The crew unpacks a week of spicy news and strategic contradictions, starting with Supercell’s latest investments and how VC incentives often clash with long-term game building. We weigh in on GamesBeat’s move to independence, the ongoing esports funding debate, and whether Netflix’s Rebel Moon game is a flex or a fumble.

Valorant Mobile’s China launch signals Riot’s next big move, while Tencent continues to dominate with titles like Gunfight King.

The team dives into Disney’s Solitaire push, Habby's intriguing new soft launch, and the return of Royal Kingdom’s celebrity-fueled ad campaign—capped off by a heated debate: do TV ads still move the needle for mobile games, or are we watching legacy marketing die in real time?

01:56 Industry News Highlights

02:47 Supercell Investments Analysis

05:35 VC Contradictions and Incentives

17:43 GamesBeat Independence

20:17 Esports Investment

22:31 Oblivion

24:15 Netflix's Rebel Moon Game

31:00 Valorant Mobile Launch in China

32:36 Gunfight King and Tencent's Gaming Dominance

33:19 Disney Solitaire

40:00 Habby's New Game in Soft Launch

46:33 Royal Kingdom's Celebrity Ad Campaign

48:44 Debating the Effectiveness of TV Ads for Mobile Games

01:06:53 Concluding Thoughts on Marketing Strategies

Lightspeed’s Moritz Baier-Lentz joins us for a no-holds-barred conversation on venture capital, gaming, and the inner workings of multi-billion-dollar venture funds. No fluff—just real talk about fund math, spotting exceptional founders, the future of AI in gaming, and why most investments won’t work out (and why that’s okay).

00:00 from pro-gamer in Diablo II to Goldman Sachs to Lightspeed VC

10:00 The Lightspeed model

18:00 How Moritz spots truly exceptional founders (hint: not a checklist)

24:00 Fund math 101

30:00 Studio investing vs. tech investing in games

36:00 How consolidation is reshaping gaming M&A (and why it’s a big deal)

43:00 Speedrun, a16z’s gaming accelerator: innovation or red flag?

51:00 Debunking big VC myths

58:00 The future of gaming: AI, generative content, and creating the next Roblox

1:05:00 How Lightspeed wins competitive deals—and what founders should ask VCs

1:12:00 Is raising VC money harder now? Yes. But here’s why it’s still a golden era.

1:20:00 Final thoughts: investing at the edge of what’s possible

Kress is fresh back from Turkiye, sharing on-the-ground insights before diving headfirst into the week’s big beats.

We break down Epic Games Store’s revenue, debate the Minecraft movie’s potential for franchise dominance, and unpack the latest M&A and investment trends shaping gaming’s future. Inflation’s creeping impact on game pricing gets a hard look, while the crew wrestles with the evolving MTX and revenue models.

Things heat up with Marvel Rivals throwing punches at Overwatch, a sharp take on Western vs. Eastern LiveOps strategies, and a no-holds-barred discussion about Bungie’s Marathon pivot into extraction shooters. To wrap, a quick (and slightly roasted) look at Kingdom’s celebrity-packed ad campaign.

00:00 Introduction and Host Introductions

03:09 Chris' Insights from Turkey

07:02 Epic Games Store Revenue Discussion

13:30 Minecraft Movie and Franchise Management

21:07 M&A and Investment Trends in Gaming

29:47 Game Pricing and Inflation

30:31 MTX and Revenue Models

32:59 Marvel Rivals vs. Overwatch

37:33 Western vs. Eastern LiveOps

44:24 Marathon: The Extraction Shooter

58:13 Kingdom's Celebrity Ad Campaign

In this episode of Deconstructor of Fun, Jen Donahoe is by Charles Hambro, CEO and Co-Founder of GEEIQ, and Matt Edelman, President and CEO of Super League, to dive deep into the evolving world of brand activations and UGC (user-generated content) in gaming.

We explore how brands navigate virtual worlds, the ROI of successful campaigns, and why gaming audiences are more valuable than ever. The conversation spans the rise of playable ads, IAB standards, and the growing distinction between branded content and traditional ads.

Charles and Matt also share their insights on the future of campaign-based activations and why entertainment brands are doubling down on gaming. 

00:00 Introduction to Brand and UGC Activations

04:57 UGC and Virtual Worlds

07:44 Brand Activations

15:47 ROI and Success Stories

21:02 Challenges and Future of UGC Platforms

27:12 The Power of Gaming Audiences

27:45 Mobile Advertising

29:00 Playable Ads

29:42 IAB and Playable Ad Standards

31:34 Engaging Audiences with Playable Ads

35:49 Branded Content vs. Traditional Ads

36:41 The Future of Branded Content in Gaming

42:40 The Importance of Campaign-Based Activations

44:47 Entertainment Brands in Gaming

46:59 Concluding Thoughts and Future Trends

In this week’s episode of This Week in Games, we’re joined by special guest Chris Sides for a jam-packed conversation covering everything from transmedia storytelling to the latest moves in the gaming industry.

We dive into the surprising momentum behind the Minecraft movie, explore Gen Z trends and market predictions, and unpack Netflix’s bold push into interactive fiction. Plus, we break down A16Z’s new Speed Run initiative, take a close look at Supercell’s evolving investment strategy, and compare War Robots to the newly launched Steel Hunters.

