Deconstructor of Fun

Odcinki

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  TWIG #403: The Market Only Grew 2%, Friendslop Hits the PC Charts and China Drafts Off GTA VI 01.10.2026 1godz 7min

  Strip out inflation and the games market has barely grown in a decade.This week we dig into Newzoo's latest numbers and what they say about where growth comes from: mature Western markets, existing players and five giant companies taking almost all of it. Then we look at how cheap social games like Big Walk and How to Fish cracked the top 10 PC revenue chart, what Naughty Dog's new Last of Us tease means, and why Chinese developers are rushing GTA-style mobile games out ahead of GTA VI.Topics Covered:• Mark Pincus and the $400M Supercell deal that almost happened• Why 2021 is the wrong benchmark for the market• Real growth after inflation is closer to 2% a year• Growth comes from mature markets and existing players• China's advantage at home and abroad• CPIs keep climbing while mobile installs fall• Five companies drove almost all of 2025's growth• Big publishers retreat to their core franchises• Friendslop games break into the PC top 10• Naughty Dog confirms more Last of Us• Chinese GTA-style games launch ahead of GTA VI• Why nobody can compete with GTA head onCHAPTERS:01:01 Ethan Returns Industry Layoffs01:34 Upcoming Events and Newsletter03:15 Mark Pincus Interview Scoop09:45 Newzoo Outlook Beyond COVID11:37 Growth From Mature Markets15:58 Inflation and Real Growth Math23:28 Mobile Revenue vs Installs CPI Surge27:03 Growth Concentrated in Five Giants29:49 Publishers Retreat to Core Franchises31:04 PC Market Reality Check32:53 Friend Slop Breakouts47:43 Last of Us Future Talk01:00:54 Why GTA Has No Rivals
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  Shooter Monthly #10: War Dogs Sells 2.2M, Cash Economy Breakdown and the 1v1v1 Debate 30.09.2026 1godz 2min

  War Dogs sold 2.2 million copies in four days and nobody saw it coming.This episode we break down Bulkhead's early access hit. A hardcore milsim with three teams, no matchmaking and a $40 price tag beat Helldivers 2's launch curve on Steam, and its peak concurrents grew every day of launch week. We get into the persistent cash economy that might be the teamwork fix Battlefield never found, why the 1v1v1 format splits the panel, and whether a sub-100 person studio can pull off a live service with extraction and PvE modes on the way.Topics Covered:• War Dogs launch numbers and who is playing• The persistent cash economy and how it kills gear fear• How cash rewards fix Battlefield's teamwork problem• The 1v1v1 format debate• Metal Gear Solid V and the lineage of in-round economies• The risks of a cross-mode economy with extraction• Marketplaces and gambling mechanics in shooters• Bulkhead's go-to-market and the 5,000 player promise• Where War Dogs ranks on Steam a year from nowCHAPTERS:00:00 War Dogs Shock Success01:42 Sales Metrics Breakdown08:03 Persistent Cash Economy16:19 Milsim Critiques and Vision33:46 Economy Lineage Discussion34:38 Progression Beyond Cosmetics35:25 CEO Vision And New Modes36:45 Cross Mode Economy Risks39:03 Stakes Gambling And Chaos40:36 Marketplaces In Shooters45:15 Launch Strategy And Trust51:20 Marketing Constraints And Nostalgia52:23 One Year Predictions Debate01:01:05 Wrap Up And Next Episode
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  350. Zynga Founder Mark Pincus: Why Your Favourite Ideas Are Almost Always Wrong 28.09.2026 51min

