Deconstructor of Fun

Kress bites back at Cupcake listeners, while Adam thinks a Space Marine live service is as dead as the Necrons. Phil thinks MoPoGo is groundbreaking, but no one is surfing the waves yet. Laura tells us the real origin story, and Jen has her best Italian accent.

00:00 Intro

01:49 Shills

02:46 AI in Gaming

07:16 EA Strategy

09:28 Adam & Laura: Origins

18:32 Industry Trends and Predictions

31:28 Favorite Podcast Moments

36:36 GDC Memories and Parasocial Relationships

37:55 Nintendo vs. Palworld Legal Battle

40:45 Dreamhaven's First Publishing Partnership

42:57 Microsoft's Game Pass Spending

44:27 Everdale's End and Brawl Stars' Rise

46:40 Space Marine 2's Success

49:10 Raid Shadow Legends' Impressive Run

50:42 Playtika's Acquisition of Superplay

53:17 Monopoly Go: A Social Casino Debate

59:07 Future of IP in Mobile Gaming

Mishka Katkoff chats with Sebastian Forsström, Head of Paradox ARC, to explore the world of indie game publishing at Paradox Interactive. Sebastian provides an overview of Paradox Interactive and dives into the role of Paradox ARC, a division dedicated to helping indie developers.

They discuss how Paradox evaluates and develops games, the importance of sustained user engagement, and effective marketing strategies. Sebastian also shares insights on publishing deals, revenue sharing, co-publishing agreements, and the critical role of DLCs in player retention. 

01:08 Sebastian's Intro
02:46 Paradox Interactive
05:23 Paradox Arc
11:35 Game Evaluation and Development
18:13 Sustained User Base + Marketing
23:44 Paradox Arc Deep Dive
34:09 Publishing Deals and Development Fees
38:26 Co-Publishing Agreements + Revenue Sharing
42:49 Marketing and Release Strategies
48:57 The Role of DLCs in Player Retention
53:27 Trends in the Indie Game Industry
59:39 Advice for Indie Developers
01:04:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The crew gets together to talk about the past and the future of This Week in Game show in this special 300th episode.

But it wouldn’t be a TWIG without a bit of news. Kress gets triggered by EA’s AI + UGC + Apps presentation. And we all wonder what happened to Spectre Divide - a highly anticipated shooter from a top team that seems to have missed its mark.

In this episode of the terrific trio: Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto, and Adam Telfer dive into product strategy and market insights, highlighting how developers are differentiating themselves in a saturated market.

The three also discuss Apple’s September event, analyze the PlayStation 5 Pro, analyze Sony’s broader strategy, and look at Roblox’s ambitious goals for expansion and its push to lead in user-generated content.

00:00 Introductions

04:05 Heroic Labs 2 Mil User Milestone

04:45 Apple's September Event

06:38 PlayStation 5 Launch

10:55 Layoffs & Closures

13:57 Sony

16:45 Top Games by Revenue in North America

24:01 Product Strategy & Market Insights

28:49 Differentiation in Gaming

33:44 GameDev & Marketing Challenges

40:48 Roblox's Ambitious Goals

Join host Jen Donahoe for an in-depth discussion on venture capital funding in the gaming industry with experts from Transcend Fund, Sisu Game Ventures, and PlayVentures.

The panel covers key topics including how VCs work, investment processes, team equity structures, board dynamics, and the unique challenges and opportunities within different gaming platforms.

Learn what gaming VCs are looking for and get insights directly from industry professionals who help shape the future of gaming startups.

00:00 Ad0

1:06 Panel Introduction and Topic Overview

02:59 Meet the Experts: Sikandar

04:48 Meet the Experts: Jere

06:35 Meet the Experts: Anton

10:25 Understanding Venture Capital

15:45 Equity and Cap Table Basics

21:17 Gaming VCs: What They Look For

27:12 Understanding Risk in Business Platforms

27:46 Content and Platform Agnosticism

28:18 Distribution and Growth in Gaming

30:05 Tech Investments in Gaming

31:33 Marketing and User Acquisition

38:42 Investment Pitches and Processes

45:32 The Role of Boards in Startups

54:27 Fund Size and Investment Strategies

58:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Phillip phones it in from Taipei as the team covers the launch of Spectre Divide, Crypto Czar's last hurrah Supercell's potential IPO. Eric Kress dives into Ubisoft’s mismanagement and its effect on company valuation while Adam compares key data insights from NewZoo and Circana. Mishka and Jen talk about influencer marketing trends and shooter game futures.

hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Mishka Katkoff, Adam Telfer and Phillip Black

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Tune in to the episode and figure out if this is a job for you! Dimo Dimov, Vice President of Live Games at Gameloft, shares his 17-year impressive career journey at Gameloft, from QA to VP.

He dives into Gameloft's international growth, his daily responsibilities managing live services for heavy-hitting cross-platform titles like Disney Speedstorm and Asphalt 9, and the shifts in LiveOps over the years.

Dimo also discusses the integration of marketing with game teams, forecasting, handling crises, and the future of live services with a focus on cross-platform challenges and AI advancements.

Tune in for insightful industry perspectives and lessons from a seasoned professional in game development and operations.

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

03:00 Dimo's Career Journey

05:33 Life as VP of Live Games at Gameloft

07:34 Managing Multiple Teams and Projects

09:42 Empowering Teams and Strategic Planning

15:18 The Evolution of LiveOps at Gameloft

27:39 Marketing and Community Engagement

36:00 Balancing Personal Preferences in Game Development

37:37 Challenges of Managing Live Operations

38:25 Structuring Content and Pipelines

40:37 Team Dynamics and Reporting Structures

50:37 Leveraging AI and Tools in Game Development

56:51 Future Trends in Live Services

01:03:34 Key Learnings and Advice for Game Developers

01:09:48 Exciting Upcoming Projects at Gameloft

The crew is one down as Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, and Mishka Katkoff hop in to knock one off on the road for #300. In this episode, Mishka gives his takeaways from Gamescom. We discuss a conspiracy theory on why Steam is allowed in China and talk about Wukong and Supercell's new CFO. Most importantly, this episode settles the case about Tim Hortons for good.

BIG UP for our supporters!

Heroic Labs, Sensor Tower, AppsFlyer and Xsolla

Order your cup of Tim Hortons super hot for this first all-Canadian episode! The lost-and-found podcast host Adam Telfer delves into the state of the industry with Newzoo's Devan Brennan.

Fresh from another Tim Hortons ribbon cutting in Dubai, Adam Telfer returns to the cast. He’s packing heat, laying down hot takes on The Finals, Once Human, and the colossal capital required to ship single-player games. Meanwhile, Eric drops a margin call on Riot’s transmedia move while Jen rallies in defense. Phil thinks everyone is missing the real Wukong takeaway with a mysterious winner. The group discusses a somber Newzoo report and how single-player games can survive.