Deconstructor of Fun

Dive deep into the world of game development and user acquisition with AppLovin’s Daniel TchernahovskyIn this episode, we explore the growth of mobile gaming, the significance of hybrid monetization, and the impact of automation and AI on user acquisition strategies.

Learn how Applovin's journey from startup to powerhouse company evolved, the importance of maintaining company culture, and strategic insights on app and game monetization.

00:51 Daniel’s Journey with Applovin

08:21 Industry Trends and Insights

18:23 The Rise of Hybrid Monetization

31:46 Aligning Marketing and Product Teams

35:09 Understanding Benchmarks and Metrics

37:14 Integrating User Acquisition in Development

38:33 Team Dynamics and Agile Development

42:50 Predictive LTV and Visualization Techniques

47:35 Avoiding the Doom Loop

56:50 The Rise of Apps vs. Games

Happy Thanksgaming! This week, the Deconstructor of Fun crew kicks things off with a recap of the buzzing Slush event before diving into a deep analysis of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. From there, we tackle Ubisoft’s heated return-to-office controversy and explore Hasbro’s massive $150 million investment in gaming.

The latter half of the episode delves into Royal Kingdom’s prolonged soft launch strategy and wrap up with a discussion on FIFA’s latest collaboration with Mythical Games. Can they rival EA FC?

Tune in for insights, reflections, and a glimpse into what lies ahead in the evolving gaming landscape!

00:00 Happy Thanksgaming!

02:54 Slush Event Recap

08:26 Heroic Labs Updates

17:37 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Analysis

29:49 Ubisoft's Return to Office Controversy

36:54 Hasbro's $150 Million Investment in Gaming

41:03 Mattel vs. Hasbro: A Tale of Two Toy Giants

45:48 The Interconnectedness of Toys and Gaming

54:47 Game District's Acquisition of Gleam Games

55:49 AppCharge Raises $26 Million for Gaming Apps

56:36 Royal Kingdom's Market Strategy

01:10:47 Mythical Games' New Arcade Football Game

01:15:44 Wrapping Up: Reflections and Future Prospects

Phillip Black sits down with Leo Yao, General Manager of Timi Studio Group’s J3 studio, for an exclusive look at the making of Call of Duty Mobile and the upcoming Delta Force.

Discover how Timi shocked Activision with a two-month Nuketown demo, the secrets behind COD Mobile’s record-breaking live ops, and why Delta Force pivots to tackle Battlefield.

Insights:

• The surprising dominance of Crossfire in China over global FPS franchises.

• The East vs. West FPS divide—tactical vs. arcade gameplay.

• Delta Force’s PC-first pivot, cross-platform ambitions, and bi-monthly content updates.
• Timi’s roots in humility and adaptability for live-service success.

Chapters:

00:53 Leo Yao and Timmy's Studio Group

02:31 Call of Duty Mobile: Development and Success

05:21 Challenges and Strategies in the Mobile FPS Market

09:23 Team Structure and Company Culture at Timmy

14:14 Cross-Platform Gaming and Future Trends

18:10 Chinese PC Shooter Market Insights

21:21 PC vs Mobile: A Developer's Perspective

23:38 Delta Force: Fitting into the FPS Landscape

25:49 Live Service and Content Updates

28:23 Monetization Strategies for Delta Force

30:14 The Rise of Extraction Shooters

36:54 Why Delta Force? The Strategy for IP's Revival

38:44 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As Kress’ World of Warcraft account turns 20, we blow out the candles and reflect on a surprising reason behind EA’s disastrous AI investor presentation. Jen delivers a valiant defense of Monopoly Go’s new TV campaign, while Phil reviews the early returns of Pokémon TCG Pocket. Big in Japan, as they say? The group wraps up with what might be the year’s final Embracer hazing session, absolving themselves of any remaining crimes.

chapters:

04:48 EA Tries to Soothe AI Worries

10:03 Game Industry Awards and Nominations

14:47 AAA Devs and Startups

19:04 PlayVentures' New Gaming Fund

21:24 Miniclip Acquires EasyBrain

28:32 X Rioters and Supervive

31:15 Capybara Go and Archero 2

32:02 Pokemon TCG Pocket Success

38:47 Marvel Snap and Sinister Loot Boxes

41:15 New Monopoly Go Campaign

Join us on the Deconstructor of Fun Podcast as we delve into LiveOps strategies for Q5 with esteemed guests Sezer Degirmenbasi, head of EMEA for mobile gaming at TikTok, and John Wright, head of publishing at Kwalee.