  Mark Pincus founded Zynga that was later acquired of $12.7B by TakeTwo and still thinks he misplayed the hand. On this episode he unpacks the playbook behind Life at the Speed of Play: why all new fails, how to run a company as a democratic dictatorship why anyone lecturing you about culture has a team rolling their eyes behind them.Life at the Speed of Play: https://www.lifeatthespeedofplay.com/Key timestamps:1:30 — Why Mark wrote Life at the Speed of Play8:49 — How to test instincts: proven, better, new15:45 — “Know your goal or suffer death by a thousand compromises”20:36 — The “democratic dictatorship” approach to leadership26:59 — Getting people to do the right things when you’re not in the room29:34 — Getting teams to take bold risks and innovate36:14 — Why CEOs should spend time on product39:15 — What Pincus would do differently at Zynga44:04 — Reflecting on the games industry and missed opportunities50:40 — ADHD as a feature for product makers, anchored by a singular vision52:14 — Why most MVPs don’t succeed
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  TWIG #402: Xbox Bets on Kojima, Halo Gets Handed to CoD and AppLovin Hits the Road 24.09.2026 59min

  Xbox is cutting niche studios and signing a niche Kojima project in the same month. We try to make it make sense.Sony pulled funding on Physint after budget concerns, and Xbox picked it up as a franchise with film and TV rights attached. Meanwhile Microsoft keeps restructuring into clean verticals, with Halo moving under Activision and Obsidian joining Bethesda, which has us asking whether Xbox is getting organized to sell. We also look at Build A Rocket Boy closing after roughly $250M raised and one troubled launch, Apple's new ATT prompt in Europe, and why AppLovin's CEO is suddenly on every stage talking about a $50B mobile ad market.Topics Covered:• Apple rewrites the ATT prompt in five EU countries.• Sony ends Physint funding and Xbox picks it up.• The transmedia bet behind Xbox's Kojima deal.• Halo moves to Activision in the latest Xbox cuts.• Is Microsoft packaging Xbox to spin off or sell?• Build A Rocket Boy closes after MindsEye.• What big gaming losses do to investor sentiment.• AppLovin's buyback, Axon and the fingerprinting debate.• Why AppLovin's CEO is on a speaking tour.CHAPTERS:01:35 DICE Athens Hometown Events03:07 LA Games Conference Plug04:36 Roundtables and Global Meetups05:41 Newsletter and Founder Story Tease10:08 Apple ATT Prompt Changes EU13:30 Kojima27:41 Microsoft Restructure and Halo Shift30:06 CoD Studios Under Pressure33:45 Can Xbox Be Sold Off36:10 Halo Moved to Activision46:34 Build A Rocket Boy Collapse51:05 AppLovin Stock and Axon53:58 Fingerprinting Cheating Debate58:01 Why the CEO Is Touring01:02:25 Wrap Up and Sign Off
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  Puzzle Monthly #6: Disney Solitaire's Big Win, Playtika's Earn-Out Trap and Solitaire vs Puzzle 23.09.2026 41min

  Disney Solitaire is one of the biggest launches of the year, and it might be too successful for its own parent company.This episode breaks down how SuperPlay turned a solitaire game into a Disney-powered hit, why Playtika's debt and earn-out deal could push it to sell, and how Disney Solitaire stacks up against Tiki Solitaire, Grand Harvest and Candy Crush Solitaire. We also look at the full solitaire market, the live ops gap between Disney and everyone else, and whether solitaire can ever rival puzzle.Topics Covered:• Why games that scale in tier two and three markets struggle in tier one• Playtika's debt, the SuperPlay earn-out and a possible sale• Revenue dropping slower than downloads as a health signal• How big the solitaire market actually is• MobilityWare and the ad-only solitaire model• Disney Solitaire as a reskin of Domino Dreams• Why the second game in an IP is half the size of the first• The social casino pay-to-play economy in Tiki Solitaire• Candy Crush Solitaire's hold slot and card design choices• How Disney Solitaire handles its IP and meta• Near wins and a puzzle-style level funnel• Disney's 25 to 30 live events per week versus competitors• Why IP owners may not be the best builders of their own games• Is solitaire coming for puzzle?CHAPTERS: 0:00:00   Introduction & Tier 1 Market Performance0:03:12   Why Playtika May Have to Sell Disney Solitaire0:09:31   The History & Size of the Solitaire Market0:10:58   Why Solitaire Has Struggled to Monetize0:16:20   Disney Solitaire vs. Domino Dreams0:21:12   How Solitaire Games Monetize: The Casino Mechanic0:24:51   Tiki, Grand Harvest & Candy Crush Solitaire0:28:23   What Disney Solitaire Does Differently0:33:41   Live Ops, Streaks & the Disney Advantage0:36:51   Why IP Owners Struggle to Extend Their Games0:38:02   Is Solitaire Coming for Puzzle?0:40:00   Final Thoughts & Outro
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  349. From Zero Offers To Record Revenue I Michael Martinez, CEO of FunCraft 21.09.2026 51min

