PocketGamer.biz Podcast

PGbiz Podcast
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  • VIDEO GAMES
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to your regular glimpse into the business of mobile games. Featuring interviews with games industry experts! Your hosts are the insiders at PocketGamer.biz, the top B2B site for the mobile games industry. It covers the people, technology and deals that drive this multi-billion dollar sector. In our ongoing podcast, you’ll hear the editorial team and their guests dive into the topics and themes at the forefront of the industry. You’ll get unique insight and exclusive Q and As, taking you behind the scenes on the international mobile games scene.

  1. When Scale Stops Working: The New Rules Of Mobile Growth

    1D AGO

    When Scale Stops Working: The New Rules Of Mobile Growth

    In Part 2 of this two-part PocketGamer.biz special, host Peggy Anne Salz continues her conversation with Jon Radoff — CEO of Beamable and one of the early architects of online game infrastructure, long before LiveOps became a discipline and games-as-a-service became the norm. If Part 1 examined why backend now determines competitive advantage, Part 2 tackles the macro reality reshaping every studio’s growth strategy. Installs have plateaued. Time spent has stabilised. Revenue growth is no longer coming from incremental user acquisition, but from deeper monetisation of existing players. Sensor Tower calls this the “monetisation-first” era, and the message is clear: scale alone is no longer enough. As Jon puts it: “Games is a services business now. You don’t ship a product and walk away. You run it.” In this episode, Peggy and Jon unpack what that actually means in practice: • Why value per player now matters more than volume • How retention, loyalty and operational excellence have become the real growth levers • Where monetisation systems, competition frameworks and identity infrastructure reinforce each other • Why partnership can become a strategic advantage rather than a loss of control • Where AI lowers operational barriers — and where trusted infrastructure remains essential This conversation makes one thing explicit: in a monetisation-first environment, infrastructure is not plumbing. It is strategy. Together, these two episodes explain not just what the Skillz–Beamable integration represents, but why developers who adapt to this new growth model will be structurally better positioned over the next cycle. Chapters 00:00 - Content That Would Never See the Light of Day 00:42 - Democratize Game Development 01:26 - Wild West Experience 02:49 - Understand Roblox 03:07 - Lesson for the Broader Game Industry 04:28 - Co-creation with Your Player Population 06:58 - Skillz and Beamable 09:08 - Building Your Own 3D Engine 10:44 - Exclusively Creative Industry 13:40 - English Language Programming 17:48 - Unique Technical Architecture of Games 22:57 - The "1 + 1 Equals 3" Merger Let's Connect 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pocketgamer-biz/?originalSubdomain=uk 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

    31 min
  2. Rewarded Grows Up: Why Monetisation Now Shapes The Model

    6D AGO

    Rewarded Grows Up: Why Monetisation Now Shapes The Model

    In this PocketGamer.biz episode, hosts Peggy Anne Salz and Craig Chapple sit down with Francesca ReDavid, VP of Product Growth at Mistplay, and Aaron Thandi, Chief Commercial Officer, to examine how rewarded is evolving in what many are calling the monetisation-first era. For years, rewarded functioned primarily as a UA lever, driving installs and early engagement at scale. But growth dynamics have shifted. Installs have plateaued. Revenue is concentrating deeper in the player journey. Studios are now under pressure to increase lifetime value, not just acquisition volume. That shift forces a rethink. Mistplay is preparing to launch a new feature called Playtime Events, designed to combine time-based rewards with contextual in-game milestones. The goal is structural: align rewarded mechanics more closely with how games actually drive engagement and monetisation. Rather than rewarding time alone, this approach ties incentives to meaningful progression points inside the game experience. The testing that led to this shift is significant. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why rewarded can no longer operate as a simple traffic channelHow hybrid playtime-plus-task testing drove a 30% lift in playtime and a 20% increase in D30 ROASWhy RPG and strategy titles exposed the limits of generic reward structuresHow contextual milestones can reinforce progression loops rather than distract from themWhat UA, AdMon and Product teams must rethink as monetisation becomes the growth engine As Francesca explains, rewarded increasingly needs to function as a companion to gameplay — embedded in progression, not layered on top of it. For studios navigating deeper engagement cycles in 2026, this episode explores why the next phase of rewarded will be defined less by installs and more by alignment with monetisation mechanics. Chapters 00:00 Driving High Performance and Quality Experience 01:34 The Monetization-First Era 04:01 Rewarding High-Quality Users 05:56 Defining Rewarded 07:50 The History of Mistplay in Rewarded 11:34 Rewarded No Longer a Source of Cheap Traffic 15:12 Time Spent as a Key Indicator 29:39 Playtime and In-Game Events 33:38 Playtime Plus Task Mechanics 48:02 Rewarded's Future: Personalization and ML ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pocketgamer-biz/?originalSubdomain=uk 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

