Today's guest is Jenny Xu, a long-distance runner, Forbes 30 Under 30, and CEO of Talofa Games.

Jenny breaks down her wild journey from making 100+ games as a kid to raising $6M and building Monster Walk, a genre-bending fitness RPG. We dig into founder focus, beating overwhelm, fundraising reality, personal identity, creative intuition, and the life moments that shaped her.

If you’re building games, raising money, or trying to stay disciplined as a founder, this episode is for you.

Connect with Jenny:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xujennyc/Monster walk: https://linktr.ee/talofa

Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokouInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokouGet exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at thegamingplaybook.com

Chapters:00:00 Intro03:14 How Jenny started making games at 12 (anime, Pokémon, Flash)05:25 Paying for college with mobile games07:24 Edgy genres, horror dating sims, and internet anonymity10:29 How to make streamers pick up your game (real strategy)13:41 Building Talofa: combining fitness + games15:15 Monster Walk deep dive: world, mechanics, steps16:48 Behaviour change through game design18:22 Mission-driven recruiting & team motivation19:27 Fundraising reality: insecurity, desperation, and losing confidence21:53 The turning point: pitching from personal truth24:56 Why she taught fitness every single day for 3 years27:16 Jenny's 'almost quit' story & getting into the Niantic contest32:10 “Applying to everything” & creating your own luck36:34 Founder focus: events, burnout, and intentional calendars42:56 Calendar engineering, morning vs. evening energy45:42 Remote work strategies, treadmill calls, and keeping energy up47:45 What she’d do differently when building the first product51:18 Filtering feedback without losing creative vision53:34 The emotional story: surprising her parents with a wedding59:44 Life timing, gratitude, and closing reflections

Today's guest is Simon Sundén, a veteran of the competitive gaming scene, CEO of Clutch Group, and the operator behind major esports productions like the GeoGuessr World Cup.

We dig into the rise of esports from its origins in South Korea, how livestreaming changed the industry forever, and why most studios misunderstand what esports is actually for. Simon breaks down what makes a game truly competitive, how to evaluate esports potential, and why watchability matters more than most devs realise.

Whether you're a game developer, studio founder, or just obsessed with competitive gaming, this is a masterclass in understanding how esports really works.

Connect with Simon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonsunden/
Company's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clutchgame/

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at thegamingplaybook.com

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
03:03 The origins of esports and the Korean boom
07:43 How streaming transformed competitive gaming
13:14 How esports boosts game retention and monetization
19:06 How GeoGuessr unexpectedly became a successful esports
24:27 How to know if your game is ready for esports
32:51 Why watchability is crucial for streaming and competition
36:30 Could “Peak” become an esports? Simon’s analysis
41:30 What it actually takes to run an esports competition
45:08 Cutting noise, delegating smartly, and staying focused
51:18 Meetings, productivity, and the value of IRL networking
55:14 Essential advice for new studios today
57:16 Community building done right for modern games

Today's guest is Henri Lindgren, a veteran games industry leader, CEO of Kokoon Games, and former head of Lightneer.

We unpack the real side of building and leading game studios, from scaling startups to shutting down companies, rebuilding from scratch, and mastering resilience as a founder. Henri shares insights about leadership, culture, and mental endurance in the turbulent games industry, along with practical strategies for bootstrapping, raising angel investment, and avoiding the VC trap.

Whether you’re a game dev, entrepreneur, or creative leader, this is a masterclass in staying resilient when the grind gets real.

Connect with Henri:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henri-lindgren-9a388b39/Company's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kokoongames/

Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokouInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at thegamingplaybook.com

Chapters:00:00 Intro02:30 Henri’s 16-year journey in gaming and founding Kokoon Games03:44 Why resilience is the most underrated founder skill07:22 The rise and fall of Lightneer: lessons in leadership and culture11:37 Bootstrapping vs VC: how to survive tough markets14:47 Building company culture and values from scratch19:10 Tactical resilience: how to simplify and refocus under pressure22:41 Time blocking, focus, and managing chaos as a founder26:34 Surviving event season and keeping mental reserves31:22 The myth of the solo founder hero33:47 Hiring smart and avoiding premature scaling36:17 CEO loneliness and coping with leadership isolation41:19 Raising angel investment vs VC in 2025’s market45:47 Cap tables, advisory shares, and avoiding equity mistakes49:20 The state of Finland’s games industry and what’s next55:44 Inside Kokoon’s new party game and design inspiration01:02:06 What Henri’s playing right now & closing thoughts

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Hitchcock, co-founder of Other Things Agency, to break down what it really takes to market, launch, and revive games in 2025. From creating game trailers that actually sell, to fixing poor launches and standing out on Steam, this is the conversation every indie developer and studio marketer needs to hear.

