GameMakers

Joseph Kim
  • 4.8 (6)
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY
GameMakers Podcast

The GameMakers podcast publishes current, entertaining, and in-depth discussions on F2P game development. Topics that we cover include the business of games, F2P monetization, liveops, game design, game development processes, team structure, and more.

  1. AUG 18

    Chinese Gaming Giants: Tencent vs. Netease | Pixels & Profits

    We dive deep into the fierce competition between Tencent and NetEase—two titans shaping the global gaming landscape. Discover how these companies are navigating the challenges of the Chinese market and their strategies for international expansion. We also share our personal experiences about Tencent and provide insider insights you can't find anywhere else. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more industry insights! 🚀 #Gaming #Tencent #NetEase #GameIndustry #PixelsAndProfits OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 1:50 Tencent business overview 4:50 Tencent margins & operational efficiency 8:06 Tencent internal studios 10:30 How Tencent worked with Glu - Brian and JK personal stories 18:15 The Tencent game dev model 21:08 Potential IP conflicts - Apex Legends Mobile case study 23:40 Tencent as bully 25:22 Tencent game company holdings 27:16 Tencent key growth opportunities 33:50 Tencent key challenges 40:55 Geo-political factors involved with Tencent 47:07 Tencent valuation 51:51 Netease business overview 54:21 Brian’s take on new Netease survival game 56:00 Netease internal studios 57:34 Netease growth opportunities 1:01:55 Netease valuation 1:02:55 Netease challenges 1:04:03 Tencent vs. Netease future outlook SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/ 😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 • TWITTER → @jokim1 • LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/ — POPULAR CONTENT — 🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I 🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021 https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI 🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s 🔴 Games Industry M&A https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs 🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw 🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso 🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA 🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

    1h 1m

  2. AUG 16

    Mastering F2P Cosmetics Monetization in Games

    Anton Bernstein, CEO of Pocket Worlds, discusses the intricacies of cosmetics monetization in free-to-play games. Learn about player motivations, game design considerations, primary vs. secondary markets, and cultural differences in monetization strategies. Gain valuable insights on key metrics and best practices for successful cosmetic-based revenue in games like Fortnite, CS:GO, and High Rise. OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 0:45 Most important topics around cosmetics monetization 2:11 Anton Bernstein background and Pocket World business 3:17 The kinds of games that sell cosmetics well: 6:20 How does Fair to play vs. free to play impact cosmetics sales 11:48 How necessary is high engagement to cosmetics sale? 14:16 How does 1st vs. 3rd person perspective impact kinds of cosmetics sales? 16:38 How does motivation around vanity vs. speculation impact cosmetics sales? 21:00 The best games to study for F2P cosmetics monetization 23:40 ARPU and spend depth for cosmetics sales 27:50 Form of cosmetics sales that perform best: Battle pass, loot box, etc. 31:50 The importance of big IP and scale to sell cosmetics well 35:00 Player motivations behind buying cosmetics 38:55 Cosmetics monetization East vs. West 45:00 Primary vs. secondary markets - developer business model 52:47 KPIs and metrics to watch for cosmetics sales 55:50 Dangers of selling cosmetics 57:32 Final message and contacting Anton 👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Anton Bernstein, CEO of Pocket Worlds: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonber/ - Pocket Worlds: https://www.pocketworlds.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.com/

    59 min

  3. JUL 21

    Brawl Stars Godzilla Event Product Roundtable Discussion | Liquid & Grit x Gamemakers

