GameMakers

By Joseph KimLeisure Video Games

GameMakers episodes

August 30, 2023 Why legendary developers are jumping onto Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN)!
Epic's Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) potentially presents a huge new platform rivaling Roblox. Why are some of the most experienced developers in the world like Alex Seropian (founder of Bungie and Industrial Toys/EA) and Pete Hawley (100 Thieves) so excited by UEFN? What does a former Roblox developer, Arthur Trusov, think about the platform especially in comparison to Roblox?
Find out now!
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
1:45 Why UEFN? How big is this opportunity?
8:30 Leaving Roblox and comparing Roblox to UEFN as a dev platform
11:35 Technical limitations of UEFN
12:50 Veterans going creator platforms, young guys going to professional development platforms
13:19 Potential developer economics from UEFN
16:16 Alex on the longer term opportunity with UEFN
17:57 Pete on the difference between console vs. UEFN development, how 100T ties UEFN + AAA dev together
22:00 developing around UEFN’s challenges
24:07 Arthur on how Roblox devs would think about UEFN economics
27:19 What are the good parts of developing on UEFN vs. Roblox
31:30 What improvements to UEFN should Epic work on next?
37:37 Did UEFN launch too early?
40:34 What is keeping Roblox devs to jump to UEFN?
43:05 Future predictions for UEFN
48:07 Team sizes and time for UEFN games
50:18 Company intros and final message
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Pete Hawley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petehawley/
- Alex Seropian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander...
- Arthur Trusov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurtru...
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —
• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1
• TWITTER → @jokim1
• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
— POPULAR CONTENT —
🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney    • Economy of the Metaverse | Fortnite C...
ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies    • Building the Amazon of Game Companies...
🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021    • Mobile Gaming Trends in 2021 | Joe Ki...
🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming    • Future of PC Gaming | David Brevik, S...
🔴 Games Industry M&A    • Games Industry M&A: Keys to Success w...
🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games    • Netcode for Multiplayer Games | Glenn...
🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact    • Apple IDFA Deprecation: Product & Too...
🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score    • Trip Hawkins | The New High Score (Pa...
🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices    • LiveOps - F2P Sales Best Practices 2020
54 min
August 22, 2023 Mobile UA Landscape Impact on Gaming Companies (Pixels & Profits #7) ft. Matej Lancaric
IDFA deprecation and the end of fingerprinting *in theory* would end targeting and the ability to do user acquisition as well as in the past. What is the current state of the market and what will the impact of new changes - meaning the end of fingerprinting - have on mobile game companies?We talk to Matej Lancaric, mobile user acquisition specialist and podcast host on 2 and a half gamers for his take on what is going to happen.
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
2:00 History of UA spend
3:00 UA spend data points - growth vs. profitability
6:15 UA terms explanation: Payback period, ROAS, bad modeling, AEO/VO
9:00 Will the end of fingerprinting kill off event optimization?
11:24 Max and why Applovin has a major advantage as an ad network
14:44 Back to the history of UA spend - current day
15:55 Current market comps for UA spend - G5
17:00 Current UA strategies
21:30 Demand vs. supply side explanation
22:50 Applovin vs. Ironsource
24:14 End of fingerprinting: Will changes in UA cause publishers to push games now?
28:28 What is the impact of end of fingerprinting?
29:57 Is Apple’s ad network good for industry?
31:49 How does web shops impact UA?
33:05 Typical UA budgets for new game launches
35:55 What’s driving success for games Matej is pushing?
38:10 Asia gamedev strength before the rest of the world
39:30 Last words from Matej
👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Matej Lancaric: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matejlancaric/, www.lancaric.me- Matthew Kanterman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-kanterman-cfa-b6345133/- Joseph Kim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/- Brian Peganoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-peganoff/
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —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
42 min
August 01, 2023 Take-Two Interactive Financial Deep Dive (Pixels & Profits #6) ft. Eric Kress
The Pixel bros are joined by Eric Kress from the Deconstructor of Fun podcast to talk everything Take-Two Interactive!
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
2:45 Take-Two Fundamentals
6:25 The $5.5B to $8B guidance in bookings
7:12 What could be driving $8B in bookings
10:30 Comparing King acquisition vs. Zynga
13:07 Rockstar and 2K Overview
15:38 Kress’ take on T2 business
20:57 Zynga Overview
23:15 Eric: Why Zynga was the worst acquisition ever
29:50 Why some investors ignore T2 longer-term risk
30:40 Bull case for T2
31:38 Why GTA6 will not sell as much as GTA5
32:48 The PC case for GTA6
33:38 Product portfolio strategy discussion: broad vs. focused
37:49 Overall outlook