Matt shares insights from working on campaigns for Elder Scrolls Online, Squirrel With a Gun, and Cloudheim, revealing how studios can build hype, craft effective trailers, and make their store pages convert. We also dive into hiring in the games industry, what great portfolios look like, and the mistakes job seekers keep making.

If you’re building, marketing, or relaunching a game, this episode will save you time, money, and frustration.

Connect with Matt:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthitch/
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://otherthingsagency.com/

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
03:01 Elder Scrolls Online live-action trailer breakdown
05:13 Why trailers matter for conversion on Steam
08:25 When to start marketing your game
10:30 Working with creators the right way
12:10 Squirrel With a Gun – how to go viral with intent
17:12 The truth about viral formulas in game marketing
19:10 In-engine cinematic capture and authenticity
26:58 Why most indies underinvest in marketing
33:51 What to do if your game isn’t selling
37:12 Key art 101: how visuals sell your game
43:02 When and why to refresh your store art
45:11 Reviving and re-marketing older games
47:15 Continuous marketing done right
50:42 Hiring insights: what makes portfolios stand out
59:05 Common job applicant mistakes
1:02:00 Final advice for devs and creatives

#GameMarketing #IndieDev #GameTrailers #SteamLaunch #GamingIndustry

What does it actually take to build a career in games? In this episode, I sit down with Amir Satvat, Director of Business Development at Tencent and the creator of one of the biggest gaming career communities online. Amir’s helped almost 4,000 people land roles in games, all while juggling a full-time job.

We talk about the real odds of getting into the industry, how he handled 2,000+ job rejections, what it takes to build visibility on LinkedIn, and the personal cost of becoming a public figure.

Whether you’re just starting out or making a career move within games, this conversation dives into how to stay consistent, build systems that last, and turn your passion for games into a long-term career.

Connect with Amir
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirsatvat/
Website: https://amirsatvat.com/

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
 → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net

Chapters:00:00 Intro
01:20 Thanksgiving 2022: How Amir’s journey to help began
03:40 Breaking into games after 2,000 job rejections
05:50 Family, remote work, and finding balance
08:05 Persistence, purpose, and building career momentum
11:50 Showing your passion vs. just saying it
13:40 “I’ve done everything I can” mindset trap
15:40 Networking, visibility, and why no one gets hired by accident
20:25 Building relationships and using mentorship to get feedback
25:05 The hidden job market and how most hiring really happens
28:55 Creation of the Games Jobs Workbook and community
34:20 Lessons from hosting and scaling gaming events
36:20 Productivity, delegation, and avoiding burnout
43:10 Who’s getting hired in games right now (data insights)
45:20 Nepotism, referrals, and why trust drives hiring decisions
49:00 Handling negativity and staying authentic online
55:35 Why criticism doesn’t matter unless it’s from the right people
59:00 Giving back without burning out
01:02:30 Finding non-games work for gamers
01:06:50 Final thoughts and where to connect with Amir

#GameCareers #GamingIndustry #CareerAdvice #AmirSatvat #LinkedInGrowth

Ever wondered why some indie games blow up without “doing any marketing”? And why that idea frustrates real game marketers?

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Pappas, founder of RenGen Marketing and host of Indie Game Movement podcast, to unpack what real marketing looks like for indie studios in 2025. Andrew has worked with countless devs across the world to help them understand how to connect with players, build sustainable studios, and turn creative passion into commercial success.

We talk about why marketing should start at the concept stage, how to identify player pain points before you even prototype, and why so many devs are leaving money on the table by ignoring empathy-driven marketing. Andrew also breaks down how to build trust-based content, choose the right marketing channels for your strengths, and craft systems that actually scale without burning out your team.

This is a practical, no-fluff deep dive into how indie studios can market smarter, connect deeper with players, and build a real business around creativity, not just luck.