  Michael Martinez, co-founder and CEO of FunCraft, tried to sell his mobile game studio in 2025. Trusted people said "don't do it yet". He chose otherwise. A banker pitched the company to 40 buyers. Zero offers. Then the company doubled to a $50M run rate with just 15 people.Rejection like that either breaks a founder or forces a better business. For FunCraft, it did the second.In this episode, Michael breaks down what went wrong in the M&A process, what a failed sale really costs, and how a 15-person team shifted its focus from valuation to profit.Essential viewing for founders thinking about selling, buyers looking at lean and profitable studios, and anyone in mobile gaming, UA, or ad monetization.00:00 — Funcraft’s failed sale attempt06:27 — Why Michael wanted to sell13:37 — Building a successful business first18:16 — Launching games in just six weeks23:20 — Platform and user acquisition risks29:14 — Balancing growth and profitability 34:45 — Building a high-trust remote culture 43:12 — Rebuilding the game engine with AI 46:18 — Staying focused while scaling
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  TWIG #401: Blizzard Goes All In, Roblox Breaks Out of Its Own App and Aniimo Nails Launch Day 17.09.2026 53min

  Gaming is back, and this week had a lot to talk about.BlizzCon delivered the biggest slate of announcements Blizzard has had in years, but the timelines and team sizes raise real questions about what Microsoft pressure is doing to the studio. Roblox used RDC to push standalone apps, browser play and a developer wallet, and we debate whether any of it actually improves discoverability. Plus Kojima's Physint moves from PlayStation to Xbox, a heated ad revenue argument over hybrid casual, a surprise 2 million sales hit from Wardogs, and first impressions of FunPlus's Aniimo as it passes 125K CCU on Steam.Topics Covered:• Roblox unveils standalone apps and browser play at RDC• Why Roblox standalone apps may struggle with UA• BlizzCon brings Diablo V, a StarCraft shooter and three WoW SKUs• Microsoft pressure behind Blizzard's bold timelines• Kojima's Physint jumps from PlayStation to Xbox• Savvy Games Group to oversee EA and PIF assets• The ad revenue debate around hybrid casual• WoW Forever and Blizzard's subscription strategy• Wardogs hits 2 million sales• Aniimo passes 125K CCU on Steam launch dayCHAPTERS:01:42 Industry Layoffs Talk02:59 Mishka Podcast Spotlight06:12 Roblox Standalone Apps Debate13:12 Blizcon15:17 Microsoft Pressure Concerns20:03 WoW Monetization Debate21:50 Kojima Physint Switch26:27 EA Merger39:47 Warcraft Forever43:44 War Dogs Surprise Hit47:11 Aniimo Launch51:31 Monetization and Wrap Up
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  348. Why None of Us Saw Cyberpunk Coming Apart I Michal Nowakowski. joint CEO, CD PROJEKT RED 14.09.2026 1godz 2min

  Cyberpunk 2077 sold 13 million copies in ten days, then Sony pulled it from the PlayStation Store. CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michal Nowakowski was the one taking the calls.He walks through what actually broke, why the investors weren't the reason, and how the studio went from a Polish box distributor to owning The Witcher outright. Plus the transmedia strategy, the move to Unreal Engine 5, and why Poland built the strongest gaming ecosystem in Europe.Chapters 00:00 From Polish distributor to a global studio 04:43 Buying The Witcher rights 08:15 Why owning the IP was non-negotiable 14:12 Poland's coding culture and the talent pipeline 18:54 Scaling to 350 developers on The Witcher 3 26:16 The Cyberpunk 2077 launch and the hardest week 34:03 The decision to fix the game instead of cutting losses 39:14 Unreal Engine 5 and rebuilding production 43:51 Transmedia, Netflix, and keeping games at the center 49:49 What makes the Polish gaming ecosystem work
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  TWIG #400: Is the Game Industry Actually Crashing, OpenAI's Astra and 8 Years of Hot Takes 10.09.2026 1godz 16min

