Deconstructor of Fun
Deconstructor of Fun
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
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
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 9, 2023 • 1h 5min
TWIG #257 Undercover at Blizzcon 🦹
The podcast covers a range of topics including hygiene at Blizzcon, the departure of PlayStation CEO, Brawl Stars' new announcement, and the death of Omega Strikers. They also discuss Tencent selling asset, potential game release speculations, changes at PlayStation and Supercell, monetization drivers, the future of shooter games, opinions on game pricing and marketing, and the potential impact of real-time payments on game monetization.
Nov 6, 2023 • 1h 21min
Chris Petrovic Teaches Acquiring Great Gaming Companies
Learn from Chris Petrovic, former Zynga Head of Corporate Strategy, about the reasons behind M&A in the gaming industry, the challenges and reasons for failed deals, current M&A trends, and the importance of cultural fit, human connection, and reputation in acquisitions.
Nov 2, 2023 • 1h 1min
TWIG #256 "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH VIDEO GAMES?"
This podcast discusses potential replacements for the CEO of Activision and the layoffs in the industry despite record-breaking sales. They also talk about games like Mario Wonder, Supercell's Mo.Co and Wonder Blast from Good Game Studios.
Oct 30, 2023 • 1h 10min
DIARY OF A (retired) CEO
Remarkable woman CEO in the gaming industry, Carol Miu, discusses gender disparities in the CEO role, maintaining work-life balance, industry evolution, and her reflections on her career. Highlights include challenges of being a female CEO, managing expectations and transparency, striking the balance as a leader, and the evolution of the gaming industry. Plus, insights on balancing work and family life and the journey to becoming a CEO in the game industry.
Oct 27, 2023 • 48min
How to Get Press, Tips from Mobilegamer.biz
Neil Long, founder and editor of mobilegamer.biz, shares tips on how game companies can approach game media to get press. They discuss covering controversies in the gaming industry, the impact of Netflix hiring, crafting tailored outreach for press coverage, improving user experience with press, and differences between websites and gaming events.
Oct 26, 2023 • 60min
TWIG 255: "F You Unity, We're not Paying!"
Discussions include the potential growth of mobile gaming in India, Unity's controversial runtime fee policy, the elimination of player-to-player trading in games, and the untapped potential of co-op shooters in the market.
Oct 23, 2023 • 55min
How to Deal With Negative Feedback a conversation with Sophie Vo of Rise and Play
In this podcast, Sophie Vo, a former colleague with 15 years of experience in the games industry, discusses how to deal with negative feedback. They also explore topics such as self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-reflection. The speakers share their experiences with negative feedback and bullying on social media, as well as the importance of self-evaluation and accepting the possibility of truth in feedback. They also touch on finding fulfillment in work, trust and communication in a founding team, and the value of having a coach or mentor for support.
Oct 20, 2023 • 1h 4min
Untapped India Mobile Opportunity
Discussion on the growing opportunity for mobile games in India, including revenue projections and player statistics. Insights on player segmentation and market segmentation in India. Exploration of the impact of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) on game developers and the Real Money Gaming (RMG) industry. The significance of language localization, with a focus on Hindi. Maximizing ROI by focusing on Hindi in the Indian market. Insights on India's potential as a gaming market and its readiness to pay for games.
Oct 19, 2023 • 1h 6min
TWIG #254 Unity and Activision CEO Fantasy Draft
The podcast covers topics such as Monster Hunter's positive numbers, arguing over Warcraft Rumble's design, setting up fantasy drafts for new CEOs of Activision and Unity, and reasons why Disney won't buy EA.
Oct 13, 2023 • 44min
AR Gaming revived by the Meta Quest 3?
Asad J Malik, CEO of Jaru AR, discusses the potential of AR gaming on mobile devices after the release of Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro. They explore creating immersive experiences, challenges in AR game development, user experience capabilities, and the importance of cross-platform gaming.
