Deconstructor of Fun

Tune in for a captivating exploration of AI's impact on the gaming industry with Pieter Kooyman, CEO and Founder of Half Moon Studios.

Let's not mess around. You're here to hate listen as we dissect the PR firestorm coming out of Unity this week. We know it. You know it. Let's get into it!

We dive deep into the ever-evolving world of gaming, exploring the latest trends, successes, and challenges in the global gaming market.

We start by dissecting the landscape of mobile, PC, and console gaming. Tackle the question of what's working in the gaming industry, dissecting the impact of AI, the rise of handheld consoles, the promise of transmedia experiences, and the growth of cloud gaming services.

We also examine what's not working. Delving into Web3, the slow adoption of VR and AR, and the intricacies of the esports scene.

This episode provides valuable insights into key trends that we in the industry should keep an eye on. This includes geographic shifts in gaming popularity, macroeconomic influences on the industry, and the ever-evolving technology landscape, which continues to shape the future of gaming.

This week, Ethan sits down with Kayla Kinnunen, Executive Producer for the Minecraft Creator Platform. She explains how the platform empowers Minecraft creators to craft amazing content and share it with millions of players around the world. To date, Minecraft Creators have earned payouts of over $500 million crafting content for the worldwide sensation's still massive audience of over 140 MAU. We also learn some expert tips on managing expectations for such a devoted community, and how the Creator Platform team uses long periods of early access and developer participation to ensure new features deliver delight.

In this podcast episode, we dive into the remarkable success of the Nintendo Switch and what lies ahead for Nintendo. The Switch has surpassed Wii's total US sales and is closely trailing the Xbox 360 and PS2 in worldwide sales. We explore why it has thrived, including its handheld/console hybrid design, an impressive lineup of first-party games, broad demographic appeal, and Nintendo's strong brand loyalty.

However, the Switch does have its limitations, such as its outdated hardware, lackluster performance with third-party games, underwhelming online features, and a disorganized store interface.

Looking to the future, there's speculation about the next Nintendo Switch, expected sometime in 2024.

It's anticipated to follow an incremental upgrade model, offering processor power, storage, screen quality, and connectivity improvements. Despite its potential, it may still fall short compared to current-gen consoles.

Join us as we dissect the past, present, and future of Nintendo's beloved gaming platform.

In this power-packed episode, Joe Schaeppi shares his secrets of success for business leaders, founders, and innovators. From mastering board meetings to becoming the ultimate hub for innovators, building cultural diversity, nurturing empathy, and cracking the code on tricky interviews, this episode is a goldmine of invaluable insights to sharpen your entrepreneurial skills and propel your company to greater heights.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned founder, tune in to level up your game!

We have a full house! Phil and Mishka are back from Gamescom reminiscing their flourishing bromance causing Kress to gag (he’s just jealous). We talk about the recently announced slate of games. Jen and Laura debate Netflix Stories. And we summarize the latest market insight report from Data.ai.

Link > Helsinki VIP Happy Hour

A $55M seed round for a mobile gaming company sounds like a mistake until you talk to Rina Onar, the CEO of the company that raised it.

Rina is the co-founder of Peak Games, which sold to Zynga for nearly 2 billion Dollars. But instead of taking it easy after 13 grueling years growing Turkey's first unicorn games company, Rina hopped back on the grind mobile with her ex-Peak co-founders and is now steering Spyke Games as a CEO.

In this episode, we talk about the unique characteristics of Turkish gaming companies, how to enter mature categories successfully, what it takes to build a winning culture, and of course - how to raise monster seed rounds.

thanks to our sponsors: Hereic Labs, Xsolla, AppsFlyer, Data.ai

With Mishka and Phil living it up with all our lovely listeners at Gamescom, and Ethan to busy building to play pundit this week, it's everyone's three favorite hosts - Kress, Jen and Laura - holding down the fort without any deadweight dragging them down :) This week the crew goes deep on cozy games following the successful beta for cozy MMO Palia as well as discussing Gossip Harbor and the latest trends in the Merge game genre.

Brett Nowak, founder of insights platform Liquid & Grit joins the podcast to answer and ask three questions with Mishka Katkoff.