00:00 Introduction and Host Introductions

01:58 Special Guest Chris and His Background

02:49 Transmedia and Pop Culture Discussion

03:48 Industry Updates and News

07:03 Podcast Highlights and Recent Episodes

09:21 Minecraft Movie Success

16:54 Gen Z and Market Predictions

20:48 Netflix's Interactive Fiction Strategy

28:44 Speed Run Initiative by A16Z

30:22 Supercell's Investment Strategy

31:19 Supercell's Investment Philosophy

32:54 Supercell's Investment History and Performance

43:14 Blueprints: The Best Rated Game of 2025

49:21 RE's Latest Deck Recap

53:36 Steel Hunters: Early Access and Unreal Engine

01:03:02 War Robots vs. Steel Hunters01:05:02 Conclusion and Farewell

In this episode, Deconstructor of Fun’s Michail Katkoff sits down with Tobias Knoke — long-time Googler, gaming industry expert, and Gen Z whisperer — to unpack what game developers need to know right now about the fastest-growing and most misunderstood audience in gaming.

👉 Learn why Gen Z is about to become the biggest spending group on mobile

👉 Why they’re less loyal to individual games, and how to win them back

👉 How to build creator strategies that actually work

👉 What Gen Z hates about ads — and what they love

👉 How AI is quietly reshaping game development (and why Gen Z doesn’t care)

🧠 Read more at:

www.deconstructoroffun.com

00:00 The State of Gaming Post-Pandemic

03:51 Understanding Gen Z's Gaming Behavior

06:53 Strategies for Engaging Gen Z

10:05 The Role of Creators in Gaming Marketing

12:52 Building Effective Creator Strategies

15:43 The Impact of Social Connections on Gaming

18:43 Achieving Escape Velocity in Game Launches

33:38 Navigating Competition in Mobile Gaming

36:52 Understanding Gen Z's Unique Gaming Preferences

41:23 Ad Monetization Strategies for Gen Z

46:53 High Expectations and LiveOps for Gen Z

49:37 The Role of AI in Game Development

Gen Z, gaming strategies, mobile gaming, creator marketing, ad monetization, LiveOps, AI in gaming, audience engagement, gaming behavior, influencer strategies

GDC’s over, but the takes are still hot. Eric Kress recaps the chaos and questions Dark Legion’s staying power, while Phil gives the Game Craft boys a well-deserved nod.

Then it’s Switch 2 speculation time: is Nintendo finally back in the power game? Meanwhile, Roblox cozies up to Google for rewarded ads—what does that mean for the ecosystem?

Meanwhile, AppLovin fights off short seller heat while asserting market dominance. Plus, Tencent’s playing the long game with Ubisoft, again—no surprise, but lots to unpack.

02:12 GDC Highlights and Dark Legion Update
03:18 Game Craft Podcast
05:27 CEO Interviews and App Charge Partnership
07:31 GDC Attendance and Dark Legion Performance
15:58 Switch 2 Announcement
23:26 Roblox Rewarded Ads and Google Partnership
31:54 AppLovin's Short Seller Allegations
36:17 Hedge Fund Hotels and Market Dynamics
36:36 AppLovin Market Dominance
38:49 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Acquisition
43:57 Supercell's New Game: First Impressions
53:22 Ubisoft's $1.25 Billion Tencent Deal
01:05:36 Tencent's Long Game and Market Strategy 

What makes the company a great place to work? We discuss the significance of company culture, leadership evolution, and the vital role of customer obsession with AppsFlyer's CEO and co-founder, Oren Kaniel.

Oren shares his entrepreneurial journey, how the company overcame early financial challenges, and the importance of remaining innovative and passionate. Additionally, we explore AI's role in the future of business, balancing data privacy with technological advancements, and the grand vision for AppsFlyer's continued growth and impact.

02:44 Building a Company Culture

06:33 The Importance of Customer Obsession

15:24 Challenges and Early Days of the Startup

20:15 Navigating Growth and Scaling Up

25:06 Hiring and Nurturing Talent

42:15 Transparency vs. Clarity in Leadership

44:02 Innovative Solutions for Business Growth

56:39 The Role of AI in Business Transformation

01:05:47 Building a Sustainable Business Ecosystem

01:15:20 Future Prospects and Innovations

Josh Wilson, CEO of SciPlay, returns to the podcast for the third time to discuss key topics such as the significance of Q5, the challenges of app store reliance, the stalled growth in the gaming market, the emergence of hybrid casualization, and the role of AI in gaming.

Subscribe to the Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter: www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

Continue the conversation on our Slack channel: www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack00:00 Introduction and Previous Conversations

03:28 Understanding Q5 and Its Impact on Gaming

12:38 Navigating App Store Reliance and Customer Ownership

21:46 Stalled Growth in the Gaming Market

31:24 Customer Retention as a Business Strategy

37:44 Embracing Change and Innovation

40:55 The Shift to Hybrid Casual Gaming

55:15 The Role of AI in Gaming

01:09:02 Future Skills in a Changing Landscape

Eric speedruns through an a16z correction, while Phil can’t wrap his head around Funplus’ new 4x Dark Legion thesis. Adam tells us Netease’s Fragpunk is dead, and Jen tells us games journalism is alive. Against all odds, Netflix Games records its first positive segment. And did you hear that? It’s the inZOI train CHUGGin’.

Subscribe to the Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter:

www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe

Continue the conversation on our Slack channel:

www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack

02:16 Post-GDC Debriefing
09:35 A16Z Speed Run
13:48 Game Journalism is Back!!
17:08 Nintendo Direct and Switch 2 Rumors
18:41 MOBA Shutdowns and VC Funded Games
25:15 FunPlus and Dark Legion
31:00 DC Comics in Gaming: Challenges and Failures
35:03 The Future of 4X Strategy Games
37:18 Marvel Rivals and Rag Punk Analysis
56:27 Netflix's Gaming Strategy