Deconstructor of Fun podcast is created by games professionals for games professionals. We explore the business side of the games industry with the goal of brin...
TWIG #322 Farmville, Pokemon Go, and Female Gamers
Mishka wrestles with the implications of AppLovin’s Triple Dot acquisition, while Scopely’s latest move has everyone questioning the future of Pokémon Go. Eric breaks down the latest insights from the Turkish gaming industry, while Jen dissects the Midia Research gamer segmentation report. Phil revisits the hypercasual ad playbook, while Subway Surfers just keeps running. Plus, a final look at GDC announcements, the mobile vs. console showdown, and what it all means for the industry.The Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter:www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribeContinue the conversation on our Slack channel:www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack04:24 Turkish Gaming Industry Insights06:20 GDC Event Announcements09:16 Triple Dot and AppLovin Acquisition Analysis22:58 Midia Research Gamer Segmentation Report30:10 Social Elements in Gaming30:35 Mobile vs Console31:13 Farmville, Monopoly Go, and Female Gamers33:41 Subway Surfers34:23 The Hypercasual Ad Strategy41:12 Scopely's Acquisition of Niantic Games44:04 The Future of Pokemon Go53:50 Scopely's Strategy
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274. Skillz CEO Andrew Paradise on the $75M Accelerator and the Future of Skill-Based Gaming
www.skillz.com/developeraccelerator/We dive deep into the world of real-money skill-based gaming and the exciting new Developer Accelerator launched by Skills Inc. Our special guest, Andrew Paradise, CEO and co-founder of Skillz, sheds light on the potential and market opportunity within this rapidly growing industry, discussing what types of games and studios Skillz is looking to support. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:19 Skill-Based Mobile Games Accelerator04:09 Monetization and Market Strategy13:32 Retention and Engagement Metrics22:07 Skill-Based Gaming Market Insights25:36 Understanding Sweepstakes and Skill-Based Gaming26:17 Skill-Based Gaming Prizes and Competitions28:06 Future of Skill Gaming30:32 Expanding Game Genres and Market Reach32:57 Skill-Based Gaming on Different Platforms33:36 Addressing Bot Concerns in Skill Gaming37:43 Insights from the Startup Journey43:14 Challenges and Benefits of Going Public45:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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273. How Türkiye Became the New Capital of Mobile Gaming – And Where It’s Headed Next
The world-class panel of Turkish founders and investors with Mehmet Ecevit (ex-CEO and co-founder of Gram Games), Batuhan Celebi (CEO and co-founder of Grand Games), and Görkem Turk (founder of Laton Ventures) shares their thoughts on what makes the Turkish gaming ecosystem unique, the importance of data-driven design, and how to maintain company culture while scaling.THE HYBRIDCASUAL PLAYBOOK: https://metahybridcasualplaybook.splashthat.com/Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Welcoming Guests00:30 Success Stories and Achievements03:31 Challenges and Strategies in Game Development09:14 Company Culture and Hiring Practices17:47 Scaling Companies and Future Prospects21:14 Insights on the Turkish Gaming Ecosystem31:07 Balancing Creativity and Data-Driven Decisions44:46 Balancing Internal and External Motivations45:56 Early Days and Scaling Merge Dragons47:25 The Impact of External Validation49:29 Cultural Differences in Handling Failure53:20 Challenges in the Turkish Gaming Industry01:07:32 The Importance of Mentorship and Partnerships01:24:22 Future of the Turkish Gaming Ecosystem01:30:43 Conclusion and Community Engagement
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TWIG #321 AppLovin’s SHOCK Acquirer, Supercell's New Boat, and Guitar Hero’s $1B CORPSE
Eric tries his best to make sense of the AppLovin deal, while Monster Hunter Wilds has never made more sense. Laura covers Supercell’s Lonely Island play, Boat Game, while Jen defends Disney IP as it STEPs it up in Japan. Phil wants a recount of Guitar Hero’s demise, while Activision announces another entry in the franchise.The Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter:www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribeContinue the conversation on our Slack channel:www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack00:00 Introduction and Hosts02:27 Today's Topics Overview03:01 Jen's UCLA Story04:00 GDC Announcements05:46 AppLovin's Short Seller Drama07:26 Steam's Record-Breaking Numbers08:32 AppLovin's Game Division Sale12:50 Sony's PlayStation VR 2 Price Drop13:55 Supercell and SpaceApe Updates17:15 Forte's Acquisition of Sealants18:06 Miniclip Acquires Lessmore18:38 Supercell's New Boat Game23:05 Supercell's Market Mismatch23:34 Roblox Comparison Debate24:06 Monetization Challenges25:01 Split Faction Reviews25:43 Fable Delayed Again26:44 Monster Hunter's Global Success31:29 Disney Step in Japan34:10 Scopely's Vanity Play39:06 Guitar Hero Mobile Announcement44:45 The Fall of Music Games46:52 Conclusion and Farewell
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272. From Prototypes to Hits: Inside Rollic’s Playbook with CEO Burak Vardal
“The way we survive is built on being creative every day” We sit down with Burak Vardal, CEO and co-founder of Rollic, to explore how the company skyrocketed in just a couple of years from a Turkish startup to one of the most successful mobile game publishers in the world.Burak shares insights on: The early days of Rollic and its quick acquisition by Zynga for $168M How they consistently launch hit mobile games The shift from hyper-casual to hybrid-casual and how it changed their business model Why being a gamer-first company is key to their success What makes Turkey a global hub for mobile game development The future of Rollic under Take-Two InteractiveDownload the FREE Hybrid Casual Playbook: metahybridcasualplaybook.splashthat.com/🎙️ Join the Deconstructor of Fun Slack Community:www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack00:00 Introduction and Background of Rollic06:41 Türkiye as a Hub for Game Development13:18 Business Model and Future Vision25:54 Competition and Talent in the Turkish Gaming Industry29:45 Creativity in Gaming: The Key to Success31:54 The Importance of Ideation in Mobile Gaming33:52 The Role of Testing in Game Development36:32 Transitioning from Startup to Industry Leader46:46 Advice for Aspiring Game Developers52:47 Final Thoughts and Future Prospects
Deconstructor of Fun podcast is created by games professionals for games professionals. We explore the business side of the games industry with the goal of bringing listeners content that is relevant, insightful, and entertaining on a weekly basis.
Hosts:
Michail Katkoff @mkatkoff www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/
Eric Kress @ekress
www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/
Laura Taranto @laurataranto www.linkedin.com/in/laurataranto/
Phillip Black @econosopher www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/
Jen Donahoe @Jen_Donahoe www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdonahoe