Join us for an eye-opening conversation about how AI is completely transforming the game animation industry. Viren Tellis, CEO of Uthana, shares how their technology is enabling developers to animate characters in seconds instead of days, democratizing game development for indie creators.
What you'll discover:
What's the real cost of being a startup gaming founder? In this very off-topic conversation, my old friend Mishka Katkoff (Deconstructor of Fun) and I go deep on the topics nobody puts in their pitch deck. We share personal stories about the psychological and physical toll of the grind, and question the nature of ambition in the game industry.This isn't your typical industry talk. We discuss life, sacrifice & suffering, success, and many other topics that we usually don't talk about unrelated to the business of games.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Mishka's "Slower Phase" as a Family Man00:03:56 - Does Hustle Culture Mask Deeper Problems?00:07:55 - The Difference Between Suffering and Sacrifice00:22:29 - Mishka's Biggest Lesson: Why Shared History Beats Shiny CVs00:37:35 - If Your Startup Succeeds, What Personally Changes?00:54:41 - The Pressure of AI: Is This Our Last Chance to Grind?01:02:40 - The Unseen Toll: A Founder's Most Personal Confessions01:04:15 - "I Was Happy": My Reaction to the SVB Collapse01:05:03 - When Stress Becomes Physical: Crying Spells & Panic Attacks01:07:07 - Mishka's Advice to Aspiring Founders: "Shut the F*** Up"01:12:13 - Final Thoughts on Finding Your PathSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://www.gamemakers.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH JK! — • INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
Apple and Google are taking 43% more money from your game than you think – and your competitors are using web shops to capture that revenue instead. In this eye-opening discussion, Stash's Chief Growth Officer reveals how top mobile games generate 50%+ of revenue through direct-to-consumer channels while others leave millions on the table.Why you need to watch this:- Discover the hidden math behind the "30% platform fee" that's costing you millions- Learn the exact playbook Scopely and Supercell use to maximize web shop revenue- Understand how the Epic ruling changes everything for mobile monetization- Get actionable metrics and strategies you can implement immediatelyTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction & Web Shop Revolution01:26 - How Epic vs Apple Changed Everything08:40 - The Brutal Math of Platform Fees15:00 - Three Pillars of Web Shop Success22:03 - Implementation Roadmap33:05 - Best Practices from Top Performers45:10 - The Epic Ruling Implications55:12 - Metrics That Matter1:09:34 - Future of Mobile Gaming DistributionGuest: Archie Stonehill, Chief Growth Officer at StashHost: Joseph Kim📊 Download Stash's Web Shop Guide: [link]💼 LinkedIn: Joseph Kim (@jokim) | Archie Stonehill (@archie-stonehill)#MobileGaming #GameDev #WebShops #GameBusiness #GameMonetizationSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i- Newsletter: https://www.gamemakers.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH JK! — • INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
The game development industry is in flux. From the intense pressure of the attention economy and global competition to the seismic shifts brought by Artificial Intelligence, how is the crucial role of the Product Manager evolving?
Join us for an in-depth exploration of these critical questions, featuring a panel discussion, "The Evolution of the Product Manager," and an exclusive after-panel debrief.
Hear directly from industry product leaders as they dissect the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Speakers:* Oren Debi. Generative AI Lead & VP Product at SciPlay.* David Duong. Sr. Director of Product Management at Respawn Entertainment (Apex Legends).* Tim Hong. Head of Live Service Games at AWS for Games.* Lee Horn. Fmr. VP of Product & Game Director at Mountaintop Studios.* Joseph Kim. CEO at Lila Games.* Solomon Lichter. Sr. Director, Global Gaming at CleverTap.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Whether you're a studio executive, product manager, marketer, or passionate about the future of gaming, this discussion offers invaluable insights.
