
GameMakers
The GameMakers podcast publishes current, entertaining, and in-depth discussions on F2P game development. Topics that we cover include the business of games, F2P monetization, liveops, game design, game development processes, team structure, and more.
Latest episodes

Feb 18, 2025 • 2h 7min
How to Build Better Games - Game Production
Ben Carcich, a game industry consultant with a military background and experience at Riot Games, shares valuable insights on game production. He discusses why successful games often come from challenging development processes and the dangers of premature scaling. Ben emphasizes the importance of balancing creative vision with technical execution and addresses the critical role of leadership in navigating uncertainties. He also highlights lessons from military training that can enhance adaptability and decision-making in the high-pressure world of game development.

Feb 10, 2025 • 1h 6min
The FUTURE of 4X Games: FirstFun's Surprising Billion-Dollar Strategy
Join gaming industry veterans as they break down the unprecedented transformation of mobile 4X games. Featuring insights from Joseph Kim (Lila Games), Justin Yau (Wharton MBA), UA specialist Matej Lancaric (2.5 Gamers) and game design specialist Jakub Remiar (2.5 Gamers) on how Chinese gaming companies are achieving $8M+ daily revenue through innovative UA strategies and product design.Key Topics:🔑 Evolution of 4X game design🔑 UA innovation and AI creative production🔑 Server economics and monetization strategies🔑 Future industry predictions⏰ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction and Speaker Backgrounds3:09 First Fun/River Game Partnership History8:05 Modern 4X Game Economics15:20 UA Strategy Evolution23:45 Creative Production at Scale31:30 AI's Role in UA Innovation38:15 Product Design Integration45:40 Server Management Strategies52:30 Future of 4X Gaming57:15 Non-Consensus Predictions🔍 Featured Experts:Joseph Kim (CEO, Lila Games)Justin Yau (Industry Analyst, Wharton)Matej Lancaric (UA Specialist)Jakub Remiar (Game Design Consultant)💡 Additional Resources:Previous Matej +: JK Collaboration Podcast on 4X UA Strategy: https://youtu.be/IvRjmGvWhdQDissecting Best-Selling Mobile 4X Game Metrics by Ning Wang: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dissecting-best-selling-mobile-4x-game-metrics-ning-wang-vk1pc/Join the GameMakers newsletter for more industry insights and discussions: Newsletter: www.gamemakers.com#MobileGaming #GameDev #UserAcquisition #4XGames #GameStrategy

Feb 4, 2025 • 16min
LiveOps Playbook: Critical Secrets from Gaming's Top Experts
Learn the insider strategies from industry legends Frank Yan (Brawl Stars), Dafna Ben Onn (SciPlay), and Ivan Trancik (Superscale) on mastering mobile game operations!
📍 Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction to LiveOps Fundamentals
2:15 - Frank Yan: Rapid Content Deployment Strategies
4:30 - The Art of Player Segmentation
7:00 - Dafna Ben Onn: Optimizing Rewards and Retention
10:45 - Balancing Monetization and Player Experience
14:20 - Ivan Trancik: Analytics and Experimentation Stages
18:30 - Building a Data-Driven Game Development Machine
22:00 - Key Takeaways and Future of LiveOps
🔑 Key Insights:
How to update games instantly without client updates
Personalization techniques that keep players engaged
Building a robust analytics infrastructure
Experimental strategies for game growth
💡 Perfect for:
Mobile game developers
Product managers
Game studios looking to optimize performance
Entrepreneurs in the gaming industry

Jan 30, 2025 • 1h 5min
MMPs and Attribution: What Game Studios Need to Know to Grow
Leading mobile gaming experts break down everything you need to know about Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) in 2025. Get insider perspectives from AppsFlyer, Wildcard Games, and industry veterans on when to use MMPs, how much they really cost, and where the industry is heading. Perfect for mobile game developers, UA managers, and studio executives looking to optimize their marketing strategy and understand the evolving role of MMPs in today's privacy-first environment.
OUTLINE:
00:00 - Introduction & Overview
03:43 - What is an MMP? Core Functions Explained
05:28 - SDK Integration Benefits
08:02 - Attribution & Performance Tracking
12:24 - Impact of IDFA Deprecation
16:32 - When Do Studios Need an MMP?
24:42 - Cost Breakdown for Studios
27:54 - Self-Attributing Networks (SANs)
32:45 - Working with Multiple Ad Networks
38:59 - Creative Optimization & AI Tools
43:08 - Data Clean Rooms & Privacy
51:09 - Open Source MMP Projects
53:52 - Future Trends in Mobile Marketing
57:47 - Industry Changes & Consolidation
1:01:02 - Final Thoughts & Recommendations
SPEAKERS:
✅ Josh Chandley. Co-founder and COO at WildCard Games.
✅ Joseph Kim. CEO at Lila Games.
✅ Brian Murphy. Head of Gaming and New Product Strategy at AppsFlyer.
✅ James O’Claire. Former COO at Bubbleye. Founder Open Attribution.
For links and additional info go to Gamemakers.com