38:25 T2 acquisition scenarios
40:25 Growth opportunities
46:52 Why did T2 buy Zynga and what are the ramifications?
53:37 Conclusions
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Eric Kress: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serkantoto/
- Matthew Kanterman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-kanterman-cfa-b6345133/
- Joseph Kim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
- Brian Peganoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-peganoff/
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/
— 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
58 min
July 24, 2023 Rise of the White Tiger | Life, Entrepreneurship, and Rise of India & Opportunity ft. Mukul Deora
Mukul Deora is a modern-day Renaissance man. He has found success in business, music, movies (as the producer for The White Tiger), and today he's tackling tech entrepreneurship in social media.
The White Tiger movie encapsulates many of my personal beliefs and aspirations of what people are capable of if they change their mindset and are given the opportunity.
In this discussion with Mukul, we discuss: #1. Living a life well-lived, #2. Mukul's journey and how he's found success in diverse areas, and #3. the future of opportunity for India.
Definitely check out this conversation and let us know what you think!
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
0:55 What does it mean to live a life well lived?
1:20 The concept of the rooster coop
2:30 JK’s interpretation of a life well lived: an interesting story and achieving potential/meaning
4:37 The story that we tell ourselves
5:49 Interpreting the rooster coop
8:10 Learn about yourself by doing
10:10 How does Mukul value his life?
11:52 Mukul’s religious views
13:40 Not living with regret
15:10 How has Mukul been successful in many different industries
22:55 Summarizing Mukul’s entrepreneurial lessons
26:35 Being an “unreasonable man” and persisting in making The White Tiger movie
32:00 Being a dreamer that persists and succeeds vs. just dreaming
38:15 The Rise of The White Tiger: The future of opportunity in India
40:45 Opportunity lies with the yellow skin man and the brown skin man
46:25 Rich men are born with opportunities they can waste
52:10 JK’s thesis behind India based on Nvidia’s success
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Mukul Deora on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mukul-deora-8234bbb6/
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —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
56 min
July 18, 2023 Game Startups & Life | 3x3 ft. Mishka Katkoff at Deconstructor of Fun
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
1:13 3x3 format explanation
2:40 To JK: How to balance work and family between SF and Bangalore?
11:00 How do you evaluate sacrifice to the potential gain?
15:06 To Mishka: Thoughts on entrepreneurial journey. Biggest highlight and lowlight?
30:00 To JK: What has been the hardest part of your journey? What did you not expect?
43:55 To Mishka: What has been your biggest lesson learned? What would you do over if you could?
1:02:36 To JK: What is your why, and what are your personal values?
1:09:55 To Mishka: What’s next for you? Would you consider doing another game studio?
1:18:16 Closing
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Mishka Katkoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/
1 hr 17 min
July 17, 2023 How Hit Games Use Persona Analysis! | Experience from Eve Online and Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes
How do hit games use persona analysis to optimize feature design, do product validation, live ops, etc.
Josh Rivers used data-oriented persona analysis while working on Eve Online at CCP.
Nick Reinhart used persona analysis on Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes.
Even if you prefer other methodologies, the persona analysis using the data-oriented approach by Josh and Nick should at least be understood by F2P game developers.
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
1:23 Definition of personas
5:57 Examples of persona types
13:47 Example of behaviors
17:56 Applications of personas in game development
29:18 Using data for personas before game launch/user data
34:45 How impactful is the use of personas for the success of games?
40:05 Thoughts on the use of personas conceptually rather than through data
43:40 Validating personas through data
50:33 Persona discovery through clustering of behaviors
54:13 Breakdown of a persona-based study for a game
1:05:43 How to optimize monetization based on personas?
1:11:00 Last words and contact info
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Josh Rivers, former Head of UX Research at Solsten (currently Senior User Reearcher at Netease): https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-rivers/
- Nick Reinhart, Game Director at EA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-reinhart-a32821b/
😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —
• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1
• TWITTER → @jokim1
• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
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
— 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
1 hr 13 min
July 09, 2023 What If? Nintendo Smartphone? Who can make a great gaming smartphone? | Pixels & Profits #4 (Part 2 of 3)
Does a gaming smartphone make sense? Can a gaming publisher or other company launch a successful phone that competes with iPhone or Android phones?
What do you think?
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
2:30 Existing gaming smartphones
3:01 Argument for a Nintendo smartphone