  400 episodes in, and yes, we swear more than anyone will admit.This is the big one. Before the retrospective, we tear apart the latest "video game industry is crashing" clickbait using actual employment data, then get into what OpenAI's new Astra model means for teams already shipping with AI. Then we open the vault: eight years of TWIG, the origin stories nobody remembers the same way twice, and the predictions that aged well or badly.Topics Covered:• Why the "worst crash since the 1980s" headline doesn't hold up• AAA budgets ballooning past 400 million and the indie boom it's fueling• OpenAI's Astra model and how mobile teams are actually using it• How TWIG started and how the cast came together over 8 years• The calls the hosts got right, from Ubisoft to Roblox• The calls they got embarrassingly wrong, from Call of Duty Mobile to Blizzard leadership• Who swears the most and who never does• Eight years of TWIG's biggest arguments and running jokesCHAPTERS: 02:33 Shills04:14 Industry Doom & Gloom Clickbait10:04 Consolidation Not Doom20:45 400th Retrospective Setup22:39 Origin Stories29:35 How The Pod Evolved31:32 Memorable Moments37:33 Owning Bad Takes39:11 League Revenue Debate40:19 Things We Nailed43:02 Product Calls And Patterns45:35 Monopoly Go Inside Scoop47:01 Streaming And Xbox Caps48:19 Biggest Misses Confession56:14 Blizzard Leadership Reversal01:04:47 Who  Argues The Most?01:08:17 Kress: The Cussing GOAT01:09:24 Mice Nuts & Other TWIG Mainstays
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  347. Questions Istanbul Founders Stopped Asking I Akin Babayigit, Arcadia Gaming Partners 07.09.2026 1godz 13min

  McKinsey, the United Nations, Skype, Rocket Internet, Facebook, King. Then Akin Babayigit co-founded Tripledot, spun out Luna Labs, and now runs Arcadia Gaming Partners, a $100M fund he deploys alone.He left Türkiye at sixteen and never moved back, which makes him one of the few people who can talk about Istanbul as both an insider and an outsider. We get into how the ecosystem was built, why Sidar Şahin still shapes it years after disappearing, why payback windows are the wrong lens, and what he told a room of Turkish founders that they did not want to hear.Chapters 02:42 Leaving Türkiye 06:23 Building Tripledot 08:51 The Sidar myth 18:21 One trick? 20:47 First mover advantage 23:25 Payback versus IRR 28:32 What AI changes 31:43 The AppLovin dependency 40:07 fal and Layer 42:22 What Türkiye lacks 49:28 The unsexy work 54:24 After gaming 1:05:20 Türkiye and Israel
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  TWIG #399: GTA VI Breaks Netflix, EU Targets Roblox and Zero Company's Studio Implodes 03.09.2026 57min

