Deconstructor of Fun

Deconstructor of Fun
  • 4.4 (102)
  • 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. TWIG #377: Epic for Sale, Unity Cuts Deep, and Merge Keeps Printing

    1D AGO

    TWIG #377: Epic for Sale, Unity Cuts Deep, and Merge Keeps Printing

    The industry isn’t slowing down. This week, we break down the biggest shifts across games. Topics Covered: ● Disney and Epic: Why the speculation is picking up and what a bigger Disney move into games could look like● Unity’s latest shift: A strong earnings beat, the shutdown of Ironsource, and the sale of Supersonic● Studio closures and shutdowns: What the latest cuts across VR, live service, and Embracer say about the market● The Merge 2 rise: Why the category keeps growing and the debate over what’s really driving the revenue● Cookie Run’s next step: Franchise expansion and the challenge of turning one hit into something bigger● New soft-launch shooters: Ex-Supercell teams, familiar patterns, and questions about where action games fit on mobile Plus ++We also get into Tim Sweeney’s role in Epic’s future, Unity versus AppLovin in ad tech, card systems, soft-launch design, and Kress’s latest reality check on mobile. CHAPTERS: 01:14 Mario Movie Backlash 03:45 Leroy Jenkins Capital 06:52 Housekeeping And Corrections 09:10 Disney Buying Epic Rumor 12:12 Tim Sweeney Control Fight 14:55 Entertainment Gaming Graveyard 17:46 Unity Dumps IronSource 23:22 Vector Versus AppLovin Scale 26:35 Shutdowns And VR Reality Check 30:46 Matthew Ball Metaverse Spat 33:38 Embracer Wildland Canceled 36:50 Merge Two Boom Explained 42:29 Cards Drive Revenue Debate 50:48 Cookie Run Franchise Bet 56:50 Soft Launch Shooter Doubts 01:00:22 Field Day Hands On Review 01:06:06 Kress's Mobile Reality Rant 01:10:16 Episode Wrap Up

    1h 11m
  2. TWIG #376: Epic Layoffs, Roblox Tax & Google’s New Strategy

    MAR 27

    TWIG #376: Epic Layoffs, Roblox Tax & Google’s New Strategy

    The games industry is hitting another inflection point, and the "old rules" of growth are being rewritten. This week, we’re unpacking: ● Google’s "Level Up" Program: Is it actually a win for devs, or just more platform gatekeeping? We look at Sidekick and the new UA economics. ● The Epic Pivot: Layoffs, the UEFN "platform" gamble, and what the future of Fortnite actually looks like. ● Roblox’s New Play: Their latest brand integration strategy is a massive shift for creator monetization. ● The Newzoo Reality Check: PC is back, player behavior is shifting, and "mid-priced premium" is the new sweet spot. Plus ++  We dive deep into UA multiplier theory, why CPIs are lying to you, and where real growth is actually hiding in 2026. CHAPTERS: 00:26 Show Intro and Agenda 01:36 Quick Shills and Updates 04:05 Google Level Up Explained 07:27 Messaging Mess and Sidekick AI 09:06 UA Multiplier and CPI Debate 11:55 Sidekick Skepticism Extortion 14:39 Epic Layoffs Breakdown 19:05 Why Epic Lost Focus 26:14 Star Wars UEFN Toolkit 33:36 Newzoo Report Key Trends 37:31 Report Critique And TAM Reality 42:29 Premium Mid Price Debate 47:39 Roblox Brand Deal Revenue Cut 51:14 Creator Backlash And Platform Control 56:25 Why The Brand Tax Might Help 01:01:04 Final Debate And Wrap Up

    1h 5m

  3. MAR 25

    UA Monthly #2: AppLovin's Social Network, Google Fee Cuts & Unity D28

    The mobile ecosystem is experiencing some massive shifts this month. We dive into the real implications of Unity Vector's new D28 campaign, break down what Google’s recent fee cut actually means for your studio's growth trajectory, and unpack the wild news of AppLovin stepping out of the ad-network shadows to build its very own social network. Topics Covered:● Unity Vector's D28 campaign and its implications● Google's fee cut impact on growth● AppLovin's plans to build a social network Michail Katkoff | Josh Chandley | John Wright

    1h 1m
  4. The Epic Settlement: Google's "Level Up" Program & The Future of DTC

    MAR 23

    The Epic Settlement: Google's "Level Up" Program & The Future of DTC

    It's been 2030 days since Google pulled Fortnite, and the Epic vs. Google settlement is finally here. We sit down with AppCharge CMO Gil Tovly to read the fine print of Google’s new 15% fee, unpack the mandatory AI sidekicks in the "Level Up" program, and figure out if this is actually a win for developers going direct-to-consumer. Questions we answer in this episode: ● What is the real cost of Google's new 15% fee structure? ● What exactly is the "Level Up" program and why are top studios hesitating to join? ● Do developers really have to integrate an AI sidekick into their games? ● What does the settlement mean for existing users versus new users? ● Does this change the math on building direct-to-consumer web shops? ● When (if ever) will Apple follow Google’s lead and lower their App Store fees? ● Is the Epic settlement a monumental win for the industry or just an anti-climactic sellout? Michail Katkoff | Gil Tovly

