The Gaming Playbook w/ Harry Phokou

Harry Phokou

On The Gaming Playbook, Harry Phokou sits down with experts in the games industry who have never been interviewed before. Through these in-depth conversations, Harry unpacks the "Playbook" that made them so successful. Skip the line on Tuesdays and download the real-life cheat codes every gaming industry pro needs to know. LinkedIn: @hphokou Instagram: @hphokou Newsletter: https://join.thegamingplaybook.com/ Business and guest inquiries: playbook@phokou.com

  1. 1d ago

    #84 - Kirill Oreshkin: How to Test Game Ideas in Just 2 Weeks Before You Build Them

    How can you tell whether players want your game before spending years building it? Today, I'm joined by Kirill Oreshkin, Co-founder and CEO of Polden Publishing, who explains how his team tests indie game ideas through two-week influencer campaigns and Steam wishlists before deciding which games to sign. We also discuss how to validate game ideas with trailers, market games on Steam using TikTok and YouTube Shorts, and decide between self-publishing and working with a publisher. If you're an indie game developer or studio founder looking to validate your next game, attract more players, or improve your chances of getting signed by a publisher, this episode is for you! Connect with Kirill:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiroreshkin/Website: polden.gg Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phokou/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCtZBNcgtKJR2NtGct3-cFWgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/ Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/ Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com 0:00 Intro4:10 How Polden tests game ideas in just 2 weeks7:11 Why other publishers don't run marketing tests11:14 How game publishing deals work13:44 Self-publishing vs working with a publisher16:49 What actually works for marketing games on Steam20:11 TikTok, YouTube influencers and Steam demos22:16 How to price indie games on Steam24:20 What makes a friendslop game?25:37 Paid influencers vs organic content28:10 Why Steam wishlists aren't enough30:55 How Polden runs playtests and collects feedback34:04 Can you test a game idea with just a trailer?36:34 The limits of validating game ideas early40:30 Polden's future and AI in game development45:01 Funding games and managing investor risk47:15 Emerging Steam trends: Simulators and incremental games52:37 What does it take to start a game publisher?55:06 The 3 things Polden looks for in a game1:00:45 Steam wishlist-to-sales benchmarks1:02:46 DLC vs free updates for indie games1:03:38 Final advice for game developers

    #84 - Kirill Oreshkin: How to Test Game Ideas in Just 2 Weeks Before You Build Them

  2. Oct 22

    #83 - Jakob Berglund: How to Prioritize What Matters Most in Game Development

    Today I’m joined by Jakob Berglund, founder of Atlas One, who spent over 11 years at King and later worked on MONOPOLY GO! at Scopely. We talk about turning game analytics into better decisions, identifying what actually drives player retention and revenue, and comparing the value of new features against technical debt. We also explore why more data and AI-generated insights don't necessarily lead to better decisions. If you’re a game developer, producer, analyst, or studio leader trying to figure out what deserves your attention, this episode is for you. Connect with Jakob:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hi-jakob-berglund/Website: http://www.atlas1.oneEmail: hello@atlas1.one Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phokou/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCtZBNcgtKJR2NtGct3-cFWgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/ Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/ Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com Chapters:0:00 Intro2:52 Problem-solving and Jakob's early work at King5:45 Why more data doesn't mean better decisions9:14 Finding the real drivers behind game metrics11:12 How King uncovered a hidden cause of player churn14:00 Business context, correlation, and causation18:43 How to measure and compare business value22:00 Using constraints to decide what to prioritize25:15 Comparing the value of different opportunities30:35 Why companies need to validate their estimates33:34 Turning data into actionable decisions37:54 Why rough estimates beat false precision41:56 How every role contributes to business value47:07 Comparing recurring costs with new game features50:15 Using retrospectives to identify recurring problems55:03 Assigning value to the causes of problems58:33 Atlas One: Building a better decision engine1:02:49 Why AI needs business context