    We partnered with Liquid & Grit to discuss the Brawl Stars Godzilla event, which had a massive impact on Brawl Stars' revenue and downloads. - Highest weekly revenue ever - 59% revenue increase and 107% downloads increase 3Wo3W We review the event and discuss the implications and lessons learned. Discussion Outline: 00:00 - Introduction of the roundtable, Joseph Kim, and the participants. 00:12 - Introduction of Joseph Kim and his work. 01:18 - Overview of Brawl Stars and its game modes. 02:07 - Discussion on the popularity of Brawl Stars among kids. 03:08 - Joseph Kim discusses game design and the success of isometric games. 03:50 - Comparison between Brawl Stars and Wild Rift in terms of game depth and modes. 04:42 - Observations on the female player base in Brawl Stars. 05:50 - Insights on why kids prefer Brawl Stars, focusing on game modes .06:37 - Discussion on the decline of Fortnite and its impact on Brawl Stars. 07:33 - Introduction to the Godzilla event, its content, and game modes. 09:38 - Analysis of the event's impact on revenue and downloads. 11:18 - Explanation of event mechanics, including Monster Eggs and mutations. 13:02 - Discussion on player reactions to the temporary nature of mutations. 14:52 - Community reactions to pay-to-win elements and their temporary nature. 16:26 - Speculation on the potential return of the Godzilla event in the future. 17:18 - Discussion on the game mode experience and its balance. 18:40 - Participant's experience with the event and mutations. 20:53 - Discussion on club engagement and the club event mechanics. 21:46 - Description of the Godzilla City Smash game mode. 23:36 - Thoughts on the choice of the Godzilla IP for the event. 25:55 - In-depth discussion on the temporary nature of mutations and player perceptions. 27:04 - Considerations on event mechanics and their impact on player engagement and revenue. 28:30 - Speculations on legal implications of temporary in-game purchases. 30:17 - Discussion on the complexity of the event and its execution. 32:14 - Participant's views on the event's entertainment value and economic impact. 52:05 - Final thoughts on the event's design, economy, and player engagement. 53:41 - Closing remarks and thanks to participants.

    54 min

  4. MAY 31

    Rise and Fall of Embracer Group | Implications for the Future of Games M&A

    0:00 Intro 1:42 Background on FunPlus 2:35 Embracer Group - Historical context and current status, including breakup 6:06 Why did Embracer break up? What form of game industry consolidation makes sense? 7:40 When do company synergies make sense for game studio consolidation? 9:40 Comparison of Zynga vs. Embracer M&A strategy, Zynga’s historical M&A context 14:00 Could Embracer’s consolidation strategy have worked out? How? 16:00 Embracer’s lack of centralization functions and impact of debt to break up 19:31 Impact of easy money on M&A in 2021/2022 and then after 21:45 Outlook for Embracer split-off companies 25:38 Lars’ role in the new split-off Embracer companies 26:50 Impact of trading on the Swedish exchange 29:08 Importance of post-acquisition integration 36:22 Chris’ take on advantages of scale for gaming studios - ideal level of scale 41:08 Matt’s thoughts on game studio scale 42:30 Value from sharing best practices 47:09 Thoughts on how big studios will consider Roblox more seriously 50:05 Will FunPlus consider acquiring one of the Embracer companies? 51:47 What is the outlook for M&A in 2024 and beyond? SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/ 😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 • TWITTER → @jokim1 • LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/ — POPULAR CONTENT — 🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I 🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021 https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI 🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s 🔴 Games Industry M&A https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs 🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw 🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso 🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA 🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

    55 min

  5. MAY 11

    The Frontier of AI NPCs with Convai's CEO | Purnendu Mukherjee

    Purnendu Mukherjee, CEO of Convai, shares insights into innovative approaches to developing human-like AI characters that can intelligently interact with users, perform actions, and engage in natural and responsive conversations. This discussion sheds light on the future of interactive gaming, educational tools, and real-world applications of AI NPCs, from Mukherjee's personal journey, which sparked his deep interest in the mechanics of the human mind and AI, to the technical challenges and societal impacts of integrating AI within virtual spaces. OUTLINE: 0:00 Introduction to Convai and AI NPCs 1:19 Purnendu's background and how he got into working on AI NPCs 04:22 - Current limitations of AI NPCs and what's needed to make them indistinguishable from humans 5:00 - Technical Challenges and Innovations 07:34 - Overcoming latency issues with AI NPCs 08:50 - Potential AI applications in gaming and why AI NPCs are attracting significant funding 15:17 - Differentiating factors and focus areas for Convai compared to competitors 19:19 - Steps for developers to integrate Convai's technology into a game 24:12 - Comparing effort and impact of using AI NPCs vs traditional dialogue trees and behavior trees 29:25 - Economics and business model of Convai - pricing for different types of games 34:31 - Bringing down costs for games with massive usage and appeal to global audiences 38:48 - Early traction and use cases Convai is seeing from customers today 43:18 - Potential for AI to enable new kinds of gaming experiences 47:55 - Feasibility of doing a fully AI-driven Dungeons & Dragons game with current technology 50:16 - Optionality if Convai solves AI NPCs for gaming to expand to other domains 53:14 - Purnendu's entrepreneurial learnings and the meaningful suffering of a startup journey 59:04 - Constructive criticism from GDC and Convai's commitment to enabling great art 59:55 - Conclusion 👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Conv.ai: https://conv.ai/ - Purnendu Mukherjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/purn3ndu/ SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.com/ 😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 • TWITTER → @jokim1 • LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