In this episode, you’ll discover what Q5 is and why it's crucial for game marketers and learn detailed strategies for leveraging TikTok's LiveOps tools to extend your game's lifecycle, increase user engagement, and maximize revenue

00:00 Introduction

00:56 Understanding Q5: The Invisible Quarter

06:10 LiveOps Strategies and Definitions

11:27 TikTok's Role in LiveOps Success

16:24 TikTok's LiveOps Program Explained

21:56 Creative Strategies for LiveOps

27:55 The Need for Differentiation

29:34 Reviving Older Games with TikTok

36:56 Success Metrics for LiveOps Campaigns

46:54 Final Thoughts and Advice for Developers

51:02 Culturalization in LiveOps

54:35 Conclusion and Community Engagement

HYBRIDCASUAL PLAYBOOK: metahybridcasualplaybook.splashthat.com 

In this podcast episode, Michail Katkoff hosts Manish Gajria, Director of Product from Meta, and Ryan Davies, Head of Performance Marketing from Kwalee to discuss the current trends in the mobile gaming market, focusing on value optimization, hybrid casual games, and the impact of AI on user acquisition strategies.

They explore the challenges of measurement and attribution in a changing landscape, and the importance of creative strategies, and share success stories from the industry. The conversation highlights the evolving nature of gaming marketing and the tools that Meta is developing to support advertisers in achieving better outcomes.

Chapters0:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

01:46 Meet the Guests: Manish Kashria and Ryan Davis

02:19 Current Trends in Mobile Gaming

04:15 Value Optimization in User Acquisition

07:24 Challenges and Strategies in Gaming Marketing

17:37 Hybrid Casual Games: The New Frontier

33:19 Success Stories and Case Studies

34:54 Gaming Apps and Value Optimization

36:17 Subscription Apps and Value Optimization

38:14 The Role of UA Managers and Automation

44:53 Combining Optimization Techniques

48:24 AI in User Acquisition

57:16 Measurement and Attribution Challenges0

1:04:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

After Kress released the rockets at large VCs last week the crew gets back into heated venture capital discussions exploring the complexities of VC investments in gaming and the shifting landscape of game development and funding.

The conversation also touches on the potential leadership changes at EA, the implications of recent acquisitions in the gaming industry, and the performance of companies like Roblox. The discussion highlights the strategic moves by companies like MTG and Take-Two, as well as the challenges and opportunities in the current market landscape.

Hosts: Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Phillip Black, Jen Donahoe

Content:

06:41 Corrections and Clarifications

10:22 VC Investments in Gaming

22:04 Crunchyroll and Meta Updates

24:59 EA and Disney Rumors

27:20 Wall Street's Favorite CEOs

30:18 MTG's Strategic Acquisitions

31:46 Plarium's Surprising Valuation

37:51 Take-Two's Divestments and Chartboost Sale

43:51 Roblox's Impressive Growth

49:55 Dream's New Puzzle RPG

56:00 Conclusion and Upcoming Topics

Keywords: game industry, venture capital, Crunchyroll, mobile gaming, EA leadership, gaming news, game funding, gaming trends, gaming investments, acquisitions, MTG, Plarium, Take-Two, Roblox,

Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto, and Eric Kress live from GamesForum San Francisco.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview

01:29 Panelist Intros

05:53 First Topic: Unfiltered Growth and Monetization

12:50 Incentivized Advertising: Past and Present

17:59 Challenges and Future of Incentivized Ads

27:27 Expanding Beyond Gaming: Brand Collaborations

32:15 Exploring Roblox's Integration with Shopify

32:52 The Shift in Game Design and Monetization

35:29 Surviving in 2025

36:12 Mobile and Console Gaming's Existential Crisis

37:55 Opportunities and Challenges in Mobile Gaming

39:00 The Role of Small Studios in the Gaming Market

44:11 Netflix's Foray into Gaming

50:57 Challenges in Game Discovery and Engagement

59:42 The Future of Gaming and AI in Marketing

01:00:05 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

Eric roleplays as his Old Man Yells at Cloud Halloween costume, sparing no expense at Netflix’s strange announcement and an ugly breakdown of modern venture capital. Laura tells us if Pokemon’s new mobile game looks more like Go or Masters, while Jen gives a eulogy for Space Ape. Phil raves at Call of Duties monster success and asks Nadella to release the Game Pass tapes.

00:26 Nintendo Switch Earnings Analysis

16:31 Netflix's Interactive Titles and Generative AI

20:49 Supercell Acquires SpaceApe

23:02 Dragon Age and Call of Duty Updates

31:51 Pokemon TCG Mobile: First Impressions

38:50 The Role of VC in Gaming Startups

42:09 Investment Trends and Success Stories

45:22 VC Firm Challenges + The Future of VCs in Gaming

In 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