    #83 - Jakob Berglund: How to Prioritize What Matters Most in Game Development

  3. Oct 8

    #82 - Guy Costantini: What It Takes to Build and Fund a Game in 2026

    Today I'm joined by Guy Costantini, Co-founder and CEO of Chaos Manufacturing, who's spent over 15 years in game publishing, marketing and studio leadership, including roles at Riot Games, CD Projekt Red and Skydance. We talked about how the games industry has become a buyer's market, why publishers and investors increasingly want to see playable games and proven traction before committing funding, and what that means for developers trying to get their games made. Guy also shares how he's building SOL Shogunate while keeping costs under control, why getting the scope of your game right matters, and how to balance making something you believe in with making something people will actually buy. If you're a game developer, studio founder or publisher navigating game funding and publishing, this episode offers a practical look at what it takes to get a game made and bring it to market. Connect with Guy:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcostantini/ Check out these games:SOL Shogunate: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3219360/SOL_Shogunate/Game of Thrones: War for Westeros: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2838950/_/Mouse P.I. for Hire: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2416450/_/ Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phokou/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCtZBNcgtKJR2NtGct3-cFWgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/ Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/ Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com Chapters:0:00 Intro3:46 Building a Game Studio on a Lean Budget6:29 Why Understanding Your Market Matters10:12 The Risks of Game Funding and Overspending14:30 Why Game Funding Has Become a Buyer's Market17:03 Do Indie Developers Still Need Publishers?23:41 What Publishers Look for Before Investing26:27 Job Security and Leadership in the Games Industry30:30 Why Publishers Cancel Games32:39 How Game Publishing Deals and Milestones Work38:14 Managing Risk in Game Development41:30 Finding Alternative Sources of Game Funding44:40 Equity Financing vs. Project Financing46:23 What It Takes to Get a Game Funded Today49:36 Why Investors Prefer Lower-Risk Games51:14 Balancing Creative Vision With Commercial Success53:36 Why Guy Had to Rethink His Game's Scope55:07 Why Constraints Can Lead to Better Games58:11 What Does It Take to Start a Game Publisher?1:01:22 Why Game Marketing and Audience Building Matter1:05:49 Alternative Game Publishing Models1:08:07 The Future of the Games Industry1:11:22 Finding Your Advantage in the Games Industry1:13:16 SOL Shogunate and Closing Thoughts

    #82 - Guy Costantini: What It Takes to Build and Fund a Game in 2026

  4. Oct 1

    #81 - Teemu Haila: How AI Is Changing How Games Are Built, Tested & Run

    Today I’m joined by Teemu Haila, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Metaplay. Teemu has spent more than 20 years in game development, co-founded PlayRiven before its acquisition by Rovio, and now works at the intersection of AI and live service game development. We talk about how AI agents are already changing the way games are built and run, including a real example where work that previously took two engineering teams two months was completed by one developer using AI in two weeks. We also cover AI-powered game testing, faster iteration, how much smaller game teams could become, and why LiveOps needs to be designed into a game from the very beginning. If you’re a game developer, studio founder or publisher trying to understand how AI will change the way games are built, tested and operated, then this episode is for you! Connect with Teemu:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teemuhaila/Website: https://www.metaplay.io/lp/multiplayer-live-service-game Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phokou/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCtZBNcgtKJR2NtGct3-cFWgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/ Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/ Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com Chapters:0:00 Intro1:52 Teemu Haila joins the podcast3:41 Why AI gives generalists an advantage5:53 How AI is changing LiveOps11:09 The 30x AI game development example15:31 How AI could transform game testing21:50 How much smaller can game teams become?26:17 Why discovery becomes the bottleneck29:55 How game developers can avoid being left behind34:14 The best way to learn AI is to start building40:33 Why marketers can now build games43:48 Validating game ideas before building them46:47 Why LiveOps must be designed from day one52:33 What Metaplay actually does56:05 Web games, playable demos and new ways to test ideas1:00:59 Should Harry start a game publisher?1:03:10 Finding profitable game niches big studios ignore1:05:56 Harry's venture studio plan1:10:51 How to connect with Teemu

    #81 - Teemu Haila: How AI Is Changing How Games Are Built, Tested & Run

  5. Sep 17

    #80 - Magnus Lysell: How to Sell More Copies of Your Game in China

    Today, I’m joined by Magnus Lysell, co-founder of Light Up Games and a former product manager at Paradox Interactive, where he worked on games including Cities: Skylines and Surviving Mars. He now helps developers and publishers launch games globally, with a particular focus on China. We talked about why game developers often think about China too late, how publishing and marketing games there actually works, and what developers need to know about localization, Steam, Bilibili, Heybox, pricing and local partners. If you’re a game developer, studio founder or publisher looking to reach more players, understand the Chinese games market or build a smarter global publishing strategy, then this episode is for you! Connect with Magnus: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/magnuslysell/ Website: https://lightup.games/en Connect with Harry: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phokou/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HivemindWorld Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/ Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/ Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:45 Magnus Lysell and Light Up Games 03:10 What game developers get wrong about publishing 03:56 Why studios treat China as an afterthought 05:49 Why a launch trailer isn’t enough in China 06:40 How early should you prepare for China? 08:02 Do you need an ISBN to publish in China? 09:20 Can you sell PC games through Steam in China? 10:11 Which games perform well in China? 11:24 A 3-step strategy for entering the Chinese market 12:08 How important can China be for game revenue? 13:19 How poor localization can hurt your game 14:17 From Paradox to game publishing 15:44 How to price games for the Chinese market 17:18 Magnus’s advice for game developers 18:15 Why game developers should know about Heybox

    #80 - Magnus Lysell: How to Sell More Copies of Your Game in China

  6. Sep 10

    #79 - Mikkel Weider: What It Takes for a Great Game to Succeed (Publishing, Discovery, Market Demand & More)