Jan 30, 2025 • 46min
Why UGC Cosmetics Could be the Future of Gaming
Join us as we explore the future of user-generated content (UGC) in gaming with Playmakers, diving into why community-created content converts 30% better than studio content and how AI fits into the UGC ecosystem. Essential insights for game developers looking to scale content creation through community engagement. #GameDev #UGC #gaming Co-hosted with Anton Bernstein, CEO at Pocket Worlds.
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
0:40 Best game examples of UGC cosmetics
1:20 How cosmetics work in Counterstrike
3:05 The Playmakers UGC platform business
6:52 Dealing with the biggest UGC problem: Time To Penis (TTP)
9:10 Other problems: Trademarks and duplicates
10:18 Economics of enabling a UGC cosmetics platform
12:06 Balancing professional content vs. UGC content in a game
13:52 The kinds of games better adapted for UGC content
16:10 AI as a complement or competition to UGC: UGC vs. AGC vs. UGAC
20:37 In a world of infinite free content, how to give UGC items value
22:40 Biggest concerns to integrating UGC content in their games
24:40 Integration issues for integrating UGC in games
26:16 The functions required for a UGC platform
27:48 Getting over the cold-start problem getting creators to start making UGC
32:40 Can UGC content be cross-game content?
34:00 Big upcoming UGC macro trends
37:15 Depth vs. shallowness of UGC support Roblox vs. Minecraft
39:20 The trend of UGC remixing
41:35 Future Playmakers roadmap
👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Playmakers: https://www.playmakers.co/
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —
• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1
• TWITTER → @jokim1
• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
— POPULAR CONTENT —
🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw
ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I
🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021 https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI
🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s
🔴 Games Industry M&A https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs
🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw
🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso
🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA
🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

Jan 7, 2025 • 1h 18min
Pixels & Profits | Gaming Industry 2024-2025 - Crisis, Transformation, and Opportunity
The gaming industry experienced seismic shifts in 2024, from record-breaking layoffs to China's rising dominance. In this comprehensive analysis, we break down the five key developments that shaped gaming in 2024 and what they mean for 2025.
We'll explore:
🔑 The true impact of the gaming recession
🔑 Why live service games are harder than ever to compete with
🔑 How China became a global gaming powerhouse
🔑 The surprising comeback of live operations
🔑 Why UGC platforms struggled to monetize
Plus, we'll dive into our predictions for 2025, including:
🔑 The evolution of game development models
🔑 AI's growing role in gaming
🔑 Market recovery catalysts
🔑 Companies to watch
🔑 Industry transformation ahead
Whether you're a developer, investor, or gaming enthusiast, this analysis will help you understand where the industry is headed and why it matters. Join us for an in-depth look at gaming's past year and future prospects.
Outline
0:00 - Introduction & Overview
2:15 - 2024 Year in Review Overview
3:30 - Gaming Recession Deep Dive (Industry layoffs, Shift in cost-cutting approaches)
7:45 - Live Service Games Dominance (Steam engagement statistics, Why established games maintain power)
12:30 - China's Gaming Success Story (Mobile market dominance, HD gaming breakthrough, Strategic advantages)
18:15 - Live Operations Excellence (Brawl Stars case study, Impact on game performance)
22:45 - UGC Platform Challenges (Monetization struggles, Platform economics)
26:30 - 2025 Predictions Overview
27:45 - New Development Models (Shift from traditional approaches, Efficiency focus)
32:15 - AI Integration in Gaming (Three levels of integration, Future possibilities)
37:30 - Market Recovery Catalysts (Key upcoming releases, Market conditions)
42:15 - Companies to Watch (Detailed analysis of key players, Growth opportunities)
48:30 - Industry Transformation (Workforce changes, Operational shifts)
53:15 - Conclusion & Key Takeaways
55:00 - Final Thoughts