EPISODE CHAPTERS:(Listen in order or jump to the sections most relevant to you)
0:00:00 Introduction: Setting the Stage for the Evolving PM
Part 1: Product x LiveOps Symposium Panel – The Product Manager in Flux0:04:24 Macro Trends Redefining Game Development (Attention Economy, Rise of China, LiveOps Resurgence) 0:11:19 AI in the Trenches: Separating Hype from Reality (Current Efficiency Gains in Art, Code, PM Tools) 0:14:31 The Evolving Product Manager: Mobile PM Agility vs. PC/Console Tradition (Solomon Lichter's initial thoughts) 0:16:59 The Evolving Product Manager: Resistance to PMs in PC/Console (Lee Horn's insights) 0:18:32 The Evolving Product Manager: Hiring for AAA – Fundamentals, Empathy, Communication (David Duong's insights) 0:21:01 The Evolving Product Manager: AI's Impact, Team Compression, and the "PM+1" Concept (Joseph Kim's insights) 0:26:36 Key Panelist Takeaways: Adapt or Die, AI Adoption, Design Thinking, the PM+1, and Live Ops Agents
Part 2: The After-Panel Huddle – Deeper Reflections & Future-Proofing0:29:14 Industry's Hunger for Tactical AI Knowledge & Embracing Uncertainty 0:34:03 AI: From Feature to Foundational Orchestration (PM's Evolving Value, Gartner's "3 Returns" Framework begins around 0:42:41, "Product Velocity" as a North Star Metric specifically at 0:47:53) 0:55:46 Agentic AI: The Next Frontier in Live Ops (Understanding Agentic AI, Practical Applications, Data Strategy Prerequisite) 1:00:40 The Culture Clash Revisited: Adaptability as the Ultimate Competitive Edge (Mobile vs. HD, Failure to Adapt) Conclusion & Final Actionable Advice1:05:16 Your Roadmap for the Future of Game Product Management (Final Advice Introduction)1:05:47 Get Hands-On & Be Curious (Tim Hong's advice) 1:06:54 Build in Public & Learn Out Loud (Solomon Lichter's advice) 1:08:46 Embrace Continuous, Urgent Learning (Joseph Kim's advice)
Follow us for more deep dives into game development, AI, and product management.
Is HTML5 gaming finally ready for prime time? After multiple failed attempts over the past decade, something fundamental has changed.
In this episode, we sit down with Dmitry Kachmar, CEO of Playgama, who recently raised $3M betting that HTML5 gaming is about to explode. Thanks to GPU advances from the AI boom, 5G networks, and platforms desperate to break free from app store monopolies, browser-based games can now rival native mobile experiences.
We dive deep into why Discord, Telegram, and every platform with a web browser are racing to add games, how developers can leverage this distribution revolution, and what it means for the future of mobile gaming. Dmitry shares candid insights on platform-specific design strategies, the challenges of retention without app store lock-in, and why he believes over 50% of new games will be HTML5-based within five years.
Whether you're a game developer, studio executive, or industry observer, this conversation reveals why the next chapter of gaming might not be in app stores—but everywhere else.
Key topics covered:
About the guest: Dmitry Kachmar is CEO of Playgama, former Yandex executive with multiple exits, Harvard grad, and adtech veteran now focused on democratizing game distribution.
Why $200M games flop — and how LiveAware’s “always-on” player insight flips the odds.• Echo-chamber dev culture & launch disasters• Quant vs qual data gap killing velocity• LiveAware’s one-click capture → AI analyze → auto-Jira flow• Surfacing bugs & sentiment from Discord, YouTube, surveys• Dashboards that feed artists, designers, engineers the clips they need• Case studies: Dead as Disco, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, Treehouse competitive intel• Indie-friendly pay-as-you-go pricing + roadmap to multi-channel feedback nirvanaOUTLINE:0:00 Underwhelming game launch failures4:00 Vision vs player expectation gap8:00 Quantitative vs qualitative data gap12:00 LiveAware capture analyze share workflow16:00 One-click streaming and transcription20:00 AI clusters themes and clips24:00 Tailored dashboards and auto Jira28:00 Multi-channel feedback aggregation explained32:00 Indie vs AAA use cases36:00 Dead as Disco success story40:00 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 QA integration44:00 Signal vs noise management48:00 Feedback philosophy continuum debate52:00 Future roadmap and pricing plansSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH JK! — • INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
