Deconstructor of Fun

Deconstructor of Fun
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Video Games
  • Updated weekly

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 www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/ Eric Kress www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/ Phillip Black www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/ Jen Donahoe www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdonahoe

  1. 10 hr ago

    TWIG #395: Xbox Prices Explode, Roblox's Worst Day Ever, and Merge Eats Puzzle

    Xbox prices in Europe jumped as much as 50%, and the console math now writes itself.The crew digs into a rough week for hardware and a strange one for puzzle. PS5 is suddenly the obvious pick while a global RAM crunch threatens the entire next console cycle. Capcom is printing money off seven-year-old games. Roblox got its stock cut 30% after guiding bookings down, and the fight over its algorithm change turns into a bigger argument about platform health versus shareholder duty. Then Phil and Kress go to war over whether Merge-2 is real innovation or the same mechanic in a new skin, while it quietly overtakes Match on downloads for the first time.Topics Covered:• Xbox price hikes of 30 to 50% across Europe• Why PS5 is now the obvious console pick this generation• The RAM crunch that could break the next console cycle• Capcom's back catalog driving 90% of unit sales• Roblox stock crashing 30% after earnings• Retention thresholds and the collapse of viral hits• What the child torture games actually are• Roblox platform health vs fiduciary duty• Japan slowly opening up to foreign capital• Merge-2 climbing to 20% of the US puzzle market• Merge downloads overtaking Match for the first time• Whether Merge is innovation or reskinned mechanics• China flooding UA channels and taking Western shareCHAPTERS: 00:00 Cold Open Introductions00:45 Headlines And Banter02:48 EA Deal Layoff Rumors03:51 Creator Tools And Events07:22 Netflix FIFA Studio Shutdown10:39 Sony Earnings Xbox Prices13:33 Memory Crunch Console Future20:22 Capcom Catalog Dominance27:43 Roblox Earnings Slump35:17 Algorithm Chaos Fallout37:08 Retention Threshold Reality40:00 Child Torture Games Explained42:41 Profit vs Platform Health44:37 Valuation and Downside Risk47:38 Scopely Bets on Japan52:16 Merge 2 Takes Over Puzzle54:46 Is Merge Actually Innovation56:39 Meta Systems Drive Growth01:05:04 China Floods UA Channels01:06:17 Wrap Up and Goodbye

    TWIG #395: Xbox Prices Explode, Roblox's Worst Day Ever, and Merge Eats Puzzle

  2. 3 days ago

    340. The $12B+ Mobile Ad Market: Sensor Tower's First-Ever Deep Dive

    After years of saying not yet, Sensor Tower finally estimated mobile ad revenue, and the number is $12 billion for 2025.Josh Chandley and Sensor Tower's lead gaming insights analyst Sam walk through how the estimates were built and why $12 billion is a conservative floor. We get into why puzzle pulls more than half of all gaming ad revenue, how AppLovin keeps eating share while smaller networks shrink, the non-gaming advertisers like Temu, Shein, and finance apps flooding into gaming inventory, and why AP-focused hybrids out-earn ad-first hybrids by 4x.CHAPTERS: 00:00 Why Ads Were Opaque01:07 How Sensor Tower Models Ads02:31 The 12 Billion Headline04:00 Coverage Countries Networks06:07 Ads Versus IAP D2C08:52 Non Gaming Demand Surge12:55 Network Share Winners15:15 AppLovin Take Rate Debate19:04 Puzzle Dominates Ad Revenue26:17 Hybrid Casual Economics30:25 Studio Strategy And Wrap

    340. The $12B+ Mobile Ad Market: Sensor Tower's First-Ever Deep Dive

  3. 31 Jul

    TWIG #394: Playtika's Solitaire Meltdown, the AppLovin-AdMob Duopoly and Why Nobody Wants New Games

