Deconstructor of Fun

Eric tries his best to make sense of the AppLovin deal, while Monster Hunter Wilds has never made more sense. Laura covers Supercell’s Lonely Island play, Boat Game, while Jen defends Disney IP as it STEPs it up in Japan. Phil wants a recount of Guitar Hero’s demise, while Activision announces another entry in the franchise.

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00:00 Introduction and Hosts
02:27 Today's Topics Overview
03:01 Jen's UCLA Story
04:00 GDC Announcements
05:46 AppLovin's Short Seller Drama
07:26 Steam's Record-Breaking Numbers
08:32 AppLovin's Game Division Sale
12:50 Sony's PlayStation VR 2 Price Drop
13:55 Supercell and SpaceApe Updates
17:15 Forte's Acquisition of Sealants
18:06 Miniclip Acquires Lessmore
18:38 Supercell's New Boat Game
23:05 Supercell's Market Mismatch
23:34 Roblox Comparison Debate
24:06 Monetization Challenges
25:01 Split Faction Reviews
25:43 Fable Delayed Again
26:44 Monster Hunter's Global Success
31:29 Disney Step in Japan
34:10 Scopely's Vanity Play
39:06 Guitar Hero Mobile Announcement
44:45 The Fall of Music Games
46:52 Conclusion and Farewell

 “The way we survive is built on being creative every day”

We sit down with Burak Vardal, CEO and co-founder of Rollic, to explore how the company skyrocketed in just a couple of years from a Turkish startup to one of the most successful mobile game publishers in the world.

Burak shares insights on:

• The early days of Rollic and its quick acquisition by Zynga for $168M
• How they consistently launch hit mobile games
• The shift from hyper-casual to hybrid-casual and how it changed their business model
• Why being a gamer-first company is key to their success
• What makes Turkey a global hub for mobile game development
• The future of Rollic under Take-Two Interactive

Download the FREE Hybrid Casual Playbook:

metahybridcasualplaybook.splashthat.com/

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00:00 Introduction and Background of Rollic

06:41 Türkiye as a Hub for Game Development

13:18 Business Model and Future Vision

25:54 Competition and Talent in the Turkish Gaming Industry

29:45 Creativity in Gaming: The Key to Success

31:54 The Importance of Ideation in Mobile Gaming

33:52 The Role of Testing in Game Development

36:32 Transitioning from Startup to Industry Leader

46:46 Advice for Aspiring Game Developers

52:47 Final Thoughts and Future Prospects

With Miska back jet-set life, Eric is HOT about the newest RNG platform, while Phil wants to revisit Niantic’s $9B valuation and go shopping in the Epic Game Store. Jen explodes a new angle on Vector, but Eric isn’t buying the geometry. The crew fights the first war on Last War’s Fake Ads: get real or get rich?

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01:19 Star Wars

03:36 Shilling and Advice

06:48 Niantic's Valuation and Exit

08:48 PrizePix and Gambling

11:44 Hasbro Digital's Success

16:04 Epic Game Store Analysis

23:03 GTA and UGC Potential

29:14 Steam Deck's Impact on the PC Market

30:17 Unity's Earnings & Vector

44:00 Warner Bros Studio Closures

45:50 Love and Deep Space: A Unique RPG

48:18 Last War Survival's Success

50:09 Fake Ads

57:33 Overwatch Loot Boxes Return??

58:45 Conclusion and Sign-Off

Marcos Muller, Director of Abu Dhabi talks about how the city is building a world-class gaming ecosystem from the ground up. From talent development to job creation and community engagement, Abu Dhabi Gaming is making big moves to attract studios, support developers, and put the region on the global gaming map.

Marcos shares insights on the incentives for game studios, and the growth of the gaming economy in the UAE, and even breaks down some misconceptions about life in Abu Dhabi. If you’re a game dev, investor, or just curious about emerging gaming hubs, this episode is a must-listen!

connect with Marcos: www.linkedin.com/in/mmhabig/

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro & Welcome Marcos Muller

02:15 – Why Abu Dhabi is Investing in Gaming

06:30 – Building a Sustainable Gaming Ecosystem

12:45 – The Role of Incubators, Accelerators & Studios

18:20 – Financial Incentives & Support for Game Companies

23:40 – Addressing the Talent Gap: Visas, Universities & Local Growth

30:10 – What Makes Abu Dhabi Attractive for Game Developers?

37:55 – Busting Myths About Living & Working in Abu Dhabi

45:20 – Abu Dhabi’s Long-Term Vision for Gaming

50:05 – Final Thoughts & Advice for Game Developers

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Scopely and Niantic are making moves, but can they actually change the game? NetEase unloads Marvel Rivals US studio—a political or an efficiency move? Plus, SMicrosoft’s console strategy looks shakier than ever, and we break down what the future of console gaming really looks like. And just when you thought it was over, King pulls another card from its sleeve. 🚀🎮

03:55 - GDC Shills

11:03 - Scopely & Niantic

20:10 - Jam City & Ludia AR Market

21:43 - Marvel Rivals & Netease

31:13 - Sony Earnings

32:06 - Microsoft's Console Struggles

38:00 - The Future of Console Gaming

50:54 - Return of King

🔗 Connect with Boris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boris-kalmykov-7ba38065/

We chat with Boris Kalnikov, CEO & Co-founder of Hype Masters, about relocating his gaming studio from London to Abu Dhabi. Boris shares his journey with World War Armies, the challenges of remote work, and why he chose Abu Dhabi as his new home.