  GTA VI just proved it can break Netflix, the EU just put Roblox under its strictest rulebook, and one of the best reviewed games of the year is already falling apart behind the scenes.The crew breaks down the numbers behind GTA VI's Netflix trailer drop and what it means for pre-orders, why PlayStation is quietly winning the entire hype cycle, and how rising RAM prices could delay the PS6. They also cover Gamescom's attendance numbers and the shift toward Eastern exhibitors, the EU's new Roblox designation, Star Wars Zero Company's strong launch undone by a founder lawsuit, Brian Ward's exit from Savvy Games Group, Tencent's new AI tool portfolio and NCSoft's $300 million mobile studio buying spree.Topics Covered:• GTA VI's Netflix trailer drop and the pre-order numbers behind it• Why PlayStation is quietly winning the GTA VI hype cycle• Rising RAM prices and what they mean for the PS6• Gamescom 2026 attendance and the shift toward Eastern exhibitors• The EU designates Roblox a very large online platform• Star Wars Zero Company's strong launch and Metacritic scores• The founder lawsuit quietly sinking developer Bit Reactor• Brian Ward steps down as Savvy Games Group CEO• Tencent's new AI tool portfolio for game development• NCSoft's $300 million mobile studio buying spreeCHAPTERS:01:24 Episode 400 Teaser02:08 Shills and New Content03:59 Gamescom Stats Recap07:03 Mishka Gamescom Takeaways09:28 Cologne Logistics and Hotels11:20 GTA VI x Netflix Drop17:14 PlayStation Wins the Cycle21:28 EU Targets Roblox24:56 EU Market Fragmentation28:38 Star Wars Zero Company Launch32:16 Studio Furloughs Lawsuit36:46 Savvy CEO Steps Down49:18 China AI Platform Bets54:36 NCSoft Strategy Skepticism56:10 Episode 400 Tease Wrap
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  Shooter Monthly #9: Battlefield's Hot Streak, Gears Goes Helldiving, and the Battle Pass Plateau 02.09.2026 1godz

  Shooters are having one of their best summers in years, and every major franchise still can't agree on what to do about it.The crew runs through the battle pass shakeup hitting Call of Duty, Battlefield and Overwatch, breaks down why Battlefield is quietly beating Call of Duty on Steam, and picks apart Apex Legends' run as the most consistent live service in the genre. They also dig into Gears of War: E-Day's beta results against Helldivers 2, unpack why War Bonds aren't actually battle passes, and argue about why Western studios keep playing it safe while Eastern developers experiment their way to the top.Topics Covered:• The battle pass shakeup across Call of Duty, Battlefield and Overwatch• Why Battlefield is outperforming Call of Duty on PC despite the franchise's rocky years• Ranked play, Battlefield Labs and the Elite Top 250 leaderboard• What's next for Battlefield now a new mainline entry isn't landing next year• Call of Duty's tech unification and the tradeoffs it created down the line• Apex Legends' revenue consistency, live ops machine and collab strategy• Apex's growth potential in China and Japan, and the case for reviving Apex Legends Mobile• Why battle royale modes outperform arena shooters on retention• Gears of War: E-Day's beta numbers and the inevitable Helldivers 2 comparisons• The PvP versus PvE tradeoffs facing E-Day's live service• War Bonds versus battle passes and how Helldivers 2 redefined seasons• Why Arc Raiders can't copy the Helldivers playbook• The West's monetization risk aversion versus the East's willingness to experimentCHAPTERS:01:13 Battle Pass Shakeups02:33 Battlefield Engagement Surge04:13 MAU Charts Breakdown05:28 Why Battlefield Retains06:47 Ranked Mode Returns08:44 Battlefield Next Moves11:04 COD Tech Unification Lessons14:19 Extraction Mode Debate15:35 Apex Revenue and Consistency17:00 Apex Live Ops Machine29:18 BR Movement Thesis30:20 Why Arenas Feel Worse31:17 Social Sandbox vs Zero Sum33:15 TDM Translation Problem34:06 Gears E-Day Catch Up34:54 Market Size and Modes37:07 Helldivers Comparison Debate40:51 Live Service Monetization Risks44:40 Battle Pass Changes Roundup47:51 War Bonds vs Battle Passes52:58 Arc Raiders and Extraction Limits54:33 Western Monetization Fear59:13 Next Episode Tease
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  346. Why Mattel Wants Studios to Pitch the Uncomfortable 31.08.2026 40min