Connect with Andrew:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpappas-rengen/
Website: https://www.rengenmarketing.com/
Podcast: https://www.rengenmarketing.com/podcast/100-2/
Newsletter: https://www.rengenmarketing.com/newsletter/

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
 → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:40  Why marketing should start before development
07:20 Demand-based vs solution-based thinking
12:00 Using player pain points to design better games
18:10 The risks of long dev cycles in a fast-changing market
23:00 Marketing strategy vs marketing plan explained
28:40 Why copying other studios’ marketing doesn’t work
34:30 Leading with empathy to connect with players
40:10 How to understand your players without being salesy
46:50 Choosing the right channels for your indie game
51:20 Building a repeatable marketing process
57:00 Measuring resonance instead of raw reach
1:03:20 Understanding your player’s buying journey
1:08:40 Making marketing entertaining and memorable
1:11:30 Andrew’s final advice for indie developers

#IndieGameMarketing #GameDevPodcast #PlayerFirstDesign #SteamMarketing #IndieDevGrowth

Ever wondered how to scale a gaming studio to over 200+ staff without raising a single dollar of VC funding?

In this episode, I sit down with Marcus Holmstrom, Co-Founder and CEO of The Gang, who shares how he built one of the world’s leading Roblox studios, and working with brands like FIFA, Netflix, Amazon, and Wimbledon, while pioneering the rise of UGC gaming.

We talk about how Roblox developers are actually making huge money from their games, what’s driving the UGC boom, and why more traditional studios are starting to take notice. Marcus also breaks down how to build a remote-first team, hire the right people, and create games that find product-market fit fast.

This is a practical, no-fluff deep dive into the business of modern gaming, from bootstrapping to global scale.

Connect with Marcus:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusholmstrom/
Website: https://www.thegang.io/
Press Kit: https://readymag.website/TheGang/Presskit-2025/
Strongman Simulator: https://www.roblox.com/games/6766156863/Strongman-Simulator

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
 → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net

01:10 Intro
03:03 How The Gang was founded
05:44 What Roblox really is (and why it matters)
07:47 Why Grow a Garden became the biggest game ever
09:25 How Roblox games make millions
13:03 Building 40+ games in 5 years
13:44 Working with brands like Netflix, FIFA & Amazon
17:40 From hobby project to 300+ employees
20:37 Why full-time staff beat contractors
22:50 Running remote-first studios pre-COVID
26:34 Using Discord as a digital office
29:43 Culture, communication & daily structure
32:04 Why the age demographics of Roblox matters
35:43 Why major studios are now building on Roblox
37:54 How monetization really works on Roblox
42:40 Welcome to Bloxburg: a case study
46:05 Why simplicity wins on Roblox
48:05 The Strongman Simulator story (1.5B plays!)
53:20 Parents, kids & spending on digital goods
58:06 Health-based gaming & motion integration
59:07 Hiring tips for scaling studios
01:05:29 Final takeaways & how to contact The Gang

#RobloxDevelopment #GamingBusiness #UGCgaming #GameDevPodcast #StartupGrowth

Dreaming of breaking into the games industry or scaling your studio?

In this episode, John Wright (CEO of Turborilla) shares his journey from leaving accountancy to leading a studio with 200M+ downloads, plus hard-earned lessons on leadership, mobile publishing, and scaling games in today’s competitive market.

We cover everything from transferable skills and breaking into gaming, to user acquisition strategies, playable ads, retention metrics, and building a motivated team.

This is a raw, practical guide for anyone serious about games, leadership, and publishing.

- Learn how to transition careers into gaming with no direct experience
- Discover how CEOs manage change, culture, and accountability
- Understand why retention and CPI make or break mobile games
- Hear real-world lessons from $2B in user acquisition spend
- Insider tips on networking, scaling, and sustaining success in gaming

Connect with John:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwright1987/
Website: https://www.turborilla.com/
Mad Skills Motocross 3: https://apps.apple.com/ua/app/mad-skills-motocross-3/id1508275130?l=en, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.turborilla.bike.racing.madskillsmotocross3&hl=uk

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
 → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:40 Episode roadmap: leadership, publishing, and game economics
02:53 John’s background: identity crisis at 25 & leaving accountancy
08:50 Advice for newcomers to the games industry
17:40 What being CEO at Turborilla looks like
23:16 How to manage change as a CEO
26:43 Aligning people with business goals & accountability
31:14 Structuring company goals and roadmaps
35:15 The “happiness index” and motivating teams
40:31 The rise of playable ads and lessons learned
45:13 CPI, IPM, and industry metrics explained
49:53 Zynga, Rollic, acquisitions & scaling user bases
52:52 Profitability vs exits in gaming businesses
58:46 What separates a “good” game from a scalable hit
01:02:10 Retention, MVPs, and testing strategies
01:06:01 Ads vs retention: which comes first?
01:09:41 Strategies for new studios in a competitive market
01:11:43 Understanding VC theses and their impact on funding
01:17:23 Giving back to the gaming community
01:21:53 The future of AI in game development
01:25:31 Closing thoughts and ways to connect

In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Jon Hanson, founder of Skill Tree Marketing and former EA & Warner Bros. publishing exec, who left the AAA grind to help indie and AA studios thrive. Jon shares the unfiltered truth about indie game marketing: why most devs misunderstand it, how to validate your game without wasting years, and what it really takes to cut through the noise with limited budgets.