We dive into Abu Dhabi’s rise as a gaming hub, its government incentives, and the realities of running a studio in the region—from tax benefits to hiring talent and lifestyle changes. Whether you’re a developer, founder, or just curious about gaming in the Middle East, this episode has key insights you won’t want to miss.

Timestamps:

⏳ [00:00] Why Boris left London for Abu Dhabi

🏗️ [06:00] Building a gaming studio in a new ecosystem

💰 [20:00] What incentives and funding opportunities are available?

⚖️ [27:00] Abu Dhabi vs. London: Cost of living, taxes & hiring

🎮 [40:00] The future of gaming in Abu Dhabi

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Supercell had a monster year with €2.8B in revenue, proving that bigger live ops teams and aggressive marketing can still drive growth—but let’s be real, Squad Busters flopped hard despite the hype. Meanwhile, Unity continues its slow-motion train wreck, losing key talent and scrambling to fix its ad tech, while AppLovin is absolutely crushing it, with stock up 700% thanks to AI-powered ads. Now, in a power move, AppLovin is dumping its entire games portfolio for $900M—so who’s buying? Scopely? Zynga? Playtika? Drop your bets in the comments. 🚀🎮

01:29 Shills
07:25 Dream and Venture Capital
10:27 Battlefield and Shooter Games
14:23 Minecraft Studio Leadership Changes
20:39 Supercell's Record Year
25:57 Live Ops and Monetization Changes
26:52 Squad Busters' Marketing Missteps
31:35 Spark Labs's Bootcamp Vibes
37:44 Unity's Struggles and Layoffs
41:45 AppLovin's Strategic Shift

State of Mobile 2025 Report:

https://bit.ly/42T04bX
Join us in this episode as Jonathan Briskman from Sensor Towers and Michail Katkoff explore the overall health of the mobile market, Jonathan highlights strong growth metrics despite a mature landscape. He sheds light on the booming in-app purchase revenue and time spent on devices, while also discussing intriguing trends such as digital fatigue and the rise of hybrid apps. We also touch on the global success stories in mobile gaming, focusing on new hit games and the strategic importance of localization for cracking difficult markets like Japan and South Korea.

01:03 Mobile Market Trends and Metrics

05:33 Mobile Gaming Analysis

07:50 Challenges and Regional Factors

15:50 Success Stories and Strategies

25:57 Non-Gaming App Revenue Growth

35:03 Innovative AI Features in Apps

35:29 Gamification and User Engagement

36:36 Duolingo: A Game or Learning Tool?

38:14 Blurring Lines Between Games and Non-Games

38:25 Short Drama Apps: A Growing Trend

40:45 Global Mobile Usage Trends

42:26 Digital Fatigue and Market Shifts

49:40 Localization Strategies for Global Success

53:56 Emerging Markets and Growth Opportunities

56:46 Tapping into User-Generated Content Platforms

01:00:06 Key Takeaways from the State of Mobile Report

Wilfrid Obeng’s journey from Goldman Sachs and Google to gaming startup CTO is anything but typical.

In this episode, he breaks down how AudioMob is redefining in-game ads with audio, why they chose Abu Dhabi over Silicon Valley to scale their engineering team, and what it takes to transition from corporate structure to startup chaos. We dig into leadership lessons, hiring strategies, and the future of ad monetization—all from someone who’s been in the trenches. If you’re scaling a startup or rethinking monetization, this episode is a must-listen. 🎧🔥

www.linkedin.com/in/wilfridobeng

00:00 Wilfrid Obeng and AudioMob

04:51 From Goldman Sachs to Startup CTO

07:24 The Importance of Mentorship

13:40 Creating a Performance Culture

24:52 Life in Abu Dhabi: Work and Play

28:47 Hiring and Leadership in a Diverse Team

35:03 The Reality of Startups

37:10 Competing for Talent in Startups

39:05 Leadership Evolution and Challenges

42:07 The Importance of Company Culture

56:44 Living and Working in Abu Dhabi

01:05:01 Future Plans and Personal Growth

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With Jen at a meditation retreat in California and Miska fully embracing his jet-set life, Eric reminds us just how wrong Matthew Ball got it.

Adam reveals the Multiversus thesis and argues that Battlefield has room to grab dormant fans and grow the market. Phil spews Battlefield tears and worries about Roblox’s value destruction.

They conclude by debating the AI integration in-games: flop or tbd?