Deconstructor of Fun

We unpack Apple’s $2B legal battle, Halo’s surprise move to PlayStation, and EA’s latest earnings reality check, alongside Amazon Game Studios’ restructuring, AI’s growing impact on gaming investments, and a one-year look back at Pokémon TCG Pocket. From corporate chaos to console crossovers, it’s a packed week of insights, strategy, and sharp takes on the business of games.00:00 Welcome 03:09 Family Updates and Personal Stories04:22 Deconstructor of Fun Roundtable Events08:16 Apple's $2 Billion Legal Trouble12:03 EA's Earnings Report and Industry Insights14:17 Halo's PlayStation Debut and Console Wars34:24 Amazon Game Studios Restructuring37:41 Challenges and Missteps in Game Selection41:53 AI and the Future of Gaming Investments49:16 Battlefield 6: Competing with Call of Duty01:01:58 Pokemon TCG Pocket: A Year in Review

Great creatives don’t guarantee great traffic. Karen Levy unpacks how to scale UA with structured testing, controlled volume, and ruthless iteration. We explore the rise of AI-driven pipelines, why UGC-style ads dominate TikTok and Reels, and why authenticity outperforms glossy fakes.

👉 https://supersonic.com/

What makes a hybridcasual hit? Guy Agiv explains how to design a core loop that hooks instantly but also unfolds depth over time. We cover the milestones from prototype to scale, how publishers and developers shift roles across the journey, and why “simplicity beats complexity” when it comes to retention.👉 Discover why elegant design—not clutter—is the secret to replayability.

Hybridcasual isn’t just “hypercasual with IAP.” Igor Beraslavski (GM at Supersonic) breaks down how publishing has evolved from testing prototypes to becoming a full-stack partner in design, monetization, and live ops. We discuss what publishers look for, how to spot market trends before the herd, and why most me-too products never scale.👉 Learn how to build lasting partnerships and survive in the most competitive corner of mobile.

Ben Feder has done it all: CEO of Take-Two Interactive during the GTA and Red Dead years, President of Tencent’s International Partnerships, and board member at Epic Games and Bad Robot. Now he’s turned investor, running Tirta Ventures, a fund at the intersection of AI and gaming.

In this conversation, Ben and Michail Katkoff explore what makes a great founder, why “operational VC” is a myth, and where the next billion-dollar gaming companies will come from. They discuss how AI is reshaping creativity, why talent is shifting away from the West, and what the next Walt Disney of interactive entertainment might look like.

🎮 Topics include:

00:00 From GTA to Venture Capital

06:00 VC vs. Private Equity in Games

15:00 The AI Bubble (or Opportunity?)

25:00 The Myth of the “Operational VC”

32:00 Where the Next Great Studios Will Emerge

45:00 The Future of Creativity and Intelligent NPCs

56:00 What the Next Wave of Gaming Giants Will Look Like

Jen Donahoe makes her triumphant return. She's joined by Eric Kress and special guest Stan Kwon from BetaHat.

We dig into:

• Battlefield 6 corrections, marketing takeaways
• Android’s new payment-link era

Unity’s cross-platform payments

• what General Intuition’s $134 M seed means for spatial reasoning and game data

• Rovio’s restructuring
• Football Manager deal with FIFA
• 
  

00:00 Welcome

03:12 Jen's Update

09:17 Industry Insights and Trends

14:56 Battlefield Six Analysis

23:05 Marketing Strategies and Success

26:12 Marketing Choices and Target Audience

27:13 Epic vs Google: Legal Battle Update

36:42 Unity's New Commerce Management Product

41:53 AI and Gaming: General Intuition's Ambitious Plans

49:16 Rovio's Restructuring and Industry Trends

52:40 Football Manager's Success and Future Plans

Mishka Katkoff is joined by Daniel Ahmad (Director of Research & Insights, Niko Partners) and Lisa Hanson (CEO & Founder, Niko Partners) for a deep dive into the latest trends and insights from the Asian, MENA, and Indian gaming markets. We cover regulatory changes in China, the rise of India as a gaming powerhouse, the evolving MENA landscape, and much more. If you want to stay ahead in the global games industry, this episode is packed with actionable intelligence!01:30 China’s Gaming Market: Policy Shifts & Opportunities09:00 Entering the Chinese Market: Risks & Strategies23:39 India’s Gaming Market: Growth & Monetization25:36 Western Success in India & Market Insights41:33 MENA Region: Female Gamers & Genre Trends42:50 GTA V & Mature Content in MENA44:15 Southeast Asia: Monetization & Generative AI1:10:02 Closing Thoughts

Supercell’s CEO releases a rare open letter calling for more industry collaboration, while Ubisoft’s nepotism controversy reignites debates around leadership culture. Netflix Games kicks off its Battle for the Living Room with a push into Smart TV party games, and early buzz around PlayStation 6 points to an AI-driven leap in graphics and efficiency. Meanwhile, Battlefield’s launch performance goes head-to-head with Call of Duty once again, and Disney enters the overcrowded match-3 market with Magic Match. All that and more, as we unpack the business behind the biggest moves in games this week.00:00 - Intro & Guest Welcome07:17 - China’s Gaming Policy Shifts & Market Access22:00 - Sponsor: Sensor Tower23:55 - China’s Game Development & Publishing Landscape38:35 - India’s Gaming Market: Growth & Monetization55:00 - Sponsor: AppCharge55:45 - India: Western Success Stories & Localization1:12:20 - MENA Region: Female Gamers & Genre Trends1:28:10 - Sponsor: AppsFlyer1:28:45 - MENA: Cultural Sensitivities & Mature Content1:47:30 - Southeast Asia: Monetization & Payment Trends2:05:00 - Southeast Asia: Generative AI in Gaming2:15:00 - Final Thoughts & How to Access Asian/MENA Markets2:20:00 - Outro & Community Call-to-Action

This week in games: Ilke’s open letter to the EU stirs the industry pot, AppLovin faces an SEC probe, and Epic drops its new Web Shops like it’s 2012 all over again. Ubisoft’s management drama continues, Istanbul’s gaming boom is no joke, and we wrap with a spicy take on the new wave of AI business slop.

00:00 Welcome

01:00 Intro & Shills

07:58 Ilke's Open Letter on EU Regulations

21:38 AppLovin Under Fire: SEC Probe and Stock Volatility

29:19 Epic Games' Web Shops Launch

36:50 Ubisoft's Management and Future

41:47 Istanbul's Gaming Industry Boom

51:32 AI Business Slop

01:01:00 EOS

A one-person poker roguelike sold seven million copies and outperformed studios with hundred-million-dollar budgets. In this episode, Playstack CEO Harvey Elliott joins Michail Katkoff to break down how they discovered Balatro, what makes a modern indie publisher truly valuable, and why the next wave of hits will come from focus—not funding.

02:07 Understanding Bellatro's Success: Metrics and Engagement
04:50 The Indie Developer vs. Publisher Dynamic
08:11 Finding the Right Fit: Indie Publishers and Developers
17:20 Standing Out in a Crowded Market: Indie Publishing Strategies
23:22 AI in Game Development: Opportunities and Challenges
33:26 Post-Launch Support: Keeping Games Alive
38:15 Creative Game Integrations and Developer Relationships
41:05 Royalty Structures and Developer Support
47:09 Negotiating Publisher Agreements and Revenue Shares
50:41 Funding Models and Developer Financial Security
56:27 Budgeting for Indie Games and Financial Viability