    53 min
  3. Backend Infrastructure Now Decides Mobile Game Winners

    MAR 3

    Backend Infrastructure Now Decides Mobile Game Winners

    In Part 1 of this two-part PocketGamer.biz special, hosts Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow sit down with Jon Radoff, CEO of Beamable and an OG architect of online game infrastructure, building persistent systems long before “LiveOps” became a job title, to examine a shift many studios still underestimate. The pressure is real: move faster, iterate based on real player behaviour and extend lifetime value without burning runway. Studios know they need LiveOps. They know they need scale. What they often underestimate is where competitive advantage is now determined. Drawing on decades of building and operating live online games, Jon explains why infrastructure decisions can quietly shape, or sabotage, everything that follows. Peggy, Brian and Jon explore what Skillz’s acquisition of Beamable’s backend and LiveOps technology means for developers, and how bringing together competition systems, identity, payments and scalable backend services can reduce operational risk while freeing teams to focus on what actually differentiates their game. The hard truth: “If you’re spending any of your effort building the tech instead of the fun, you’re accumulating debt that doesn’t do you any good.” Jon makes the case for treating infrastructure as a strategic lever rather than a technical burden and for recognising that games are no longer products you ship, but businesses you operate. In this episode, you’ll understand: Why velocity and behavioural signal now outweigh feature roadmapsHow backend decisions directly impact runway, trust and long-term scalabilityWhat unified competition, identity and LiveOps systems unlock for 20-person studiosWhy socially connected mechanics are no longer reserved for massive teamsHow creator-driven ecosystems like Roblox are resetting player expectations Part 1 closes on a pivotal idea: monetisation matters, but creativity at scale is the multiplier. In Part 2, the focus shifts outward to the macro forces shaping the industry and why we have entered what Sensor Tower calls the “monetisation-first” era. Chapters 0:00 Game of Thrones Content Delivery Challenges 3:17 Why Developers Shouldn't Build a Backend 3:36 Aiming High and Iterating Rapidly 4:23 Driving Engagement Through Content and Events 9:10 The Number One Challenge: Velocity 9:38 The Second Problem: Lack of Evidence 12:07 The Need for Both Speed and Evidence 16:15 Monetization as a Design Decision 19:33 Embracing the Social Fabric in Games 23:42 Creating a Regular Content Cadence and Events Let's Connect 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pocketgamer-biz/?originalSubdomain=uk 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

    40 min

  4. MAR 2

    The future of Xbox and Pokémon's 30th anniversary | Week in Mobile Games podcast

    PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 85th episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast. On this week’s show we discuss: - The Xbox leadership changes and what it means for Microsoft's games division. - Pokémon's 30th anniversary. - The UK ASA's decision to issue an enforcement notice on loot box transparency for mobile game ads and store listings. - Blizzard's reveal of Overwatch Rush - Another MOBA?! - Our big interview with the director of the Umamusume: Pretty Derby movie. ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2025/ 👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform 👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com

    38 min

  5. FEB 20

    Scopely's $1bn Loom Games deal and Matthew Ball's State of the Industry report | Week in Mobile Games podcast

    PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 84th episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast. On this week’s show we discuss: Scopely's big deal for Pixel Flow developer Loom Games.The January 2026 mobile game revenue and download charts.Matthew Ball's State of Video Gaming 2026 report.Pokémon Go's PvP revamp.The closure of Call of Duty Warzone: Mobile's servers set for April 2026.The fall of Unity's shares by 91% since November 2021.** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2025/ 👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform 👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com

