Today's focus will be on the F2P game design discipline. How it’s evolved, what does it take to be successful as a game designer, the tools and practice of a F2P game designer, and where does John think the future is headed for F2P game design.

👇 EPISODE LINKS:  

- PlaySimple Games: https://playsimple.in/

- John Kelly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kelly-99b3966/ 

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I interview Matthew Emery aka "The Games Consultant" about what it means to build a F2P liveops "Playbook."  

Listen to this Q&A between me and Matt!  

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- Don't miss an episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GameMakersStudio 

OUTLINE: 

0:00 Intro 

1:01 Matt's 19-Year Background & Current Business 

2:24 High-Level Framework for Thinking About LiveOps: How to Survive?

12:57 Coming Up With Improvement Initiatives 

15:39 How to Gauge Initiative Impact Through Multi-Variate/Split Testing? Stat-sig or Not? 

19:00 New Game Dev vs. Live Operated Games 

21:50 What Should a Live-ops "Playbook" Include? 

27:12 Biggest Mistakes & Learnings from Matt's Experience 

30:10 Recommendations on Critical Best Practices / High ROI Areas 

33:48 Why Aggressiveness is Critical in Multivariate Testing? 

37:38 Final Recommendations - Need to Understand UA, Why CPI Goes Up?  

👇 EPISODE LINKS:  

- Matt Emery: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewemery/

- IAP Merchandising Playbook #1| Special Offers that Sizzle: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/iap-merchandising-playbook-part-1-special-offers-matthew/

- IAP Merchandising Playbook #2| Visual Hierarchy: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/iap-merchandising-playbook-part-2-visual-hierarchy-matthew/

- IAP Merchandising Playbook #3| MVP Store Design: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/iap-merchandising-playbook-part-3-mvp-store-design-matthew/?trackingId=vtcxmGEzQWK04H3PDuD2lw%3D%3D 

😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —  

• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 

• TWITTER      → @jokim1 

• LINKEDIN      → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

Drew Levin is currently Director of Product at Riot Games and before that a Director of Product Management at Zynga.  

Zynga vs. Riot: two companies with wildly different approaches to game development, decision-making, and a culture of debate and discussion. Even more, Drew worked as a political campaign manager before game development.  

I believe Drew is uniquely experienced in speaking very deeply about different cultures and approaches to having constructive debates within a corporate context.  However, more broadly, in our talk today, we discuss the following:     

- #1. The problem at many companies focused on winning vs. discussion and seeking truth     

- #2. Impact of company culture      

- #3. Specific techniques to facilitate more constructive discussions     

- #4. Ideas and ways in which we can improve discussions

👇 EPISODE LINKS:  

- Drew Levin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-levin-7a225626/

- Adam Grant, "How to Argue about Abortion": https://adamgrant.bulletin.com/how-to-argue-about-abortion/

- Paul Saffo on Strong Opinions, Weakly Held: https://www.saffo.com/02008/07/26/strong-opinions-weakly-held/

- AORs by Asana: https://wavelength.asana.com/workstyle-aors/ 

SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: 

- Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/34hfOtv

- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i

- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

- Don't miss an episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GameMakersStudio

Get the data and read the more in-depth take here: https://gamemakers.substack.com/p/will-dislyte-be-liliths-next-big

We talk about Lilith Games' latest mobile game: Dislyte. It's a "team battle" (game sub-genre) based mobile game that started strong but has recently slowed down. What are the chances of success?  

We bring on two experts who recently covered Dislyte 

#1. Harshal Karvande, Lead Game Designer at Rovio & Naavik Pro Contributor who wrote a deconstruction report on Dislyte and 

#2. Teemu Palomaki, Chief Game Analyst at GameRefinery who recently hosted a webinar on Dislyte. 

Finally, I asked Junde Yu from data.ai to show us the data associated with the game.  