    The crew breaks down Sensor Tower's big H1 2026 report, digs into why downloads keep falling while nobody seems to want new games, and asks whether ad revenue was ever going to save anyone. Plus a Warframe live service masterclass and the arrow craze that Kress would very much like everyone to stop talking about.Topics Covered:• Disney Solitaire cannibalizing Solitaire Grand Harvest • Where the diligence went on the SuperPlay deal and who is left • Washington State suing Playtika and Aristocrat over social casino• Sensor Tower H1 2026 with downloads down 12% • The 4X surge stalling out while puzzle keeps compounding• The D2C debate and whether the market ishealthier than it looks• AppLovin and AdMob running two-thirds of gaming ad revenue and what that consolidation does to CPIs• Why the top ad revenue games are smaller than anyone expected• Warframe as the live service masterclass Destiny never pulled offCHAPTERS:00:00 – Intro & welcome (Jen, Kress, Phil, Mishka)01:00 – Mishka's Greece trip & DoF event updates (Seattle Roundtables, Gamescom, Grand Slam, Supper Club)08:00 – Playtika update: Solitaire Grand Harvest cannibalized by Disney Solitaire12:00 – M&A Masterclass callback (Chris Petrarca) & licensing math on Disney deal14:00 – Washington State's gambling lawsuit vs. Playtika — social casino legal risk17:00 – Sensor Tower H1 2026 report: overview & app discovery is "broken"20:00 – Direct-to-consumer (D2C) web shops: how big is the impact really?23:00 – D2C by genre: 4X, social casino, Marvel Strike Force example25:00 – Genre trends: strategy down, puzzle up, Block Blast highlight26:00 – The "Arrow" hyper-casual craze — Block Blast install decline29:00 – UA costs spiking: ad spend up, downloads down30:00 – AppLovin & AdMob's growing duopoly over UA33:00 – Social casino's steepest genre decline & D2C revenue shift36:00 – Top publishers by ad revenue (King, Easy Brain, Huuuge)39:00 – Sensor Tower report wrap-up & praise42:00 – Warframe/Digital Extremes: Destiny comparison & live-service execution44:00 – Warframe monetization model breakdown45:00 – Digital Extremes' mobile SKU built with Finland's Nitro Games46:00 – Warframe mobile growth numbers (PC halo effect)48:00 – Squad RPG/gacha mechanics critique — mobile "solved this years ago"50:00 – Why no Western studio has cracked mobile shooters (Fortnite, Roblox Rivals)51:00 – Warframe's marketing-driven themed content drops52:00 – Shoutout: Christopher Dring's podcast52:00 – Outro & next week preview (Castle Clashers, Capcom)

    TWIG #394: Playtika's Solitaire Meltdown, the AppLovin-AdMob Duopoly and Why Nobody Wants New Games

  4. 27 Jul

    Puzzle Monthly #5: The Secret Behind Toon Blast's Success

    Why is Toon Blast still growing while every other Blast game is fading away?In this episode of Puzzle Monthly, we break down Toon Blast's remarkable resurgence, from its early days challenging Toy Blast to its recent revenue explosion fueled by Super Light Ball, LiveOps innovation, and relentless experimentation. We explore why Peak Games continues to outperform the entire Blast genre, and what every puzzle developer can learn from it.Topics Covered:• The evolution of Blast games: Pet Rescue Saga, Toy Blast, and Toon Blast• Why Toon Blast continues to grow while the rest of the Blast genre declines• Super Light Ball and how it transformed engagement and monetization• How LiveOps, Collection Meta, Wild Journey, and new progression systems fueled Toon Blast's resurgence• Why Peak's continuous experimentation has kept the game relevant for over a decade• Whether there's still room for new Blast games or if studios should look elsewhere CHAPTERS: 00:00 Meet The Hosts00:40 Why Toon Blast Still Wins02:33 Blast Games Origins02:56 Pet Rescue Vs Fun Luck04:06 Toy Blast Changes Everything08:26 Why Others Couldn't Copy11:43 Revenue Surge Explained12:33 Super Light Bulb Deep Dive17:13 ARPDAU Jumps And Data20:58 Live Ops And Collections25:39 Wild Cards And Monetization31:25 Events Cadence Overhaul34:13 Future Outlook And Wrap

    Puzzle Monthly #5: The Secret Behind Toon Blast's Success

  5. 23 Jul

    TWIG #393: GTA 6's Impossible Attach Rate, Playtika's Earn-Out Disaster, and Unity 7's Big Swing

    Convoy says 85 million copies in 60 days. That means 63% of every console owner alive buys GTA 6, and the closest anyone has come without a bundle is half that.The crew digs into the Newzoo and Convoy numbers behind GTA 6 and finds projections that would require almost every active console owner on earth to buy it. Then Playtika, where a badly negotiated earn-out turned Superplay's success into a balance sheet problem big enough to put the studio on the block. Plus Unity 7's roadmap, Netflix throwing out gaming metrics that mean nothing, and what Township's match mode says about where mobile is heading.Topics Covered:• GTA 6 pre-orders skewing 89% to the $100 SKU• Why the projected attach rates are fantasy• The Ultimate Edition as soft price increase• UGC as the real GTA 6 story nobody is telling• Unity 7 roadmap, MCP integration and no-code web shops• Why Unity cannot scale against AppLovin• Tencent circling Superplay at up to $1.5 billion• The earn-out that broke Playtika's balance sheet• Disney Solitaire's trajectory into 2026• Netflix reporting 11x growth on numbers it will not disclose• Township bolting match onto a builder and printing money• Playable ads becoming actual game modesCHAPTERS: 00:24 Show Intro and Agenda01:38 Banter Marvel Trailers02:49 Announcements and Roundtables04:26 Xbox Hire Update06:14 GTA6 Preorders Pricing15:01 Ultimate Edition Strategy17:33 UGC and Online Upside19:15 Unity 7 Roadmap26:03 Playtika Superplay Rumor27:26 Superplay Earnout Breakdown28:11 Earn Out Math28:59 Tencent Deal Questions29:38 Disney Solitaire Outlook30:49 Why Sell Superplay34:48 Superplay Hits Breakdown36:02 Valuation Reality Check39:13 EA Predicts Winners40:49 Netflix Gaming Metrics43:26 What Metrics Matter46:49 Netflix Versus YouTube48:06 Township Versus Top Tycoon50:41 Match 3 Monetization Engine52:43 Hybridization And Playable Ads56:15 Fortnite Obsession Collab57:43 Wrap Up And Goodbye