    Today, I’m joined by Mikkel Weider, the new CEO of Everplay Group, home to Team17, astragon Entertainment and StoryToys, with hundreds of games across its portfolio. We talked about what publishers look for in games, how developers can stand out in an increasingly crowded market, and why understanding your audience and market matters just as much as making a great game. If you’re a game developer, running an indie studio, or trying to understand how publishers think about games, then this episode is for you! Connect with Mikkel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkelweider/ Pitch your game: Simulator games: https://www.astragon.com/ Indie, party & selected shooter games: https://www.team17.com/ Kids games: https://storytoys.com/ Connect with Harry: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phokou/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HivemindWorld Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/ Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/ Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:49 Inside Everplay, Team17, astragon & StoryToys 03:22 Mikkel’s first months as Everplay CEO 05:20 The growing game discovery problem 07:04 Building direct relationships with players 08:26 Should studios stick to the genres they know? 10:42 What publishers look for in new games 12:57 How much innovation does a game need? 14:51 Leading and operating a games group 17:46 Delegation, trust & accountability 21:13 Firefighting vs pursuing opportunities 22:21 Technology, AI & the future of games 26:13 Building a culture of ownership 28:59 Publishing vs game development 30:02 Should games launch on every platform? 31:48 How to pitch your game to Everplay

    #79 - Mikkel Weider: What It Takes for a Great Game to Succeed (Publishing, Discovery, Market Demand & More)

  7. Sep 1

    #78 - Ali Farha: How Game Funding Works (VC, Publishers, Project Financing & More)

    How do game studios actually get funded, and when should you choose VC, a publisher, project financing, or another route? Today I’m joined by Ali Farha, Investment Associate at Behold Ventures, to break down how game funding actually works from the investor side, and what developers need to understand before raising money. We talked about the difference between VC, publishers and project financing, when each funding route makes sense, what games VCs actually look for in a studio, how the investment process works, and why your pitch should change depending on who you’re raising from. If you’re an indie developer, studio founder, or game developer trying to fund your next game, understand your financing options, or make your studio more investable, then this episode is for you. Connect with Ali:LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifarha/⁠Website: ⁠https://behold.vc/⁠Listen to Ali’s previous episode: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/0OEtoYIT1n1m1bjiBu5dDD?si=814233edcdf145f2 Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/phokou/⁠YouTube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@HivemindWorld⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/⁠ Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/ Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com Chapters:00:00 Intro02:34 How games VC works05:35 Bootstrapping, friends & family, angels and VC07:11 VC vs project financing08:24 Why founders should look for “smart money”10:16 The value of a VC network11:48 How should an indie studio fund its game?13:01 How the VC investment process actually works16:28 Do VCs take control of game studios?18:43 Questions founders should ask investors19:23 What makes a game studio investable?20:09 How to pitch a VC vs a publisher21:32 Combining VC, publishers and other funding22:47 Mobile games and UA financing24:06 Could UA financing come to PC and console?27:35 The future of AAA, AA and indie games30:30 Final fundraising advice for game developers

    #78 - Ali Farha: How Game Funding Works (VC, Publishers, Project Financing & More)

  8. Aug 20

    #77 - Adam Jaffe: Why Mobile Game Growth Has Changed and Where the New Opportunities Are

    Today I’m joined by Adam Jaffe, a mobile gaming marketer with nearly two decades in the industry. He was Playtika’s 10th employee and Head of User Acquisition, and later served as VP of Marketing at Social Point. We talked about why organic growth in mobile gaming has become so much harder, where studios should be looking for new users now, and why pouring more money into marketing won’t save a product that isn’t ready to scale. If you’re building, marketing or running a mobile game business and want a clearer picture of where the market is heading, this episode is for you. Connect with Adam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adjaffe/Website: www.trofeo.ioLive Trofeo demo: play.trofeo.io/play Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phokou/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HivemindWorldInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/ Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/ Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com Chapters:00:00 Intro04:14 How mobile gaming changed from the early days08:14 How ATT and IDFA changed mobile user acquisition13:32 Why organic growth and virality disappeared19:30 Why media platforms now hold the power23:25 Why mobile game studios have less room to fail29:19 Risk aversion, layoffs and the cost of playing safe32:25 Where mobile games get users in 202635:33 How rewarded traffic actually works41:26 How to make rewarded user acquisition work44:54 CTV as the next mobile marketing frontier46:37 Mobile game monetization beyond traditional ads56:53 Premium vs free-to-play mobile games59:43 Why marketers need to understand the game itself01:01:29 Aligning product and marketing around ROAS01:05:16 Don’t let marketing get ahead of your product

    #77 - Adam Jaffe: Why Mobile Game Growth Has Changed and Where the New Opportunities Are
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On The Gaming Playbook, Harry Phokou sits down with experts in the games industry who have never been interviewed before. Through these in-depth conversations, Harry unpacks the "Playbook" that made them so successful. Skip the line on Tuesdays and download the real-life cheat codes every gaming industry pro needs to know. LinkedIn: @hphokou Instagram: @hphokou Newsletter: https://join.thegamingplaybook.com/ Business and guest inquiries: playbook@phokou.com

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