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
80episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
TWIG #383: Turkey Dominates Puzzle Games, Royal Kingdom’s Struggles, and Playtika’s Big Shift
May 1401:00:30Tap to summarizeSupercell 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
Transcribe →From Mobile Games to Apps: Play Ventures $500M Fund
May 1100:53:37Tap to summarizeWhy 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 Apps08:04 Backing Younger Hungry Teams10:45 Founder Dynamics Due Diligence15:54 Reading Founder Chemistry20:44 Giving Clear Nos and Feedback26:22 Board Truths and Founder Conflict32:31 Impulsive Founder Decisions35:54 Early Stage VC Role41:48 Ecosystem Golden Eras45:25 Scaling the VC Firm49:41 Culture Without Hierarchy55:14 Closing, Thanks, and Wrap
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TWIG #382: Merge Mansion Falls, Xbox Fires the Wrong People, and the Math That Killed Gaming VC
May 701:03:06Tap to summarizeSupercell 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 insteadCHAPTERS:00:00 Cold Open Jail Joke00:11 Meet the Hosts01:47 Episode Headlines02:21 Theme Park Mario Talk03:13 Line Monetization Schemes04:40 Istanbul Events Plug05:37 Consulting Shoutout07:03 Supercell Buys Metacore08:38 Metacore Rise and Stumble10:51 UA Cuts and Layoffs20:00 Strategic Investor Dynamics23:14 Xbox Leadership Shakeup24:42 Game Pass and Content Gap26:48 Microsoft IP Live Service Vision28:59 Xbox IPs Need Long Runs29:55 GameStop Buys eBay Meme32:22 Roblox Safety Overhaul Fallout35:32 Age Verification Debate37:02 Roblox Monetization and 18 Plus43:03 Ustwo Cuts Costs Reality45:16 Freelancers Bands Model47:25 Premium Math Doesn't Work51:19 VC Funding Math Broke59:06 Is This the New Normal01:01:56 Wrap Up and Thanks
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TWIG #381: Xbox Loses the Plot, Ubisoft on Life Support & Western Gaming's Darkest Take
Apr 3001:01:47Tap to summarizeXbox 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 backCHAPTERS:00:20 Show Intro and Agenda01:35 Boys Only Banter02:56 Shills04:03 Istanbul Trip Plans04:38 Division Resurgence Update07:59 Xbox Memo Breakdown17:33 UK Games Subsidies23:45 Fortnite Shampoo Ads26:55 Habi's New Game30:58 PC Pivot Reality Check32:06 China Publishers Paper Tigers32:42 Marvel Rivals vs Overwatch34:47 Blizzard Momentum Update37:24 Ubisoft Canada Shakeup43:59 Why China Dominates Mobile46:29 Creativity vs Pragmatism50:23 Game Industry Doom List
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Puzzle Monthly #2: Match-3 Is Broken, Pixel Flow Clones, and Royal Kingdom’s Rise
Apr 2800:44:26Tap to summarizeMatch-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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TWIG #380: Game Pass Gets Cheaper, China's Mobile Dominance & Division Resurgence Reviewed
Apr 2301:07:02Tap to summarizeGame Pass just got cheaper, China is rewriting the mobile market, and Ubisoft ships one of the most polished mobile games in years.Topics Covered:● Xbox drops Game Pass Ultimate by 23% and pulls Call of Duty from day one, but none of it actually fixes what's broken● Chinese, Hong Kong, and Singapore publishers now own 30% of Western mobile revenue, up from 16% in 2019● Pokémon Go surged 52% in downloads during its 30th anniversary, and why it's bigger than just one marketing event● Why the US should stop competing on mobile content and start owning platforms like Roblox, Steam, and Unreal instead● Division Resurgence is a genuinely great game with no audience in the West and one last hope, China● Disney quietly pulls 30 licensed games from Steam with no explanationCHAPTERS:01:56 Phil’s China Trip Takeaways04:19 Joachim Shoutout and Sponsor06:52 Xbox Game Pass Price Cut News10:55 Call of Duty Math Debate15:52 Mobile Market Q1 Snapshot19:53 Top Games and Pokemon Spike22:49 China Dominance and New Hubs36:43 EU: Stop Killing Games41:21 Does Preservation Matter43:55 Division Resurgence Numbers45:18 Why Shooters Need China49:42 PC Port and Controls51:02 Mobile vs Console Culture53:29 What Makes a Platform54:16 Mods Create Mega Hits59:21 Japan Builds Game IP01:01:53 Licensing vs Hybrid Bets01:03:09 Disney Steam Purge01:04:01 Hasbro Hybrid Critique01:06:33 Final Wrap and Thanks
