This week I share thoughts from my years in game development about why teams often struggle with addressing their most critical problems.

I discussed this with Ben Carcich in a pod I published a couple of weeks back: the "Building Better Games" episode.

Some questions came up and I wanted to try something new, a bit of a rant on this topic.

Is it lame? Is it useful? Let's try it and find out.

Dive deep into Battle Pass design with industry experts discussing Overwatch 2's approach, player psychology, and monetization strategies. Learn essential insights about progression systems, player choice, and value perception from game developer Ted Park and former Riot meta-systems expert Chris Cobb, hosted by Joseph Kim of Lila Games.Content Overview0:00 - Introduction and Battle Pass Overview3:35 - Hero-Based Games: The Main Character Problem7:20 - Battle Pass Progression and Grindiness13:15 - Value Perception and Premium Options18:40 - Customization vs Production Realities24:10 - Battle Pass Currency and Mythic Rewards System31:25 - Loot Boxes: Their Surprise Return38:15 - IP Integration and Themed Content43:50 - Ideal Battle Pass Design: Expert Recommendations52:15 - Conclusion and Key TakeawaysSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

In an industry where development costs have skyrocketed, and market success has become increasingly challenging, understanding the true drivers of successful game development has never been more crucial.

In this discussion with Ben Carcich from Building Better Games, we highlight the counter-intuitive patterns of success and practical frameworks for modern game development leadership.Key Focus Areas:

🔑 Why the most successful games often emerge from the most visibly challenging development processes

🔑 How premature scaling and uncertainty avoidance doom projects before launch

🔑 Critical success patterns observed across AAA and indie studios

🔑 Practical approaches to balancing creative vision, technical execution, and business reality

Listen to this episode for actionable insights that challenge conventional wisdom about building successful games in 2024.OUTLINE:0:00 Intro1:45 How costs impact game success6:05 Other major problems with game success10:30 Zero sum time problem and the rise of live operated games11:40 Success from China and small devs12:30 Importance of delivering on a player experience14:35 The Alignment problem15:24 Fighting to expand the percentage of new game time18:25 How bigger production cost impacts decision making20:15 Major production problems - comfort with uncertainty24:35 Fear and pride25:55 Game projects with big problems succeed more often29:40 Pride and Insecurity31:52 The rush to production39:45 Obsession with planning42:20 Importance of development speed44:25 What derails planning: the wrong person and bad decisions47:09 The problem with the creative auteur49:52 Decision analysis vs. prioritization54:15 Scope creep: The ooh ooh ooh idea problem1:00:50 Taking lessons from the military and football1:04:52 Why do great lessons come from military and sports1:13:42 The problem with big plans1:14:37 Why you shouldn’t “always have an answer”1:19:00 The #1 rule: common sense rules1:22:34 How to find time to think deeply1:24:43 You don’t need to solve every problem1:30:02 How to think about long-term issues1:37:12 What are characteristics from successful game studios1:58:12 You should push when you’re young2:01:01 More about Building Better Games consultancy👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Building Better Games: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/- Ben Carcich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

Join gaming industry veterans as they break down the unprecedented transformation of mobile 4X games. Featuring insights from Joseph Kim (Lila Games), Justin Yau (Wharton MBA), UA specialist Matej Lancaric (2.5 Gamers) and game design specialist Jakub Remiar (2.5 Gamers) on how Chinese gaming companies are achieving $8M+ daily revenue through innovative UA strategies and product design.

Key Topics:

🔑 Evolution of 4X game design

🔑 UA innovation and AI creative production

🔑 Server economics and monetization strategies

🔑 Future industry predictions

⏰ Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction and Speaker Backgrounds

3:09 First Fun/River Game Partnership History

8:05 Modern 4X Game Economics

15:20 UA Strategy Evolution

23:45 Creative Production at Scale

31:30 AI's Role in UA Innovation

38:15 Product Design Integration

45:40 Server Management Strategies

52:30 Future of 4X Gaming

57:15 Non-Consensus Predictions

🔍 Featured Experts:

Joseph Kim (CEO, Lila Games)

Justin Yau (Industry Analyst, Wharton)

Matej Lancaric (UA Specialist)

Jakub Remiar (Game Design Consultant)

💡 Additional Resources:

Previous Matej +: JK Collaboration Podcast on 4X UA Strategy: https://youtu.be/IvRjmGvWhdQ

Dissecting Best-Selling Mobile 4X Game Metrics by Ning Wang: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dissecting-best-selling-mobile-4x-game-metrics-ning-wang-vk1pc/

Join the GameMakers newsletter for more industry insights and discussions: Newsletter: www.gamemakers.com

#MobileGaming #GameDev #UserAcquisition #4XGames #GameStrategy

Learn the insider strategies from industry legends Frank Yan (Brawl Stars), Dafna Ben Onn (SciPlay), and Ivan Trancik (Superscale) on mastering mobile game operations!

📍 Timestamps:

🔑 Key Insights:

💡 Perfect for:

Leading mobile gaming experts break down everything you need to know about Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) in 2025. Get insider perspectives from AppsFlyer, Wildcard Games, and industry veterans on when to use MMPs, how much they really cost, and where the industry is heading. Perfect for mobile game developers, UA managers, and studio executives looking to optimize their marketing strategy and understand the evolving role of MMPs in today's privacy-first environment.

Join us as we explore the future of user-generated content (UGC) in gaming with Playmakers, diving into why community-created content converts 30% better than studio content and how AI fits into the UGC ecosystem. Essential insights for game developers looking to scale content creation through community engagement. #GameDev #UGC #gaming Co-hosted with Anton Bernstein, CEO at Pocket Worlds.

The gaming industry experienced seismic shifts in 2024, from record-breaking layoffs to China's rising dominance. In this comprehensive analysis, we break down the five key developments that shaped gaming in 2024 and what they mean for 2025.

We discuss the impact, economics, and advantages of mobile web stores in a deep discussion with Gil Tov-ly, the CMO of AppCharge, a company that partners with game studios to build optimized web stores.

A deep dive into the most pressing topics in gaming with industry veterans discussing recent developments, challenges, and future outlooks.