Deconstructor of Fun – Details, episodes & analysis

The crew is one down as Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, and Mishka Katkoff hop in to knock one off on the road for #300. In this episode, Mishka gives his takeaways from Gamescom. We discuss a conspiracy theory on why Steam is allowed in China and talk about Wukong and Supercell's new CFO. Most importantly, this episode settles the case about Tim Hortons for good.

BIG UP for our supporters!

Heroic Labs, Sensor Tower, AppsFlyer and Xsolla

Order your cup of Tim Hortons super hot for this first all-Canadian episode! The lost-and-found podcast host Adam Telfer delves into the state of the industry with Newzoo's Devan Brennan. Topics covered include market trends, forecasts for mobile gaming and the PC market, console performance, and the challenges faced by new free-to-play live service games. The two also explore the optimism surrounding indie and AA game development, and strategies for managing the costs of premium games. Segments 00:00 Ads01:26 Devlin Brennan from Newzoo02:25 Understanding Newzoo's Market Reports04:46 General Market Trends: Growth and Forecasts07:35 Mobile and PC Gaming: Key Drivers and Insights09:24 Console Gaming: Current Trends and Future Prospects21:41 The Rise of PC Gaming and Cross-Platform Play28:14 Mobile Gaming: Heavy Hitters and Market Challenges31:48 Ads33:31 The Rise of Blockbuster Single-Player Games36:58 Balancing Game Length and Development Costs47:54 The Future of Indie and AA Games53:12 Challenges in Free-to-Play Live Services58:53 Strategies for Live Service Success01:07:45 Final Thoughts and Industry Plea

Pete Hawley (former executive at 100 Thieves, EA, Zynga, Lionhead, Sony, Telltale, and Mythical Games) and Alexander Seropian (founder of Bungie, Industrial Toys, Wideload, and Look North Games) unpack their experiences with the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) platform, discussing marketing strategies, player engagement, technical limitations, and opportunities. 

00:00 Introduction to Heroic Labs

01:01 Meet the Legends: Pete Hawley and Alex Seropian

01:43 Pete’s Journey and Insights

03:27 Exploring UEFN: Challenges and Opportunities

08:19 Alex's Perspective on UEFN

11:33 The Future of UEFN 

23:11 ROI in UEFN Development

35:42 Challenges in Game Development

44:14 Monetization Strategies

49:53 Marketing and Launching 

01:02:52 Lessons Learned 

01:12:54 Final Thoughts 

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2. Your team will be welcomed to San Francisco for ten weeks to work on a demo that you'll showcase to over 300 top investors during the upcoming GDC. 
3. You'll get the best of the best mentors to make sure your demo will blow everyone's mind. And by mentors, we're talking about the likes of founders of Discord, Zynga, Supercell, King..

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ps: use the code DOF for extra goodwill ;)

Tel Aviv Game Executive Brunch > SIGN UP

With Mishka multiple Spritz's deep in Italy and Laura somewhere in a Turkish Hot Air Ballon, Jen, Eric, and Phil get to the meat and potatoes: Go-DOT or GOD-oh? Unity’s proposed runtime response is public, while Eric uncovers buried AppLovin news… You can’t hide from the Kress! Jen reminds us that Privacy Manifest is here, and it’s coming for your fingerprints. Phil can’t get over the Microsoft leaks, and Eric is on the ground floor for Roblox’s developer conference.

Tune in for a captivating exploration of AI's impact on the gaming industry with Pieter Kooyman, CEO and Founder of Half Moon Studios. We discuss the role of AI from the perspectives of new and established organizations, C-level executives, individual contributors, and the ethical and emotional dimensions of this transformative technology. Don't miss out on this discussion!

Let's not mess around. You're here to hate listen as we dissect the PR firestorm coming out of Unity this week. We know it. You know it. Let's get into it!

We dive deep into the ever-evolving world of gaming, exploring the latest trends, successes, and challenges in the global gaming market.

We start by dissecting the landscape of mobile, PC, and console gaming. Tackle the question of what's working in the gaming industry, dissecting the impact of AI, the rise of handheld consoles, the promise of transmedia experiences, and the growth of cloud gaming services.

We also examine what's not working. Delving into Web3, the slow adoption of VR and AR, and the intricacies of the esports scene.

This episode provides valuable insights into key trends that we in the industry should keep an eye on. This includes geographic shifts in gaming popularity, macroeconomic influences on the industry, and the ever-evolving technology landscape, which continues to shape the future of gaming.

This week, Ethan sits down with Kayla Kinnunen, Executive Producer for the Minecraft Creator Platform. She explains how the platform empowers Minecraft creators to craft amazing content and share it with millions of players around the world. To date, Minecraft Creators have earned payouts of over $500 million crafting content for the worldwide sensation's still massive audience of over 140 MAU. We also learn some expert tips on managing expectations for such a devoted community, and how the Creator Platform team uses long periods of early access and developer participation to ensure new features deliver delight.

In this podcast episode, we dive into the remarkable success of the Nintendo Switch and what lies ahead for Nintendo. The Switch has surpassed Wii's total US sales and is closely trailing the Xbox 360 and PS2 in worldwide sales. We explore why it has thrived, including its handheld/console hybrid design, an impressive lineup of first-party games, broad demographic appeal, and Nintendo's strong brand loyalty.

However, the Switch does have its limitations, such as its outdated hardware, lackluster performance with third-party games, underwhelming online features, and a disorganized store interface.

Looking to the future, there's speculation about the next Nintendo Switch, expected sometime in 2024.

It's anticipated to follow an incremental upgrade model, offering processor power, storage, screen quality, and connectivity improvements. Despite its potential, it may still fall short compared to current-gen consoles.

Join us as we dissect the past, present, and future of Nintendo's beloved gaming platform.