  Mattel owns Barbie, Hot Wheels, UNO, Masters of the Universe and Street Sharks. Marcus Liassides runs its digital business, which now Roblox, Fortnite, and a licensing program that puts Mattel IP in creators' hands without approving what they build with it. This episode is about how a studio actually gets an IP deal with Mattel, and what you get beyond the logo.00:00 - Why Mattel is at a games summit01:13 - The Roblox bet04:18 - Why studios stay skeptical06:22 - AI and why IP matters more10:46 - What Mattel actually wants pitched13:57 - Where pitches go wrong17:40 - Beyond the license19:15 - MGs, rev share and dev funding23:57 - The approvals question26:44 - Barbie's UA guardrails29:29 - Exclusivity
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  TWIG #398: Gaming's 2026 Reality Check, The GTA 6 Leak Nightmare and Why Jobs Are Still Vanishing 27.08.2026 1godz 2min

  Rockstar is fighting a leak it cannot plug, and the leaker has turned the whole thing into a token economy.Episode 398 covers a week where the data says growth and the job market says something else. Newzoo puts 2026 at 214 billion, Makers Fund closes another 250 million that looks nothing like venture capital, Google Play turns RAM into a store requirement, and Gamescom hands us Nodusfall, Palworld on mobile via Garena, and one more round of the HD on mobile argument that never ends.Topics Covered:• CyberLeek posts 16 GTA 6 clips and runs crypto-paid polls on what leaks next• Take-Two subpoenas Microsoft, Discord and Google to unmask whoever is behind it• Newzoo's 2026 forecast hits 214 billion with North America growing slowest• Why layoffs keep coming in a market still growing 6 percent• Makers Fund raises 250 million and shifts into project and UA financing• Google Play makes memory optimization a store requirement in February 2027• Opening Night Live and the endless pile of tactics spin-offs• HoYoverse reveals Nodusfall while its mobile portfolio drops 24 percent• Garena picks up Palworld for mobile and Roco Kingdom goes global• Localization and UI as the real barrier for Eastern games in the West• The HD on mobile fight nobody at the table is winningCHAPTERS:01:12 Today’s Topics Rundown02:19 Gamescom Pics and Shoutouts03:01 Sponsor Updates05:57 GTA6 Leeks16:11 Layoffs and Market Maturity20:10 Makers Fund Raises $250M28:18 Google Play RAM PSA29:29 Gamescom Opening Night Live36:16 Western Appeal Debate37:04 Roco Kingdom Goes Global37:47 Palworld Mobile Licensing38:52 Cozy Combat Audience Shift41:35 Portfolio Decline And Cannibalization51:33 Localization And UI Barriers01:01:18 Wrapping Up And Next Week
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  345. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of UA Financing 26.08.2026 1godz 13min

  Everyone's telling you cohort financing is free money to scale. It's not, and the contract fine print is where that story falls apart.Josh Chandley (President & COO, Wildcard Games) sits down with Phil Mohr (CEO & Co-founder, Metica) and Martin Macmillan (Founder, Pollen Capital) to break down what cohort financing actually costs, who really takes the risk, and how founders keep getting burned by deals they don't fully understand. Martin lent almost $1B through Pollen VC with zero credit defaults over a decade. Phil looked at 40-50 games before Metica stopped writing new cohort deals altogether. Between them, they unpack the math the sales guys don't want you to run.Topics Covered:• UA financing vs cohort financing• Why receivables lending scaled down• The 80/20 mechanics of a cohort deal• Who actually takes the risk on a cohort• Cross-collateralization and disguised liens• What makes a good candidate for financing• Breakeven windows and LTV curve shape• The real annualized cost of cohort financing• How financing cost raises your effective CPI• Why finance and UA teams don't align• Getting free debt from your ad networks• Red flags in cohort financing contracts• What happens when a cohort underperforms• Debt plus equity hybrid dealsCHAPTERS: 00:00 Cohort Financing Hype00:36 Meet the Experts02:20 UA Financing Explained03:45 Receivables vs Cohorts05:20 How Cohort Deals Work09:04 Hidden Risks and Recourse11:06 Contract Traps to Watch15:39 Who Qualifies for Funding17:49 Payback Windows Sweet Spot18:54 LTV Curve and Game Types22:45 True Cost and IRR Math29:19 Financing Cost in UA Bids32:15 Data Truth and Real-Time Stops36:09 Cohort Risk And Timing37:01 Free Credit From Ad Networks38:40 Why Credit Lines Aren’t Enough43:42 VC Versus Lender Mindset47:05 Questions For Cohort Lenders53:10 Bad Terms And Red Flags56:40 Evolving Financing Stack59:25 Exit Clauses And Flexibility01:02:42 Modeling Downside Scenarios01:07:54 Debt Plus Equity Strategy01:10:18 Final Advice And Wrap Up
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  344. The Truth About Taking Over A Company 24.08.2026 43min