9:15 Argument for a Tesla smartphone
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Pixels & Profits Play List: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQNQpqdo6_6ERZd901Sdxo9bnSqCmXo2d
- Matthew Kanterman, Director of Research Roundhill Investments: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-kanterman-cfa-b6345133/
- Joseph Kim, CEO Lila Games: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
- Brian Peganoff, Founder Timber Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-peganoff/
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —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
13 min
July 09, 2023 What If? Microsoft Carved Out Xbox Business | Pixels & Profits #4 (Part 1 of 3)
Welcome, everyone; this week, we are doing a new format called What If? We want to speculate on several scenarios and evaluate the pros and cons and potential strategic and financial implications based on these hypothetical scenarios.
In this episode, we discuss the potential and hypothesize the impact of an Xbox console business carve-out from Microsoft
We recorded this episode in 3 parts:
#1. Xbox carve-out
#2. Gaming smartphone
#3. M&A scenarios
Stay tuned for future episodes!
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
0:57 Console economics from Microsoft disclosures
9:30 Xbox unitary economics
12:15 Positive trends for Xbox business
13:10 Attractiveness of Xbox business
16:00 Leadership for Xbox business
20:26 Should Gamepass and Xbox be together?
24:48 Xbox viability of carve-out and business valuation
33:55 Potential acquirers for Xbox business
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —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
39 min
July 06, 2023 GameDev Story: Brewed Games builds a Souls-like Action RPG game Winds of Arcana for PC
I spoke with Brewed Games, an 8-person indie PC game dev studio based in Bangalore, India, making a souls-like action RPG game.
We cover their origin story, challenges, and future opportunity. Check it out!
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Brewed Games: https://www.brewedgames.com/
52 min
June 26, 2023 Feedback & Performance Evaluation | ft. Ben Carcich & Aaron Smith from Building Better Games
Feedback and performance evaluation for employees is one of a company's most challenging, political, and sensitive topics.
However, without this practice done well, it will be tough to hold performance standards or see improvement in a team or company.
I would argue that if you are not doing this well, your team/company is doomed over the long term.
I discuss with industry experts and ex-Riot production leaders Ben Carcich and Aaron Smith from Valarin who are some of the most thoughtful and deep thinkers on leadership, production, and best practices.
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
3:50 Why feedback and performance evaluation is so bad at companies, toxic kindness
10:16 How to flip the script on feedback, why feedback is viewed negatively
14:45 Misunderstanding of psychological safety
19:40 Formal systems vs. informal systems
27:00 What did you say when you told them?
30:15 Why informal systems are more effective
30:45 How to optimize feedback delivery, shit sandwich and Impact model
40:00 How to proactively prevent having to give feedback, importance of setting expectations
45:44 Reducing feedback because feedback is overhead
48:40 Some people just can’t give feedback
53:18 Techniques to train people to give feedback - this takes time!
56:45 Time + risk of training someone to give feedback, are you creating a team-wide problem?
57:17 Performance evaluation
58:15 Importance of performance evaluation and how it can be counter-productive
1:00:40 Thinking about performance evaluation from foundational objectives
1:07:00 How to setup a performance evaluation system for your company
1:12:00 Different types of performance evaluation systems: Skills vs. performance targets vs. OKRs vs. stack ranking
1:28:58 Start, Stop, Continue
1:31:40 How to keep performance evaluation systems uniform
1:46:10 Final words of advice and contacting Ben and Aaron
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Building Better Games: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/
- Building Better Games podcast: https://pod.link/1559448378
- Ben Carcich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-...
- Aaron Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doublearo...
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —
• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1
• TWITTER → @jokim1
• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
— POPULAR CONTENT —
🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney    • Economy of the Me...
ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies    • Building the Amaz...
🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021    • Mobile Gaming Tre...
🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming    • Future of PC Gami...
🔴 Games Industry M&A    • Games Industry M&...
🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games    • Netcode for Multi...
🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact    • Apple IDFA Deprec...
🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score    • Trip Hawkins | Th...
🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices    • LiveOps - F2P Sal...
1 hr 49 min

About GameMakers

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The GameMakers podcast publishes current, entertaining, and in-depth discussions on F2P game development. Topics that we cover include the business of games, F2P monetization, liveops, game design,…