Games and Names Stanislav Minasov

Hey there! Welcome to Games & Names podcast, a place where we casually chat about the gaming industry with a hint of magic.
In this episode, we're talking about keeping mobile games successful in the long run. How to be on top for a decade or even more? What is the secret sauce of adopting and staying the same altogether? How to work with IPs like Disney and National Geographic? And how to maintain a performing game for years with LiveOps? Together with Dmitry Bobrov, CEO of ZiMAD who has been managing the company for more than 10 years, we're discussing these and much more!
Episode's crew: ⁠Stan Minasov, Dmitry Bobrov
Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with your friends, colleagues, friends, and pets. Especially pets!

In this episode, we talk about:
- how to keep your game successful for 10 years or more;
- how to partner with giant IPs like Disney, Marvel or NatGeo - and make it beneficial for everyone;
- what’s the secret of maintaining LiveOps for a decade;
- should you adapt to the industry trends or set them yourself;
- how to increase your chances of success when launching a new game

We also share a bunch of game recommendations! Stay tuned for the next episodes. Good luck and have fun :)
YouTube (if you want to see us!): https://youtu.be/xHLyXJZIZQI
Please share feedback and comments - sm@appmagic.rocks

Hey there! Welcome to Games & Names podcast, a place where we casually chat about the gaming industry with a hint of magic.
In this episode, we're talking about LiveOps and how to cook it the best way. How to run a successful LiveOps? What are the main challenges and pitfalls you should be aware of? What to do, when players know your game better than you do? And what is the secret sauce of maintaining a performing game for years? Together with Vikas Menon, executive producer with almost 12 years of experience at Zynga, we're discussing the ins and outs of LiveOps!
Episode's crew: ⁠Stan Minasov, Vikas Menon
Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with your friends, colleagues, friends, and pets. Especially pets!
In this episode, we talk about:
why LiveOps in 2024 is more important than ever (spoiler - because it's extremely difficult to launch a new game!);what is LiveOps and how to define it;how LiveOps approaches evolved along the industry evolution;what is Zynga approach to running LiveOps;how to boost game's performance through competitors' LiveOps analysis;main challenges and pitfalls when operating a successful title;We also share a bunch of game recommendations with fresh releases of this year! Stay tuned for the next episodes. Good luck and have fun :)
YouTube (if you want to see us!): https://youtu.be/TDJbikbzK6c
Please share feedback and comments - sm@appmagic.rocks

Hey there! Welcome to Games & Names podcast, a place where we casually chat about the gaming industry with a hint of magic.
In the last episode of this season, we're summing up the year and looking back at what happened to the industry in 2023. How did the year unfold, especially compared to turbulent 2022? What were the main trends and shocking news? How did both companies and investors feel themselves?
Together with Anton Gorodetsky, Head of Industry Relations at My.Games, and Dmitriy Byshonkov, Senior Business Development Manager at My.Games, we're reviewing the year's highlights!
Episode's crew: ⁠Stan Minasov, Jesse Kroon, Anton Gorodetsky, Dmitriy Byshonkov
Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with your friends, colleagues, friends, and pets. Especially pets!
In this episode, we talk about:
what are the main trends of 2023;why mobile game industry decline continues;the terrifying success rate of casual games - less than 0,5%! - and what it means for investors;industry layoffs, the obvious elephant in the room, and how to treat it;the main takeaways, both for developers and investors.We also share a bunch of game recommendations with fresh releases of this year! Stay tuned for the next episodes. Good luck and have fun :)
YouTube (if you want to see us!): https://youtu.be/twomdE_zREY
Please share feedback and comments - sm@appmagic.rocks

Hey there! Welcome to Games & Names podcast, a place where we casually chat about the gaming industry with a hint of magic.
In the seventh episode, we discuss the topic that is often omitted but raises a lot of questions – legal issues in gamedev. Can game mechanics be patented? Is it possible to sue over a copycat of your game? Why do companies sometimes sue not only the developers but also stores like the AppStore and Google Play? Tune in to know more!
Episode's crew: ⁠Stan Minasov, Jesse Kroon, Alina Davletshina, Alexandra Kurdyumova
Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with your friends, colleagues, friends, and pets. Especially pets!
In this episode, we talk about:
what to do when your game was completely copied;can you protect a hypercasual mechanic;is it possible to patent a game idea and how it should be done;what necessary legal steps should a fresh gaming company do;who are patent trolls and why big corporations fear them;Nintendo has 8,000+ patents and thousands of lawyers - what for?We also share a bunch of game recommendations based on... choices! Stay tuned for the next episodes. Good luck and have fun :)
YouTube (if you want to see us!): https://youtu.be/jUpU-HiRFD4 Please share feedback and comments - sm@appmagic.rocks

Hey there! Welcome to Games & Names podcast, a place where we casually chat about the gaming industry with a hint of magic.
In the sixth episode, we discuss the hottest talk of the town - AI tools in game development. How can they be used? What are the limitations one should consider? How to boost your marketing and ASO with AI? Together with Thomas Kriebernegg, founder of AppRadar, we answer that and much more in this episode!
Episode's crew: ⁠Stan Minasov⁠, ⁠Jesse Kroon⁠, ⁠Thomas Kriebernegg⁠
Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with your friends, colleagues, friends, and pets. Especially pets!
In this episode, we talk about:
how to boost your ASO with AI and why ChatGPT is your tool-to-go;how to use ChatGPT to analyze TikTok trends and come up with game ideas;why AI should be approached as an assistant and not as a solution;what are the limitations of AI-based tools;tips and tricks for better prompt engineering;We also share a bunch of game recommendations based on the AI! Stay tuned for the next episodes. Good luck and have fun :)
YouTube (if you want to see us!): https://youtu.be/H6LRIUX3j2U
Please share feedback and comments - sm@appmagic.rocks

Hey there! Welcome to the Games & Names podcast, a place where we casually chat about the gaming industry with a hint of magic.
In the fifth episode, we talk not with one but two guests — Nikita Tolokonnikov, Product Director at Tripledot, and Vicent Boned Riera, Data Analyst at Supercell. Why do big companies struggle with creating new hits? Is it easier for a big company or a small studio to make the next big thing? What can we define as a hit, to start with? And what do you need to create one? That and much more we try to answer in this episode!
Episode's crew: ⁠Stan Minasov, Jesse Kroon, Nikita Tolokonnikov, Vicent Boned Riera
Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with your friends, colleagues, friends, and pets. Especially pets!
In this episode, we talk about:
- why big companies struggle with creating new hits;- how already successful games and high standards damage game production and creativity;
- the definition of a 'hit' and how these criteria changed in Supercell along the way;
- what are the crucial things for a game to be successful and why risk aversion stands in the way of it;
- why it's almost impossible to emulate a small studio's benefits in a big corporation;
- why Clash Mini and Floodrush (already discontinued) unlikely will become the next Supercell hit
We also share a bunch of game recommendations that we loved recently, including the magnificent Disco Elysium! Stay tuned for the next episodes. Good luck and have fun :)
YouTube (if you want to see us!): https://youtu.be/DqLpbtT4XbU
Please share feedback and comments - sm@appmagic.rocks