    1h 6m

  6. APR 20

    Embracer vs. Ubisoft: A Deep Dive into Two Struggling Gaming Giants (Pixels & Profits)

    We compare two major gaming companies, Embracer and Ubisoft, on this episode of Pixels and Profits. ✅ Business performance ✅ Valuation ✅ Future outlook of both companies We analyze their strategies, financials, and potential for growth. Timeline Summary: 00:00 - Introduction to the topic and overview of Embracer's business 03:00 - Discussion of Embracer's financials and debt situation 10:15 - Embracer's restructuring efforts and asset sales 13:45 - Embracer's tabletop gaming business and profitability 16:20 - Outlook for Embracer's PC and console division 21:20 - Embracer's mobile gaming business and challenges 24:25 - Valuation and investment potential for Embracer 26:45 - Introduction to Ubisoft's business and strategy 29:55 - Ubisoft's financials and revenue per employee issues 37:10 - Ubisoft's upcoming titles for fiscal year 2024 42:40 - Ubisoft's future outlook and titles for fiscal year 2025 49:50 - Valuation and investment potential for Ubisoft 52:05 - Concerns about Ubisoft's development strategies and efficiency 56:10 - Ubisoft's mobile gaming efforts and challenges 58:30 - Closing thoughts on Embracer and Ubisoft's future prospects SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/ 😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 • TWITTER → @jokim1 • LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/ — POPULAR CONTENT — 🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I 🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021 https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI 🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s 🔴 Games Industry M&A https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs 🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw 🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso 🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA 🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

    1h 19m

  7. MAR 30

    Game Developer Conference (GDC) 2024 Recap: Themes, GDC Talks, Takeaways, and Rumors

    We discuss key themes & trends, critical takeaways, GDC panels/talks, and rumors from GDC 2024. OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 2:35 VC, publisher investment in gaming is down 3:50 Moving to tighter efficiency in game development 7:05 More pain coming, 3-6 more months of industry rationalization 15:30 UA deterioriation since beginning of year 17:17 AI & Liveops key areas of focus 21:40 Importance of marketing and UA for mobile game success 23:45 Sensor Tower acquisition of data.ai 30:45 GDC Talks 37:10 Frank + Frank Supercell Brawlstars talk 41:20 King’s AI Talk - how they improve liveops on Candy Crush Soda Saga 43:15 Epic’s UEFN talks 49:05 Ken’s GDC tips 55:10 Key takeaways 1:05:40 GDC rumors SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

    1h 17m

  8. MAR 21

    Atomic Scaling with Ludovic Bodin | Lessons From the Games Industry to the World!

    Ludovic Bodin is an entrepreneur, investor, and now author of the book Atomic Scaling. Ludovic has learned lessons from the titans of the games industry and created a framework he believes can be applied to any other industry. Learn more about the lessons from Supercell, Valve, Zynga, and others and how they can apply to your games studio or company outside of games. OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 1:20 How Ilkka Paananen, CEO of Supercell inspired Atomic Scaling - Keeping teams small for as long as possible 7:08 How Gabe Newell, CEO of Valve, further inspired Atomic Scaling - Lessons from the games industry are widely applicable 9:35 Ludovic’s great book endorsements, learning from game industry experts, and the sharing culture in gaming 12:21 Motivation to write Atomic Scaling 14:10 3Ps 3Rs framework explanation- People, Prediction, Playbook and Revenue, Reach, Retention 14:52 People principle 22:00 Prediction principle: prediction vs. prophecy - hypothesis, measurement, then change 34:22 Playbook principle - getting the team on the same page 42:13 Revenue, Reach, and Retention 44:05 LiveOps and the LOVE framework - Live product development, Organized event calendar, Very special sales & offers, Engagement and re-engagement 47:10 What should readers take away?

    48 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The GameMakers podcast publishes current, entertaining, and in-depth discussions on F2P game development. Topics that we cover include the business of games, F2P monetization, liveops, game design, game development processes, team structure, and more.

Information

  • Creator
    Joseph Kim
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2024
  • Episodes
    145
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Joseph Kim
  • Show Website
    GameMakers

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