Expect deep dives into:
- The biggest misconceptions about indie game marketing
- Why 30–50% of your budget should go to marketing (and how to use it wisely)
- How to validate your game early with market research & paid UA
- Case study: saving a VR game with better store optimization & ads
- Steam wishlists: what they really mean and how to grow them effectively
- Using Reddit, Discord & Facebook groups to reach players authentically
- Why storytelling and community trust beat polished “corporate” marketing
- Building a lean, sustainable business in a tough games market

Whether you’re an indie dev, a marketing lead, or a founder aiming to launch your first game, this episode is a brutally honest masterclass on how to market smarter, avoid costly mistakes, and turn your game into a business that lasts.

Connect with Jon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonhanson1/
Website: https://skilltree-marketing.com/
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/SkillTreeMarketing/

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
 → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:23 Why Jon left AAA publishing to help indies
03:09 Viral LinkedIn posts about Expedition 33 & Balatro
05:30 Building a small but powerful indie-focused team
09:02 Biggest misconceptions about game marketing
10:39 Why marketing needs 30–50% of your budget
11:34 When and how to start marketing your game
13:50 Market research tools: AI, Reddit, Discord, LinkedIn
16:12 Validating ideas without wasting years
19:04 Case study: VR game turnaround with UA & optimization
22:24 Paid UA done right vs. going “all in”
24:32 Realistic ad spend returns for indie games
26:13 Why indies overlook paid UA vs organic marketing
28:16 Using UA to test game concepts before building
31:55 Steam wishlists: myths, metrics & algorithms
35:15 Discovery channels indies overlook (Reddit, Facebook groups, Discord)
36:34 Building authentic community trust & engagement
42:22 Discord support, authenticity, and winning trust
45:16 Repeat customers & building a sustainable studio
51:46 Running a business with 8 Chihuahuas & 3 horses
54:40 Lessons learned starting a business: don’t go alone
57:41 Final advice for indie devs on marketing
59:54 How to connect with Jon and Skill Tree Marketing

#IndieGameMarketing #GameDevTips #SteamWishlists #IndieDevJourney #GameMarketingStrategy

In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Charlie Czerkawski, veteran game designer behind Shadowgun Legends and Payday 3, and now part of Sharkmob’s design leadership team on Exoborn. Charlie is also the author of Game Economy Design, and he pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build player-friendly yet profitable game economies.

Expect deep dives into:

- What game economy design actually is (and how it differs from monetization)
- The biggest misconceptions developers have about economy design
- Vertical vs. horizontal progression, and why many games get it wrong
- Lessons from case studies like Clash Royale, Marvel Snap, and The Finals
- How to balance free vs. premium currency without alienating players
- Why testing “feels good” is harder than it sounds
- Career lessons from building his own studio and working across Europe
- Writing the go-to book on game economy design

Whether you’re an aspiring game designer, a live-ops manager, or a player curious about how games keep you hooked, this episode is a rare inside look into one of the most complex and misunderstood roles in game development.

Connect with Charlie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-lees-czerkawski-46293524/
His book: https://www.routledge.com/Game-Economy-Design-Metagame-Monetization-and-Live-Operations/Czerkawski/p/book/9781032479903

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
 → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:40 What is game economy design?
05:07 Common misconceptions about game economies
07:45 Player experiences & roguelite preferences
11:14 Target audiences & mobile vs. hardcore players
14:57 Single-player vs multiplayer economy design
17:09 Biggest challenges in economy systems
22:40 Vertical vs. horizontal progression explained
24:23 Marvel Snap’s clean economy breakdown
29:04 Cosmetics, battle passes, and player psychology
33:35 Balancing free vs. premium currency
37:02 Testing whether an economy “feels good”
39:31 Charlie’s career journey across Europe
43:59 Lessons from different studio cultures
45:47 Defending economy design decisions with stakeholders
47:46 Leadership, alignment, and team dynamics
51:41 Structuring your work week as a creative lead
57:31 Why economy design is one of the hardest jobs in game dev
59:28 Breaking into game economy design
01:01:53 Writing the book: Game Economy Design
01:03:40 Closing thoughts and how to connect with Charlie

#GameDesign #GameEconomy #MonetizationDesign #VideoGameDevelopment #IndieDev