    TWIG #393: GTA 6's Impossible Attach Rate, Playtika's Earn-Out Disaster, and Unity 7's Big Swing

  6. 21 Jul

    Shooter Monthly #8: The Bungie Eulogy, Why Destiny Fell Off, and Can Marathon Save the Studio

    Bungie built the defining live shooter of the decade, then spent ten years surviving its own crises. This one plays like the eulogy.The crew runs the full ups and downs of Bungie from Myth to Marathon, with an ex-Bungie insider walking through every near-death moment, why Destiny endured far longer than anyone predicted, why it finally fell off, and whether Sony and Marathon can pull the studio back from the edge.Topics Covered:• The end of Destiny and whether Bungie is actually done• The hot take that Xbox is in decline and Bungie should return to make Halo• The full Bungie crisis history from the Myth 2 uninstaller disaster to Marathon• The internal Destiny Supercut that blew up 14 months before launch• The Taken King and Forsaken redemption arcs• Sony's acquisition, the Lightfall flop, and The Final Shape as the ending• Why Destiny survived when its narrative and monetization kept misfiring• The free-to-play misfit problem and DLC warbond monetization• Promising the future as the real retention engine• The maintenance mode debate for aging live service shooters• What Marathon actually needs to rebound

    Shooter Monthly #8: The Bungie Eulogy, Why Destiny Fell Off, and Can Marathon Save the Studio

  7. 20 Jul

    339. The Most Honest AI Adoption Story in Gaming

    InnoGames didn't reach for AI to chase a trend. They reached for it because the alternative was shutting down a game people love.Thomas Lehr walks through how InnoGames kept Sunrise Village alive after the business case stopped working, taking the team from 25 people down to 3 and stabilizing a title that was slipping. This is the rare AI adoption story told with actual numbers, actual workflows, and no hiding the parts everyone else leaves out. No people pushed out, no game handed to the agents, no hype. Just a methodical breakdown of where the time went and what AI could realistically take off the table.Topics Covered:• Why the game was declining and what options were on the table before AI• What happened to all 25 people on the team• Going from 25 humans to 3 humans plus AI without killing the game• Decomposing the production pipeline to find where time actually goes• The six-step AI stage designer covering story, quests, balancing, maps, placement, and cinematics• Why building custom tooling beats subscribing to 15 shiny products• Sticking with GPT-4o for years while the pipeline just worked• What it actually costs to run the pipeline every month• The 84% of developers who reject AI at any stage, and the pushback inside the company• A direct playbook for a stuck studio making 500k a month

    339. The Most Honest AI Adoption Story in Gaming

  8. 16 Jul

    TWIG #392: Pokémon’s Gamble, World Cup WHAT & the Monetization Debate

    Jen, Eric, and Phil break down a week where EA torched a premium launch, Sony declared the disc dead, and Riot reminded everyone that nostalgia is still the most reliable growth lever in games. Monetization is the throughline all the way down: who actually has a lever left to pull, and how badly you can blow it up when you pull it wrong.Topics Covered:• League of Legends Classic and the nostalgia playbook• Why WoW Classic and Fortnite OG print money• Whether a Classic mode can actually monetize• eFootball and FC Mobile riding the World Cup• FIFA leaving interactive money on the table• Ultra local live ops and the halftime spike• Pokemon Champions and Nintendo's monetization ceiling• EA College Football 2027 and its pay to progress disaster• The Battlefront II lesson EA forgot• Phil's gunpowder model for monetization backlash• Why premium publishers have no lever left but ARPU• Sony killing the physical disc by 2028CHAPTERS: 00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:23 Episode Agenda01:12 Euro Summer Banter02:42 Seattle Roundtable Plug04:20 Corrections and Clarifications05:27 Xbox Bethesda Strategy10:08 League Classic Nostalgia17:31 Classic Modes Monetization21:57 World Cup Game Boost27:40 Ultra Local Live Ops30:56 Pokemon Champions Reveal31:32 Pikmin and Pokémon Benchmarks32:17 Why Monetization Falls Flat33:42 Switch SKU and Tencent Playbook34:31 EA College Football Backlash40:02 Marketing vs Design Debate43:20 Phil’s Gunpowder Model48:10 Premium Games Need ARPU51:20 Sony Ends Physical Discs56:00 Digital Wins and Final Wrap

    TWIG #392: Pokémon’s Gamble, World Cup WHAT & the Monetization Debate
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

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 www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/ Eric Kress www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/ Phillip Black www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/ Jen Donahoe www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdonahoe

Information

  • Creator
    Deconstructor of Fun
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    810
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Deconstructor of Fun
  • Show Website
    Deconstructor of Fun

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