Nov 1, 2024 • 43min
Economics & Advantages of Mobile Web Stores ft. Gil Tov-ly from AppCharge
We discuss the impact, economics, and advantages of mobile web stores in a deep discussion with Gil Tov-ly, the CMO of AppCharge, a company that partners with game studios to build optimized web stores.
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
1:13 Motivation and economics of mobile web stores: Huge 20-30% total revenue lift
3:42 Amount of transactions through web stores vs. direct IAP, what impacts more web store transactions?
9:34 How web stores can support VIP spenders
10:40 Typical web store support provided by companies like AppCharge
11:40 impact of web stores
13:48 The player experience with web stores
18:32 breakdown of support services to help developers roll out a web store
25:25 How to evaluate webstore partners
28:25 Current legal and regulatory environment around web stores - what are the limitations?
31:18 Rise of alternative app stores and side-loading
32:30 Building direct relationships with customers by having your own web store
36:25 What does the future look like for player monetization channels in 5-10 years
39:30 More info about AppCharge - what is their promotional pitch?
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- AppCharge: https://appcharge.com/
- Gil Tov-ly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giltovly/
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —
• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1
• TWITTER → @jokim1
• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
— POPULAR CONTENT —
🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw
ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I
🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021 https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI
🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s
🔴 Games Industry M&A https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs
🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw
🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso
🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA
🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

Oct 30, 2024 • 1h 6min
Game Industry Hot Takes: Ubisoft's Struggles, Unity's Revival, and Microsoft's Game Pass Gambit
A deep dive into the most pressing topics in gaming with industry veterans discussing recent developments, challenges, and future outlooks.
⏱️ Timeline/Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:05 - Ubisoft's Current State & Challenges
14:35 - Unity's Turnaround Story
31:20 - AppLovin Deep Dive
39:15 - China Gaming Market Update
49:40 - Microsoft-Activision Deal Impact
56:10 - Roblox & Hindenburg Report Discussion
📝 Description:
Join us for an in-depth discussion of the hottest topics in gaming! Industry veterans break down recent developments at major gaming companies and what they mean for the future of the industry.
We analyze Ubisoft's ongoing struggles, Unity's attempted turnaround under new leadership, AppLovin's rising dominance in mobile advertising, China's gaming market dynamics, and the implications of Microsoft's Activision acquisition. Plus, a quick take on the recent Roblox controversy.
Topics include:
• Why Western AAA game development is struggling
• Unity's technical improvements and business challenges
• AppLovin's market dominance in mobile advertising
• China gaming market outlook and geopolitical risks
• Microsoft's Game Pass strategy and the future of gaming subscriptions
• Latest industry M&A activity and valuations
Whether you're a game developer, industry executive, or just interested in the business of gaming, this discussion provides valuable insights into where the industry is headed in 2024 and beyond.

Oct 24, 2024 • 58min
EXPOSING Mobile Performance Marketing Secrets! UA in 2024 and Beyond with Warren Woodward
Warren Woodward, co-founder and CMO at Upptic, provides real, no-nonsense advice about the current state of mobile performance marketing.
What are the current problems and issues in the market and how can studios grow their player base through mobile user acquisition today?
OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
0:47 Why Warren is great to talk to about UA
2:00 Current state of mobile marketing & UA: What’s working and not working
12:50 What IDFA really did to mobile marketing
15:30 What happens if fingerprinting goes away
21:50 The problem with imprecise data
25:10 What are the channels and tactics that are currently successful
Applovin vs. Unity
31:37 Modern-day performance marketing team structure and staffing
40:19 The importance of unifying teams and data for success - avoiding the “blame game”
45:30 Advantages of UA at massive scale
52:37 Is the future of UA all about “brutal efficiency”?
👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Warren Woodward: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrendwoodward/
- Upptic: https://upptic.com/
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —
• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1
• TWITTER → @jokim1
• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

Aug 18, 2024 • 1h 1min
Chinese Gaming Giants: Tencent vs. Netease | Pixels & Profits
Explore the fierce rivalry between Tencent and NetEase, two giants of the gaming industry. Discover Tencent's expansive business strategies and the challenges of penetrating Western markets. Hear personal anecdotes about Tencent's collaborations and internal efficiencies. Get insights into NetEase’s growth opportunities and the competitive dynamics shaping their future. Delve into the regulatory hurdles both companies face within China, revealing the complexities of their global expansion efforts.