  In March 2025, Jon Bellamy became CEO of Jagex and Alexis Bonte became CEO of Stillfront. Both inherited companies with legacy, scale, and a long list of things that needed to go. This episode is about what actually happens in a games industry CEO's first 100 days.Timestamps00:00 - The first 100 days05:24 - Knowing the company09:15 - Cultural shift15:16 - Choosing focus19:33 - Public versus private24:52 - Board communication30:44 - Evaluating leaders36:15 - Head coach mode39:17 - Three success markers
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  TWIG #397: Roblox Under Fire, Apple’s EU App Store Shake-Up and Netflix Games’ Studio Retreat 20.08.2026 1godz 7min

  Crew breaks down another packed week in games. Roblox faces mounting pressure over child safety as Congress launches an investigation, Apple rewrites its EU App Store economics while Germany forces changes to ATT, and Netflix Games keeps shrinking with two more studio closures. Meanwhile, Webtoon makes a $100 million bet on gaming, Devolver Digital heads for the exits after a brutal public-market run, and Mishka goes deep on Voodoo’s latest hybrid-casual hit. Topics Covered:• Roblox’s congressional investigation and growing child-safety pressure• Roblox’s Discord problem • What higher opt-in rates could mean for Meta and mobile UA • Apple’s new EU App Store fee structure• Webtoon buying up to 60% of RI Games Holdings • Netflix Games closing Night School Studio and Moonlit • Devolver Digital delisting after its stock fell roughly 97% • Castle Crushers, Voodoo’s hybrid-casual formula and its path toward a $100M run rate • What Voodoo’s evolution says about the French hyper-casual ecosystem• Kingdom Hearts’ new animated series and Kingdom Hearts IV targeting late 2027CHAPTERS:00:00 Welcome and Hosts01:02 Episode Agenda Preview02:37 Jury Duty and Snake Heroics04:03 Seattle SLICE Conference Plug04:48 Mishka Updates and Events06:24 Corrections on Turkey Funding09:21 Roblox Under Investigation14:03 Roblox Safety Measures Debate21:13 ATT Changes in Germany27:18 EU App Store Fee Overhaul36:56 Markets and Monetization37:29 Webtoon Buys Game Studio40:07 Funding and UA Reality43:35 Mid Market Myth Busting46:44 Transmedia LTV Strategy49:36 Netflix Games Retrenchment54:01 Devolver Delisting Lessons56:32 Castle Crushers Deep Dive01:01:11 Voodoo and France Squeeze01:06:14 Wrap and Next Week
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  343. WEBTOON Is Bigger Than Monopoly Go: Inside a New Game Marketing Channel 20.08.2026 44min

