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
Aug 26, 2021 • 1h 7min
TWIG #147 Hot takes on new game releases / Liftoff ❤️ Vungle / LILA Games value deck / Riot Games on mobile
Headlines:
New Game Releases Madden, Call of Duty Vanguard, Marvel
Analyzing Riot Games’ move to mobile
Liftoff and Vungle agree to merge into one mobile growth company
LILA Games’ Values
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Aug 18, 2021 • 1h 6min
TWIG #146 The Problem with VR / Mobile Games to Surpass $120B in 2021 / App Store Regulations
Headlines:
The Problem with VR
App Annie: Mobile games on track to surpass $120B in 2021
Is app store regulation too little, too late?
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Aug 16, 2021 • 1h 28min
Metaverse, NFTs and Creator Economies with Jon Radoff, CEO of Beamable
In this podcast we're going to discuss:
From Disruptor Beam to Beamable
Working with Big IPs and publishers
Defining Metaverse
Creator Economy and NFTs
Investing into Metaverse
links:
Jon Radoff
Building the Metaverse blog
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Host:
Mishka Katkoff,
Aug 12, 2021 • 1h 9min
TWIG #145 Why did Zynga plummet despite record earnings, Golf Rivals vs. Golf Clash and how FIFA Ultimate Team boosted its sales
Headlines:
Zynga’s Q2 2021 bookings of $712M are up 37% from a year ago
Zynga acquires StarLark studio and Golf Rival game for $525M
FIFA Ultimate Team's new Preview Packs actually boosted loot box sales, EA says
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Aug 5, 2021 • 55min
TWIG #144 Tencent tanks as regulatory concerns mount, Blizzard president gets booted and Riot generates $100M on mobile
Headlines:
Blizzard president out in wake of discrimination lawsuit and employee walkout
Tencent tanks after Chinese media calls online gaming ‘opium’ as regulatory concerns mount
Riot Games' mobile titles generate over $100m
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Jul 28, 2021 • 59min
TWIG #143 Tilting Point Raises $235M, Blizzard Sued over Frat Boy Culture, Facebook Talks Metaverse
Headlines:
Activision Blizzard Sued Over Frat Boy Culture, Harassment
Mark in the Metaverse
Tilting Point Raises $235 Million to Fuel Expansion and Acquisitions
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Jul 21, 2021 • 1h 4min
TWIG #142: No IDFA? No Problem! Netflix Hires Facebook Gaming Exec and Peloton Makes a Game
Headlines:
Netflix Hires Facebook Gaming Executive Mike Verdu
Peloton plans to launch an in-app video game
No IDFA. No Problem. Apple Can’t Kill Gaming
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Jul 19, 2021 • 40min
Call of Duty Mobile - Past, Present & Future with Chris Plummer (Head of Mobile) and Matthew Lewis (GM, CoDM)
How Call of Duty Mobile went from concept to soft-launch. How the game broke all the records with 135M installs during launch month. What caused the turnaround in 2021 after revenues declined post-launch. What is the future of Call of Duty Mobile and Activision Mobile as a whole?
Guest:
Chris Plummer, Head of Mobile at Activision
Matt Lewis, VP of Mobile, GM of Call of Duty Mobile
Join Activision
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Host:
Mishka Katkoff
Jul 14, 2021 • 55min
TWIG #141: Google expands ad targeting in mobile games, WoW update dissapoints, NoPixel and Grand Theft Auto
Headlines:
WoW Disappointment, Plus Twitch, Start Mass Exodus Into Final Fantasy XIV
Google expands ad targeting in mobile games amid pandemic gaming boom
NoPixel and Grand Theft Auto V
Links:
Send us Questions and Feedback
Deconstructor of Fun Newsletter
Deconstructor of Fun Slack Group
Hosts:
Mishka Katkoff, Eric Kress, Adam Telfer and Eric Seufert
Jul 12, 2021 • 1h 36min
How to Navigate Through a Soft Launch with a Mid-Core Game in 2021
Launching a mid-core game with high production values, competitive gameplay and strong multiplayer core requires a long and thorough soft launch.
I'm joined by Volkan Ediz, Chief Revenue Officer at Super Evil Megacorp, as we discuss how they've approached soft launch for their latest title Catalyst Black. What countries and platforms they chose, what has been their marketing budget, how do they improve marketability, what metrics they are looking at and how have the privacy changes affected the soft launch.
