boards Live Ops25:06 Lucky Catch Event Design26:02 Battle Pass Segmentation26:38 Why Gossip Harbor Won28:17 Merge Engine Under Hood36:24 Next Genre Innovations39:00 Cannibalization By Sequels40:53 Hard Labeling For Orders43:13 Generator Overcharge Ideas44:04 Future Focus Areas44:48 Wrap Up And Farewell
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TWIG #387: LiftOff IPO, Xbox pulls out the bangers, and The Simpsons take over Monopoly GO!
2w ago00:51:36Tap to summarizeNintendo's stock is getting hammered without a new Mario, Monopoly GO is going all-in on The Simpsons, and Liftoff is back on the public markets. Meanwhile, Xbox finally seems to be doing what it should have done years ago.In this episode, we break down:● Liftoff's IPO and the AppLovin challenge● Monopoly GO's Simpsons mega-event● How Scopely uses IP for reactivation● Apple's crackdown on low-quality apps● Xbox's biggest Summer Showcase in years● Why Xbox is bringing exclusives back● Fable, Gears, Persona 6, and Minecraft Dungeons 2● Nintendo Direct's biggest announcements● The growing mystery of missing Mario● Why Nintendo investors are getting nervous● Paramount's new gaming division● TMNT, Star Trek, Avatar, and Marvel projects● Why Hollywood struggles to make games● The missing mobile strategy at Paramount● Apple IDFA rumors and what they mean for UA● The future of AppLovin, Meta, and Google adsCHAPTERS:01:36 Minecraft Summer Parenting03:22 Quick Correction Bond Sales05:18 Liftoff IPO Breakdown06:41 UA Ecosystem and AppLovin08:37 Private Equity Red Flags10:41 Simpsons Takes Monopoly Go11:53 Why the Crossover Works15:20 UA Reactivation and Celebs19:12 Apple’s App Store Purge21:54 Xbox Showcase and Strategy25:57 Xbox Margin Unlock26:38 Platform Strategy Risks27:29 Minecraft Sales Reality28:30 Nintendo Direct Highlights30:42 Where Is 3D Mario36:12 Paramount Games Revealed38:17 Execution Over Press41:48 Mobile Missing Piece43:19 IDFA Rumor Rant46:20 If IDFA Returned48:10 Rumor Season Noise50:24 Closing The Episode
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$500M in 2 Years: Here's How Grand Games Did It!
3w ago00:58:41Tap to summarizeTwo mobile games with a $500M annual run rate in just two years, with a fivefold revenue increase in the last 12 months alone. If you're building in mobile gaming or just want to understand what a genuine rocket ship looks like from the inside, this one's worth your time.Grand Games' founder Batuhan Çelebi built one of the fastest-growing mobile game studios in history. In this episode, Batuhan breaks down exactly how Grand Games did it: the multi-studio structure that keeps teams small and ownership real, the game greenlight process that filters out imitation before it starts, and why Turkish mobile gaming talent is pound-for-pound best in the world. We also get into the honest stuff. The capability gaps they're still closing, what happens if growth flattens, and brutal seasons of raising his first round.
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The ESA's Essential Facts: Free Player Data Most Companies Pay For
3w ago00:55:33Tap to summarizeTwo thirds of Americans now play video games every week. That is more than 212 million people, the average player is 37, and among Boomers, more women play than men. These numbers come from the ESA's 2026 Essential Facts report, the kind of audience and demographic data most companies pay a lot of money for, free to anyone.Jen Donahoe sits down with Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the group that has represented the U.S. video game industry since 1994. He is a media and IP lawyer who leads the organization that defends games in Washington, runs the ESRB rating system, and makes the industry's case to lawmakers and parents.In this episode:Why "gamer" means something different than it used toThe older and female players reshaping the audienceWhat a $20 monthly median spend says about gaming's valueHow the ESA fights online safety and loot box legislationInside iicon, the ESA's new event connecting games to the wider economyHow to use this free data in your next project, especially for marketersLearn more about the ESA and find the report at The ESA website https://www.theesa.com/
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TWIG #386: CoD MW4 Revealed, Sony's State of Play, Bungie's End and 007 First Light
3w ago01:00:13Tap to summarizeCall of Duty is getting back to basics, Sony is pulling the plug on PC ports, and Bungie is laying off staff after Destiny 2's final update. Meanwhile, Summer Game Fest is here, and everyone has something to announce.In this episode, we break down:● Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4, kill blocks, DMZ is back, no last-gen SKUs● Why dropping PS4 and Xbox One could hurt units but help revenue● GTA 6 pricing debate, is $70 leaving money on the table?● Sony State of Play, Wolverine, God of War's female lead, and first-party sales in freefall● Why Sony killed PlayStation games on PC and whether that math makes sense● Xbox's content problem and why Matthew Ball won't fix it● Summer Game Fest and the new platform are trying to make marketing spend attributable● Niko Partners Asia and MENA report; 13 markets, $103B by 2030● Why Western publishers still can't crack Asia● Female gamers now make up nearly half the market in regions that were 80% male five years ago● 007 First Light, 1.5M units at launch, but does it pencil at $200M dev spend?● Bungie layoffs, end of Destiny 2, and what happens to the studio next● Forza 6 at 5M units and why the racing genre is basically spoken forCHAPTERS:01:52 Banter02:55 Roundtables And Updates06:01 Modern Warfare 4 Reveal09:11 Dropping Old Gen Support11:56 GTA Pricing Side Debate14:16 Branding And Korea Setting16:25 State Of Play Highlights18:18 Sony Sales Charts Breakdown19:04 PC Ports And Platform Math26:43 Xbox Strategy Argument30:03 Microsoft Content Crisis30:55 Summer Game Fest Schedule31:46 Player.gg Marketing Hub35:49 Niko Asia MENA Report38:02 D2C Mini Games AI40:56 China Growth Debate43:28 Why West Fails Asia47:58 Racing Market Locked50:44 Bond Game Economics55:11 Bungie Layoffs Fallout
Transcribe →Match Masters' Influencer Marketing Playbook: 8 Years of Always-On Growth
4w ago00:46:49Tap to summarizeMost studios still treat influencer marketing as an experiment. Match Masters, a top 150 grossing game globally, has run it as a permanent growth pillar for 8 years. Jen Donahoe sits down with Candivore's Aviv Vidro and consultant Marion Balinoff to break down the playbook behind one of mobile gaming's most disciplined influencer programs.Studios that treat influencer as a permanent pillar see compounding returns. The ones that test once and cut the channel watch their installs decline 2.7x faster. Aviv walks through Candivore's 8 year always on model, the blitz approach where 20 creators go live on the same day, and the product marketing funnel his three person team built around creators. Dedicated welcome pop ups, skill based leaderboard giveaways with tangible prizes, and retargeting mechanics that drive 6x higher in app purchases from returning players.Marion breaks down why the standard 24 hour click window is broken for influencer content, why 7 days is the floor, and why day 365 installs run 75% higher than day 30. The two also tackle vertical testing (true crime crushed it for Match Masters with female audiences aged 30 to 55, tech reviewers flopped), country penetration strategy, why TikTok still doesn't work for performance, and where influencer marketing ends and UGC begins.If you've ever been told influencer marketing doesn't work after a single test campaign, send this episode to your CMO.
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