    33 min
  6. From Extracting Resources To Building Games | Inside Look

    FEB 17

    From Extracting Resources To Building Games | Inside Look

    At PocketGamer Connects London, host Peggy Anne Salz sits down with Cameron Simon, CFO at Offroad Games, whose journey from mining in South Africa to “mining” player data in mobile gaming offers a fresh take on sustainable growth. The interview grew out of a chance meeting at a dinner hosted by the Mobile Finance Collective, a new community bringing together finance leaders and founders in mobile apps and gaming, and surfaces some genuine gems along the way. Drawing on a background in heavy industry, Cameron explains how exploration, capital discipline and long-term yield thinking translate directly into player acquisition, LiveOps strategy and monetisation in mobile games. Key takeaways: ⛏️ The parallels between mining ore bodies and building player value, from discovery and development to maximising lifetime return 📊 How radical transparency around KPIs and runway builds trust and aligns teams around shared financial goals 🎮 Why CFOs who stay close to product and LiveOps make stronger growth decisions 💰 How Offroad Games approaches ad monetisation and D2C partnerships to unlock new revenue streams 🚀 Why sustainable growth and runway protection sit at the centre of every strategic decision A candid conversation about capital discipline, growth strategy and what it takes to build a mobile studio that survives the cycle. Chapters: 0:00 Cameron Simon: The "Jack of All Trades" CFO at Offroad Games 2:12 Translating Financial Data to Motivate the Team 3:34 From Mining in South Africa to Mobile Gaming in London 7:10 The Secret to Live Ops and Keeping a Game Fresh 8:29 Partnerships, D2C, and Ad Monetization 12:05 Sustainable Growth and Protecting the Team Runway ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pocketgamer-biz/?originalSubdomain=uk 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

    15 min

  7. FEB 16

    Supercell faces Clash Royale controversy and banks on innovation | Week in Mobile Games podcast

    PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 83rd episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast. On this week’s show we take a look at: Supercell's financials and CEO Ilkka Paananen's big blog post focusing on mobile game innovation.The Clash Royale content creator storm.Pokémon and Mario head to the Super Bowl.Square Enix's financials and Final Fantasy's future.Resident Evil Survival Unit's success and game design.Roblox's blowout year and concerns around child safety on the platform.** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2025/ 👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform 👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com

    38 min
  8. How Developers Actually Reach Players in 2026 | Chirag Ambwani Interview

    FEB 10

    How Developers Actually Reach Players in 2026 | Chirag Ambwani Interview

    Chirag Ambwani, SVP Gaming & Entertainment, Corporate Development & Partnerships at Sensor Tower, discusses the state of mobile gaming, monetization strategies, and the growing influence of AI and non-gaming categories. In this video: Mobile gaming surpasses $90B, with non-gaming apps also hitting record highsShort drama emerges as a fast-growing category, led by former gaming publishersBlended monetisation (IAP, subscriptions and ads) continues to drive growthPuzzle remains strong, while sports and racing declineLegacy titles like Clash of Clans and Candy Crush thrive through live opsAsia publishers dominate top-grossing chartsAI is reshaping workflows, optimisation and ad spendSensor Tower expands into PC, console and web store dataTimestamps 00:00 Intro 00:24 The State of Mobile Gaming: $90 Billion and Growing 01:44 The Rise of Short Drama: Former Gaming Companies Lead the Way 03:43 Why Blended Monetization (IAP, Subscriptions, Ads) Is Key 06:20 Legacy Titles and the Dominance of Asia Publishers 09:00 AI Usage: Optimizing Spend and Workflows Let's Connect 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pocketgamer-biz/?originalSubdomain=uk 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

    13 min
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About

Welcome to your regular glimpse into the business of mobile games. Featuring interviews with games industry experts! Your hosts are the insiders at PocketGamer.biz, the top B2B site for the mobile games industry. It covers the people, technology and deals that drive this multi-billion dollar sector. In our ongoing podcast, you’ll hear the editorial team and their guests dive into the topics and themes at the forefront of the industry. You’ll get unique insight and exclusive Q and As, taking you behind the scenes on the international mobile games scene.

Information

  • Creator
    PGbiz Podcast
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    229
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © PGbiz Podcast
  • Show Website
    PocketGamer.biz Podcast

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