Simon from Goat Gaming shares how his team is leveraging AI and Telegram to build games in just 2-3 weeks, reaching 5.5 million users. Learn why he believes AI will be an "extinction-level event" for studios that don't adapt, and how Telegram offers a billion-user opportunity similar to early Facebook gaming.Content Outline:00:00 – AI vs. Legacy: “Extinction-level event” for slow studios02:45 – AlphaGoats & Agentic Play: How players train and deploy AI agents07:41 – History Repeat? Sports sims & idle games parallels10:08 – Why Telegram? 1B users starved for games (like early Facebook)18:12 – Telegram Strategy: Gaming as a priority on Telegram/TON19:33 – AI Dev Pipeline: 37 Fortnite maps in 37 weeks; 2–3-week game builds23:46 – Rethinking AAA: 50-person teams vs 500+ for similar quality25:25 – Team & AI: Organizational changes for AI adoption27:56 – Founder’s Origin: From King/Non Stop to Mighty Bear Games31:58 – Telegram Takeoff: Go Gaming’s 5.5M users and 100M+ events32:36 – Crypto & Ads: Token incentives and Telegram’s ad network33:40 – Crypto Gaming Today: Why success lives on Telegram35:15 – Viral Mechanics: Referrals, leaderboards, NFT “Gifts” ($35M+)36:40 – Early-Stage Market: Telegram gaming ecosystem ~2010 mobile level38:02 – Singapore Startup: Betting on Asia trends (MPL influence)42:49 – Battle Stories: 150 VC rejections, Rocket Internet investor, persistenceSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH JK! — • INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
Alex Seropian (Bungie co-founder) shares his experience developing for Epic's UEFN platform in this exclusive interview. Discover insights on platform capabilities, economics, audience demographics, and future predictions for Fortnite's creator ecosystem.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
1:00 - Changes in UEFN since 2023
5:30 - Working with brands on UEFN
10:00 - Economic challenges for developers
14:00 - State of UEFN monetization
19:00 - Discovery and audience building
23:00 - Successful game types on UEFN
26:30 - Development process differences
32:00 - UEFN player demographics and personas
38:00 - Development surprises and challenges
43:00 - Future predictions for UEFN
51:00 - Advice for developers considering UEFN
56:00 - Final thoughts and podcast mention
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH JK! — • INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
(0:00) Introduction (1:00) Overview of AppLovin vs Unity market situation since 2022(2:10) Discussion of current mobile UA market conditions(6:30) Introduction to AppLovin vs Unity topic(9:00) How AppLovin gained advantage through Max mediation platform(11:10) The data advantage of first-party data in AppLovin's ecosystem(13:20) The lock-in effect of AppLovin's mediation and UA offerings(17:30) The snowball effect of AppLovin's market dominance(19:40) How AppLovin captured MoPub market share(22:20) Unity's execution issues after Iron Source merger(25:00) Cultural conflicts within Unity and algorithm problems(29:00) Discussion of Unity's "Vector" AI initiative(32:40) Unity's disappearing account managers and weak sales culture(35:20) AppLovin's focus on high-value customers and resource allocation(38:20) Increasing margin for AppLovin as market share grows(40:40) Unity's potential comeback strategy with Vector(45:10) The challenge for any network to compete with AppLovin(48:40) The "must use" nature of AppLovin for ad-monetized games(52:00) The risks of having 70-80% of UA budget on AppLovin(54:30) Potential industry alternatives to AppLovin(57:00) Discussion of emerging competitors like Moloco and Integral(1:01:30) The possible path forward for Unity to compete(1:05:40) Predictions for the future of mobile UA in two years(1:10:00) Speculation about AppLovin's TikTok acquisition bid(1:14:20) Wrap-up and conclusionSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH JK! — • INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
Dive into the future of AI in game development with this insightful panel from GDC featuring Aaron Farr (CTO at Jam and Tea Studios) and Liam Dean (Principal Analyst, Games at Omdia).
They explore AI-native games, emergent gameplay, development acceleration, and how AI is transforming both game creation and player experiences.
Essential viewing for game developers, executives, and anyone interested in how AI will reshape the gaming landscape.Timestamps0:00 - Introduction and panel overview1:50 - How revolutionary will AI be for gaming?3:30 - Current limitations of AI in game development5:10 - The concept of "AI native games" explained8:00 - Retail Mage: A real example of an AI native game11:10 - Emergent gameplay with AI - The painting IOU story14:20 - AI games vs. multiplayer games comparison17:40 - The controversy around AI in the games industry18:50 - Ethics of AI in game development22:20 - Who wins and loses with AI in game development?24:40 - The "organizational meta" and how AI will reshape studio structure27:40 - AI's impact on product development velocity30:20 - How traditional game studios will adapt (or fail)34:00 - Behind the scenes of an AI-native studio36:10 - How AI dramatically reduces development time (8 weeks vs 4 years)38:10 - The AI Dungeon Master example43:30 - Practical AI applications available right now47:10 - Q&A: Examples of AI-native games in the market49:30 - Q&A: Impact on staffing and team sizes52:40 - The future of game development organizationsSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
Join us for an in-depth discussion on the Game Developers Conference 2025 with industry veterans as they share their perspectives and what was learned during GDC on the current state of the gaming industry. This candid conversation explores attendance trends, market challenges, investment landscapes, and what's next for game developers in a changing economy.