OUTLINE: 

0:00 Intro 

1:33 Dislyte Data Report 

9:19 Performance Drivers 

21:12 IP & Other Risks  

29:02 Lilith Games Backstory  

33:24 Tech & Battle Mechanics 

38:42 PVE vs. PVP 

44:38 Longer Term Outlook 

50:00 Future Expectations   

😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —  

• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 

• TWITTER      → @jokim1 

• LINKEDIN      → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

Coming off of one of the toughest months in my career, I reflect on how lucky I am to be faced with problems. It's only through problems and major challenges that you can learn how to get better. Adversity, therefore, is a gift!  As Ray Dalio wrote in Principles: Pain + Reflection = Progress  It's tough, but I hope you realize as I have that we are fortunate to have the challenges we face.   

SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: 

- Apple Podcast:

https://apple.co/34hfOtv

- Spotify Podcast:

https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i

- Newsletter:

https://gamemakers.substack.com/

- Don't miss an episode on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/c/GameMakersS...

😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —  • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 • TWITTER      → @jokim1 • LINKEDIN      →

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

— POPULAR CONTENT — 🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney

https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw

ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies

https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I

🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021

https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI

🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming

https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s

🔴 Games Industry M&A

https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs

🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games

https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw

🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact

https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso

🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score

https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA

🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices

https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

Oh damn, I actually made another Vlog. Well, today I talk about the importance of discipline, drive, and details in execution and achieving successful outcomes. Further, I talk about how mental strength magnifies the 3Ds and how you can train for mental strength like a muscle.

SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:

- Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/34hfOtv

- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i

- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

- Don't miss an episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GameMakersStudio 😃

—CONNECT WITH ME! —

• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1

• TWITTER      → @jokim1

• LINKEDIN      → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

— POPULAR CONTENT —

🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney

https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw

ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies

https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I

🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021

https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI

🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming

https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s

🔴 Games Industry M&A

https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs

🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games

https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw

🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact

https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso

🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score

https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA

🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices

https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

Oliver Jones is an OG game maker in India having worked at 2 of India's biggest companies like Zynga and co-founded Moonfrog (sold to Stillfront for $100M). He has now co-founded a new games studio called Bombay Play focusing on a new breed of games called "hyper social" games.   

Why did Oli come to India in the first place? How were companies like Zynga and Moonfrog like during the early days? How has the Indian game dev ecosystem evolved over the years? How and why did he found Bombay Play? And, what are hyper social games?  

Find out RIGHT NOW!

SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:

- Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/34hfOtv

- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i

- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

- Don't miss an episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GameMakersStudio 😃

—CONNECT WITH ME! —

• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1

• TWITTER      → @jokim1

• LINKEDIN      → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

— POPULAR CONTENT —

🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney

https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw

ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies

https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I

🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021

https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI

🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming

https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s

🔴 Games Industry M&A

https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs

🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games

https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw

🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact

https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso

🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score

https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA

🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices

https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

Are you a workaholic grinder like me? Well, it finally got the best of me and totally jacked up my back and face. Health is critical! I talk about a big problem, trying to fix my health, and the results of my plan to get better in this video.

SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:

- Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/34hfOtv

- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i

- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

- Don't miss an episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GameMakersStudio 😃

—CONNECT WITH ME! —

• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1

• TWITTER      → @jokim1

• LINKEDIN      → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

— POPULAR CONTENT —

🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney

https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw

ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies

https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I

🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021

https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI

🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming

https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s

🔴 Games Industry M&A

https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs

🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games

https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw

🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact

https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso

🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score

https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA

🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices

https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

Today I speak to Seb Park regarding how startups should incorporate "Bayesian Thinking" into their strategic decision-making process. This means how to incorporate new information for a startup best and how to use that to gain a massive competitive advantage.  

SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:

- Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/34hfOtv

- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i

- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

- Don't miss an episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GameMakersStudio 😃

—CONNECT WITH ME! —

• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1

• TWITTER      → @jokim1

• LINKEDIN      → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

— POPULAR CONTENT —

🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney

https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw

ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies

https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I

🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021

https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI

🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming

https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s

🔴 Games Industry M&A

https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs

🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games

https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw

🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact

https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso

🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score

https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA

🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices

https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY