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 #340 Scopely Goes to War, Roblox Gambles on IP and Turkey Rises
Jul 17, 202501:13:56Tap to summarizeUpcoming events:Whiskey Tasting: https://event.appsflyer.com/gamescom2025/AFHeroic Party: https://lu.ma/tjkk5r8kThe crew kicks things off by breaking down Roblox’s bold new IP licensing platform—will it unlock the next Pokémon or just spin up another corporate side quest?Then it’s off to Turkey for a pulse check on one of mobile gaming’s fastest-evolving markets, followed by a surprise breakout story from France that’s punching way above its weight class.We rewind the clock on Kixeye to understand how Kingdom Maker clawed its way back into the spotlight—just in time to shift focus to the real battlefield: user acquisition.Moon Active and Scopely are locked in an all-out UA war, with budgets big enough to fund a small nation. Add some industry espionage, a sprinkle of aggressive cloning, and you’ve got a market where only the paranoid survive.Oh, and yes—we’re still trying to decide if Monopoly Go is actual genius or just Coin Master in a tuxedo.02:56 Podcast News27:16 Roblox's New IP Licensing Platform36:08 Turkish Mobile Game Market Insights44:11 French Mobile Game Developer's Success49:49 Kingdom Maker and Kixeye's History58:42 Moon Active vs. Scopely: The UA War59:21 Industry Espionage and Market Competition01:01:16 Monopoly Go and Coin Master Strategies01:05:53 Final Thoughts on Market Strategies
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CLIP: Secrets Behind Monopoly Go’s Record-Breaking Launch with Ben Webley, CMO of Scopely
Jul 15, 202500:10:35Tap to summarizeAt MAU Vegas, Jen Donahoe sits down with Ben Webley, CMO of Scopely, to unpack the strategies behind Monopoly GO!’s meteoric rise. From player psychology to brand IP, virality loops to UA muscle—this conversation breaks down what really drove the biggest mobile game launch of the decade. If you’re in gaming and not taking notes on this one, you’re already behind.
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250. Winning with Creators: How Gaming’s Marketing Strategy is Evolving
Nov 4, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Deconstructor of Fun, we dive into the shifting landscape of influencer marketing in the gaming industry, focusing on the emergence and impact of creator programs. Our guests: Patrick "Chief Pat" Carney (Tribe Gaming), Scott Walker (Ninja Kiwi), and Justin Sacks (Nexus.gg) — industry experts and key voices in creator marketing—explore the evolving roles of influencers and creators, moving from short-term campaigns to deeper, sustained partnerships that drive community engagement and revenue. We discuss how companies like Supercell have pioneered successful creator programs and examine the role of platforms in supporting these initiatives. We also address the challenges developers face in managing creator programs, particularly for smaller studios, and how user-generated content (UGC) is reshaping the gaming experience. Tune in to learn how creator programs are transforming marketing, community building, and even game development itself. Host: Jen Donahoe Chapters: 04:36 Defining Creator Programs 06:47 Creator Program Benefits 11:52 Supercell's Creator Program 20:09 Building a Creator Platform 21:44 Implementation 26:08 Challenges in Developer-Marketer Collaboration 26:45 Web2 Play-to-Earn Concept 28:52 Impact on Small Developers 30:38 Revenue and Engagement Metrics 34:04 Nexus and Creator Programs 36:06 Supercell's Creator Program Evolution 38:18 Brawl Stars and Community Management 40:57 Administrative Challenges in Creator Programs 43:45 UGC and Future Developers Keywords: influencer marketing, creator programs, gaming, Supercell, Nexus.gg, community engagement, mobile games, revenue share, content creators, game development, game development, content creators, revenue sharing, player engagement, user-generated content, mobile games, creator programs, game marketing, community building, game monetization
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Marketing Predictions 2024 with Eric Seufert
Jan 10, 2024Tap to summarizeEric Seufert is a one-of-a-kind marketing expert. He has headed marketing at Rovio, Wooga, and N3TWORK. He has built Mobile Dev Memo into the leading site for marketing professionals. He became a venture capitalist after founding Heracles Capital. In this podcast, Eric Seufert returns back to the podcast to discuss predictions for mobile marketing. A must-listen for all of us! sign-up to our PGC event: https://event.appsflyer.com/appsflyerandheroiclabs
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TWIG #192 Tesla enters gaming / Netflix latest gaming veteran hires / E3 returns on-site
Jul 21, 2022Tap to summarizeThe crew returns back to Unity’s merger with ironSource as Eric Seufert offers his view of the deal. There’s a conversation about the latest government ruling not to regulate loot boxes. Talk about Tesla’s new gaming initiative and Netflix’s latest batch of gaming veteran hires. We also talk about E3’s return to in-person events and what we can expect from it. Hosts: Eric Kress, Eric Seufert, Laura Taranto
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TWIG #186 Inside the decline of mobile games market / The impact of updates to Apple's SKAd Network
Jun 10, 2022Tap to summarizeAdam does a light dive on Diabo Immortal after playing it intensively since launch. Eric Kress breaks down the decline of the mobile games market by looking at the performance of top genres and titles. Eric Seufert analyzes Apple's update to SKAd Network. The crew also talks E3, Pokemon Go passing $6 billion in lifetime revenue, and Summer Game Fest with Geoff Keighlye. Links: Questions and Feedback Sponsors: Google, ironSource, Xsolla, Recur Hosts: Eric Kress, Adam Telfer, Eric Seufert and Laura Taranto
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TWIG #181 Embracers shopping spree continues / Blizzard launches Warcraft Clash
May 5, 2022Tap to summarizeWe discuss the mixed reviews of APEX Mobile. Congratulate Bernard Kim on his latest baller move. Doom Warcraft mobile. In this episode Kress also ponders why NewZoo keeps triggering him. Seufert updates us on the latest anti-trust charges Apple is facing. Links: Questions and Feedback The Slack Group Hosts: Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Ethan Levy, Eric Seufert Sponsors: Google, ironSource, Appsflyer, Xsolla
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TWIG #153 All Crypto Everything & how to be a great Product Manager in games
Oct 14, 2021Tap to summarizeTopics covered: How to be a Great Product Manager (by Joe Kim and Brett Nowak) EA promotes Laura Miele to COO, making her one of the most powerful women in gaming NFTs, Ultima Online, and player-run game economies (by Eric Seufert) Links: Send us Questions and Feedback Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group Hosts: Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert Sponsors: Facebook Gaming, ironSource, Appsflyer, Beamable, Betahat Image: paxful.com
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TWIG #138: Disney's resurgence into games & E3 Review
Jun 24, 2021Tap to summarizeWelcome everybody to This Week In Games! News for today: #1 E3 Review #2 Disney's resurgence into video games is only just beginning LINKS: TWIG Newsletter Slack Group Hosts: Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
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TWIG #98: Facebook Abandoned IDFA, Unity IPO, COD Cold War $70, Risks of Market Research
Aug 31, 2020Tap to summarizeWelcome to TWIG #98! This week we cover: #1. Facebook has abandoned the IDFA and may kill FAN for iOS. What’s next for mobile measurement? #2. Unity’s IPO numbers look pretty… Unreal #3. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War costs $69.99 for next-gen consoles #4. The risks of market research LINKS: Best Practices Live Ops Digital Conference. More info: liveops.splashthat.com Eric Seufert blog post: Apocalypse Now: per WWDC, the IDFA is dead Guest Host: Eric Seufert. Check out Eric's blog: MobileDevMemo. And his Twitter: @eric_seufert Regular Hosts: Joe Kim. Any Ubisoft employees wanting help finding a new job DM me! Eric Kress Adam Telfer
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