Deconstructor of Fun

Experts Rafael Cordoba and Chris Molozian discuss the decision-making process between custom back ends and back ends as a service in game development. They explore the evolution of game back ends, insights on Sensor Tower acquisition, infrastructure building challenges, cost estimation, collaboration between teams and service providers, scaling challenges, and navigating backend challenges towards success.

The podcast covers GDC reflections, challenges in game development, blockchain gaming, venture capital in Turkey, industry trends, mobile shooter games, success of Travel Town, and strategic game acquisition for growth.

Pixonic's CMO talks about building a game franchise, balancing organic growth and planning, challenges in transition to a franchise, and the importance of passion in brand-building. Insights on evolving marketing strategies, competitor analysis, user research, and game design trends.

Mihai Gheza, CEO of Machinations, discusses game economy simulations, AI balance, data-driven decision-making, blockchain in gaming, advanced AI technology for game balancing, Unity-Machinations relationship, and the evolution of modern game economies with examples from popular games like League of Legends and mobile games.

The podcast crew discusses the chaos in San Francisco, Netflix Games confusion, Turkish subsidies for game companies, and Supercell's PR move. They explore the shift in audience at gaming events, challenges in gaming industry strategies, maximizing revenue in game development, government incentives for game developers in Turkey, and navigating strategic communication challenges in the gaming industry.

Explore the intricacies of venture capital investments in the gaming industry with seasoned entrepreneur turned VC, Joakim Achren. Learn about fundraising challenges, market conditions, managing communication across time zones, growth strategies, and navigating ownership in VC funds. Dive into the complexities of peacetime vs. wartime leadership in startups, profitability in tech investments, and the evolving gaming industry landscape.

Recap of Think Games Istanbul Summit, Epic on iOS in EU, Embracer sells Saber for $500 million, Discord's new game SDK, state of startups in Finland, challenges in scaling international gaming companies, and difficulties faced by Istanbul game developers in talent acquisition and retention.

Industry insiders discuss the gaming landscape, market challenges, layoff impacts, venture capital dynamics, AI usage, and predictions for the future. They emphasize opportunities amidst industry turmoil, navigating economic challenges, IPO performance analysis, AI investments, and the need for perseverance and strategic planning in the competitive gaming industry.

Discover insights into remote team management in game development, the creative process behind Grand Theft Auto, career transitions in the gaming industry, effective strategies for remote team collaboration, prioritizing mental health in remote work environments, and post-launch stability and future growth plans.

Jen, Kress, Laura, and Phil continue with the food puns analogies and decide if Apple Arcade is rotting after a mobilegamer.biz article. Also, the cast praises Unity for its newfound transparency, hits some of the Nintendo Direct Highlights (which aren't that high), keeps taking layoffs, and uncovers Playtika’s new strategy. Apply to join the Slack Community. https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack Event links to apply or register: Think Games Istanbul: https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024 GDC Beta Hat & DoF Pre-Game Party March 17 - ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSceighlzx-X0Khv2NMmJom29dtWhAsEpros-1xhBCNQfIqqAA/viewform⁠ Xsolla, DoF, Mattel Party March 19: https://events.xsolla.com/gamenightgdc2024 DoF, AppsFlyer, Data.ai Brunch March 19: http://dataai-gdc-brunch.splashthat.com/DoF 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/jenniferd⁠