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TWIG JR: Gen Alpha's Honest Take on Roblox, Brain Rot & Growing Up as a Gamer
Apr 2200:50:49Tap to summarizeTwo kids. Zero filter. All the takes. Rocky and Mickey are back for Twig Jr., and they didn't hold back. From aging out of Roblox to explaining brain rot to calling out in-game money grabs, this is how Gen Alpha actually thinks about games.Topics Covered:● Roblox's highs and lows and what's actually gone downhill● Friend Slop and how it's replacing traditional multiplayer● Brain-rot games and why kids are starting to walk away● Why Rocky and Mickey have mostly quit mobile gaming● Discord vs iMessage and how Gen Alpha talks while gaming● Graphics vs style and why fidelity isn't everything
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UA Monthly #3: Freecash Ban, Unity Kills ironSource & Vector’s Rise
Apr 2201:19:35Tap to summarizeThe mobile gaming ecosystem is shifting fast this month. We break down the shocking deplatforming of Freecash, a $500M+ rewarded ad network, and what it signals for the future of user acquisition. Then we dive into Unity’s major strategic pivot: shutting down ironSource and going all-in on Vector. Is Vector actually working, or just great marketing?Topics Covered:● Freecash ban: what happened and why it matters● The future of rewarded ad networks● Unity shutting down ironSource● Vector performance, growth, and real-world results● The ongoing battle with AppLovin
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Left VC to Become a Founder Again. Here's What They Don't Tell You About Running a Fund
Apr 2001:05:04Tap to summarizeWe sit down with Joakim Achren, serial entrepreneur, former GP at F4 Fund, and now AI-first founder, to talk about why he walked away from venture capital and what he's building next.Topics Covered:● The founder-turned-VC trap: why it sounds like a natural progression but has a flaw nobody warns you about● Micro-fund economics: a $10M fund pays you less than a startup salary, and you spend half your time fundraising for the next one● Why industry clout doesn't move LP capital, and the relationship mistake that cost him the raise● Gaming VC right now: why LPs burned in the COVID boom aren't writing new checks● The three-legged stool of VC — LPs, founders, co-investors — and why you're competing and cooperating with the same people simultaneously● How Claude Code became his entire publishing company and let him ship a book solo● Distribution is the last human moat: why creativity and authenticity are what AI keeps failing at● The AI productivity trap: working 18-hour days, thinking less, producing more mediocre output faster● Why he wrote a sleep book for founders, and what chronic bad sleep does to your brain in the long termJoakim's new book available now: https://sleepagain.co
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TWIG #379: Roblox's Age Problem, Xbox Game Pass & Pokemon's 30th Takeover
Apr 1601:01:32Tap to summarizeA lot happened this week in games. Kids are outsmarting Roblox's age verification, Xbox is cracking under its own pricing, and Pokémon is running laps around everyone else's marketing. Topics Covered:● Roblox age tiers: Three new segments, parental controls, and why lawsuits from 8 states still aren't the biggest threat● AAA dominance debate: Is the top 20 really losing ground, or is Newzoo misleading everyone?● Xbox Game Pass: A leaked memo, two price hikes in 15 months, and ad-supported tiers on the horizon● Borderlands Mobile: A surprise US stealth launch with no monetization and onboarding straight out of 2018● Pokémon's 30th: Five games in nine months, a Super Bowl ad, Tiffany collabs, and a masterclass in franchise marketing● Destiny Rising: NetEase guts its monetization after an 80% revenue drop - too little too late?CHAPTERS: 02:26 Boss Mode Nomination04:49 Twig Jr Roblox Shill09:04 AAA Dominance Debate15:47 Roblox Age Tiers18:21 Roblox Safety and Workarounds22:45 Roblox Stock and Regulation Risk28:50 AI Tools and Kids Next32:01 Xbox Internal Memo Leak37:57 Borderlands Mobile Stealth Drop42:21 Gameplay Praise Franchise Doubts46:29 Pokemon Champions Cross Platform Push51:20 Pokemon 30th Marketing Blitz55:57 Destiny Rising Monetization Pivot58:14 Wrap Up Life Updates Florida
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