    31 min
  5. TWiG #375: GDC 2026 Post-Mortem, Epic’s Surrender & Google Play’s Legal Rebirth

    MAR 20

    TWiG #375: GDC 2026 Post-Mortem, Epic’s Surrender & Google Play’s Legal Rebirth

    The Deconstructor of Fun crew is back from San Francisco, recovering from a whirlwind GDC week to break down the massive shifts hitting the industry. No prep, no scripts. Just the real conversation on whether the "lowest attendance since 2011" is a sign of a dying conference or just a more efficient executive retreat.Questions we answer in this episode:● What is the "one word" to describe the GDC 2026 vibe?● Is the 30% drop in attendance a death knell or a much-needed "senior-only" filter?● Did Tim Sweeney actually win his fight against Google, or is a 5% discount just "mice nuts"?● How will the new Google Play fee structure actually work?● Did anyone actually see a compelling AI-native game on the show floor this week?● Why is it so expensive to run real-time LLMs in a live game?● Why is a hardcore Korean MMO giant like NCSoft splurging $200M on a German rewarded-play platform?● What is the LinkedIn engagement "hack" that everyone needs to stop doing immediately?Jen Donahoe | Phil Black | Eric Kress | Mishka Katkoff

    1h 3m
  6. TWIG #374 GDC 2025: The Honest Debrief

    MAR 19

    TWIG #374 GDC 2025: The Honest Debrief

    The full Deconstructor of Fun crew, all six of us, recorded live and on-site in San Francisco at the end of GDC week. No prep, no scripts. Just the real conversations from a week of side events, back channels, and late nights. Questions we answer in this episode: What's the one word that captures the mood of GDC 2025?Is GDC still relevant?What's the wildest rumor that we heard?Why is everyone at GDC publicly obsessed with AI?Did anyone actually see a compelling AI-native game this week? Where is investment money actually flowing in games right now? What's the one thing the industry needs to hear right now that nobody is saying out loud? Mishka Katkoff | Jen Donahoe | Eric Kress | Adam Telfer | Laura Toranto | Phil Black

    59 min
  7. Shooter Monthly #5: The Marathon Revelation, Overwatch Reborn & The Death of Highguard

    MAR 18

    Shooter Monthly #5: The Marathon Revelation, Overwatch Reborn & The Death of Highguard

    Extraction shooters are finally confronting their identity crisis. Is Marathon the answer, or just another branch of the same lineage?Phil, Sides, and Anjos break down a pivotal moment for shooters: Highguard’s collapse, Marathon’s high-stakes launch, and Overwatch’s unexpected resurgence. The debate rage on: are we watching the evolution of battle royale into something more persistent, or just another iteration of Tarkov’s legacy? We discuss: ● Highguard’s shutdown and the limits of modern marketing ○ Hate-playing, sentiment collapse, and losing control of narrative post-launch ● Marathon’s design thesis ○ Persistent battle royale vs traditional extraction shooter lineage ○ Lower friction loops, faster re-entry, and softened risk systems ● The genre split ○ Arc Raiders as first-principles PvE extraction ○ Marathon as PvP-first with extraction layered on top ● The missing innovation question ○ What is Marathon’s true “Bungie leap” beyond sandbox combat + loot? ● Overwatch’s resurgence ○ Systems-driven live ops vs content arms race with Marvel Rivals ● The future of shooter ecosystems ○ Extraction, hero shooters, and the erosion of “black hole” games

    54 min
  8. State of Gaming 2026: What’s Really Winning Now

    MAR 17

    State of Gaming 2026: What’s Really Winning Now

    Sam Aune from Sensor Tower breaks down the State of Gaming 2026 - from Battlefield 6 proving premium is far from dead, to why free-to-play is getting harder to break into, and how social indie games are driving viral success. In this episode, we go deep on mobile’s slowdown, strategy games dominating revenue, and how Chinese publishers are out-executing the West across both midcore and casual. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Welcome and Report Setup 00:43 State of Gaming Goes Beyond Mobile 03:22 Trend One Battlefield Six Dominates 05:05 Premium vs Free to Play Reality Check 07:10 Hybrid Pricing and Live Ops Middle Ground 09:01 Battlefield Six Marketing Playbook 11:53 Indie Breakouts Repo and Peak 12:31 Why Social Games Go Viral 16:12 AAA Response and GTA Six Outlook 18:08 Mobile Market Maturity and Consolidation 20:37 Why Growth Stalls IDFA Saturation 23:34 Strategy Genre Wins Worldwide 26:41 Regional Genre Opportunities and New Hits 28:00 Free Fire US Surge 28:30 China Social Extraction 28:52 Why China Wins 31:47 Century Games Playbook 34:23 How West Competes 38:35 Indie Focus Advantage 43:21 Web Store Incentives 46:38 App Store Search Wars 49:46 SEO Naming Strategy 51:22 Report Wrap Up

    54 min
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4.4
out of 5
102 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
    768
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Deconstructor of Fun
  • Show Website
    Deconstructor of Fun

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