  Jen sits down with WEBTOON and Square Enix to break down a channel that reaches mobile, PC, and console at once.UA is saturated and everyone is hunting for new reach. WEBTOON has 160 million MAU, about 90% under 34, and roughly 69% of its readers play games across all three platforms. Christine Yu (WEBTOON) and Melanie Gordon (Square Enix) walk through how the Visions of Mana and Dragon Quest VII Reimagined campaigns actually came together, what the branded epilogue format is, how long these collabs take, and how the Coin Hunter offerwall is driving 10,000 verified Steam wishlist adds a week.Topics Covered:• The vertical scroll format and why Gen Z never touched a comic book• 160M MAU and how WEBTOON monetizes like a free to play game• $2.7B paid out to creators and 124,000 new episodes a day• Creators as influencers and why the comment section matters• The branded epilogue and the Visions of Mana collab results• Dragon Quest VII Reimagined and the Tabletop partnership• Timelines, approvals, and what marketers need to bring to the table• Licensing collab creative for paid media, owned social, and UA• Coin Hunter, the offerwall, and pay per verified Steam wishlist• Where WEBTOON sits in the funnel and why ROAS is the wrong first questionCHAPTERS:01:33 — What Is WEBTOON04:21 — Mel's Fan Origin Story06:26 — WEBTOON as an IP Engine09:17 — Creators as Influencers11:24 — Turning Fandom Into a Marketing Channel13:14 — Case Study: Visions of Mana x The Greatest Estate Developer15:20 — Inside the Collab Process17:33 — Western Market Performance20:00 — Case Study: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined x Tabletop24:07 — Campaign Types and Timelines27:32 — Repurposing Collab Content for UA/Social30:18 — What Makes It Feel Authentic (Not Cheesy)32:00 — Performance, ROAS, and Funnel Placement34:00 — Beyond Anime: Genre and Demographic Diversity37:08 — Audience Demographics38:00 — Lower-Funnel Product: Coin Hunter / Steam Wishlist41:00 — What's Next & Wrap-Up Wishlist 42:00 — Recap and Closing (Brandformance)
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  342. The Man Behind Most Gaming Deals | Affan Butt, Aream & Co. 17.08.2026 1godz 40min

  Affan Butt has advised on 110+ gaming M&A deals worth $40 billion. He breaks down how game studios actually get sold, what acquirers pay for, and why earnouts wreck founders. We go through a studio acquisition from the founder's side of the table. How M&A processes really start, what due diligence looks like, why inbound corp dev interest is not validation, how bidding wars backfire, and the way earnout structures quietly turn against the people who signed them.0:00 Loom Games sale to Scopely3:21 What creates FOMO in a deal10:58 Investment banker in gaming 21:14 Supercell story 26:26 Peak Games story 39:03 Private equity in gaming 42:12 Deal timelines48:21 Due diligence53:54 When to say no to a sale 68:10 Why deals fail74:20 Earnouts and incentives86:28 The changing exit landscape94:35 Where the gaming cycle is now
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  TWIG #396: AppLovin's Q2, Unity's Supersonic Fire Sale and GTA VI's Netflix Trailer Drama 13.08.2026 1godz 10min

  Crew breaks down a packed week in mobile and games. AppLovin's stock craters despite the SEC closing its inquiry with no action, Unity sells Supersonic to Tripledot for a shockingly low $40 million, and Take-Two's GTA VI presales are on fire even as its mobile business slows. Topics Covered:• AppLovin's Q2 earnings and stock drop despite growth• Unity's Vector model closing the gap with AppLovin• Unity selling Supersonic to Tripledot for $40M• Take-Two's Q2 earnings, Zynga portfolio trends and GTA VI presales• GTA VI's Netflix trailer exclusive• Blizzard's leaked internal email and its quiet turnaround• Ubisoft Barcelona's layoffs and the birth of Puzzle Mage• Royal Smash and the rise of cannon physics puzzlesCHAPTERS:02:06 Spider-Man numbers debate03:23 Why Spider-Man wins03:53 Odyssey movie review05:28 Seattle roundtable recap07:34 Audience Qs and Roblox08:55 Corrections and Royal Match12:08 AppLovin earnings breakdown18:52 Unity Vector and D2827:14 Unity sells Supersonic34:21 Unity Supersonic Bargain35:09 Take Two Bookings Breakdown36:19 Zynga Portfolio Reality Check39:07 Old Games vs New Hits46:36 GTA VI Preorders and Netflix49:41 Blizzard Comeback Email53:31 Ubisoft Barcelona Fallout56:05 Royal Smash New Subgenre01:00:45 Farm Team and Monetization01:08:51 Wrap Up and Banter