Our panel discusses:
⭐ GDC attendance trends and the shift to more exclusive, executive-focused events
⭐ The "age of efficiency" and austerity measures affecting game studios
⭐ Investment challenges and the evolving VC landscape for gaming
⭐ Platform dynamics between developers and companies like Apple and Google
⭐ AI's current and potential impact on game development
⭐ Unity's latest developments and challenges
⭐ The changing nature of GDC itself and its future prospects
Featured Speakers:
🗣️ Eric Kress, Principal at Gosser Consulting and host on the Deconstructive of Fun podcast
🗣️ Brett Novak, CEO from Liquid and Grit
🗣️ Solomon Lichter Ruiz, Senior Director Global Gaming at CleverTap
🗣️ Joseph Kim (Host), GameMakers & CEO of Lila Games
Recorded March 2025 following the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
#GameDevelopment #GDC2025 #GamingIndustry #GameDev #GameDesign #AI #MobileGames #GameInvesting
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro and GDC attendance discussion
04:00 - San Francisco city impressions
06:30 - Event format changes and networking dynamics
12:40 - Industry challenges and the "age of efficiency"
20:00 - Platform dynamics (Apple/Google)
30:00 - AI in gaming discussion
36:00 - Event highlights and notable gatherings
42:00 - Bing Gordon's insights
47:00 - Final thoughts on GDC's future
This week I share thoughts from my years in game development about why teams often struggle with addressing their most critical problems.
I discussed this with Ben Carcich in a pod I published a couple of weeks back: the "Building Better Games" episode.
Some questions came up and I wanted to try something new, a bit of a rant on this topic.
Is it lame? Is it useful? Let's try it and find out.
Dive deep into Battle Pass design with industry experts discussing Overwatch 2's approach, player psychology, and monetization strategies. Learn essential insights about progression systems, player choice, and value perception from game developer Ted Park and former Riot meta-systems expert Chris Cobb, hosted by Joseph Kim of Lila Games.Content Overview0:00 - Introduction and Battle Pass Overview3:35 - Hero-Based Games: The Main Character Problem7:20 - Battle Pass Progression and Grindiness13:15 - Value Perception and Premium Options18:40 - Customization vs Production Realities24:10 - Battle Pass Currency and Mythic Rewards System31:25 - Loot Boxes: Their Surprise Return38:15 - IP Integration and Themed Content43:50 - Ideal Battle Pass Design: Expert Recommendations52:15 - Conclusion and Key TakeawaysSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/
In an industry where development costs have skyrocketed, and market success has become increasingly challenging, understanding the true drivers of successful game development has never been more crucial.
In this discussion with Ben Carcich from Building Better Games, we highlight the counter-intuitive patterns of success and practical frameworks for modern game development leadership.Key Focus Areas:
🔑 Why the most successful games often emerge from the most visibly challenging development processes
🔑 How premature scaling and uncertainty avoidance doom projects before launch
🔑 Critical success patterns observed across AAA and indie studios
🔑 Practical approaches to balancing creative vision, technical execution, and business reality
Listen to this episode for actionable insights that challenge conventional wisdom about building successful games in 2024.OUTLINE:0:00 Intro1:45 How costs impact game success6:05 Other major problems with game success10:30 Zero sum time problem and the rise of live operated games11:40 Success from China and small devs12:30 Importance of delivering on a player experience14:35 The Alignment problem15:24 Fighting to expand the percentage of new game time18:25 How bigger production cost impacts decision making20:15 Major production problems - comfort with uncertainty24:35 Fear and pride25:55 Game projects with big problems succeed more often29:40 Pride and Insecurity31:52 The rush to production39:45 Obsession with planning42:20 Importance of development speed44:25 What derails planning: the wrong person and bad decisions47:09 The problem with the creative auteur49:52 Decision analysis vs. prioritization54:15 Scope creep: The ooh ooh ooh idea problem1:00:50 Taking lessons from the military and football1:04:52 Why do great lessons come from military and sports1:13:42 The problem with big plans1:14:37 Why you shouldn’t “always have an answer”1:19:00 The #1 rule: common sense rules1:22:34 How to find time to think deeply1:24:43 You don’t need to solve every problem1:30:02 How to think about long-term issues1:37:12 What are characteristics from successful game studios1:58:12 You should push when you’re young2:01:01 More about Building Better Games consultancy👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Building Better Games: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/- Ben Carcich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
Join gaming industry veterans as they break down the unprecedented transformation of mobile 4X games. Featuring insights from Joseph Kim (Lila Games), Justin Yau (Wharton MBA), UA specialist Matej Lancaric (2.5 Gamers) and game design specialist Jakub Remiar (2.5 Gamers) on how Chinese gaming companies are achieving $8M+ daily revenue through innovative UA strategies and product design.
Key Topics:
🔑 Evolution of 4X game design
🔑 UA innovation and AI creative production
🔑 Server economics and monetization strategies
🔑 Future industry predictions
⏰ Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction and Speaker Backgrounds
3:09 First Fun/River Game Partnership History
8:05 Modern 4X Game Economics
15:20 UA Strategy Evolution
23:45 Creative Production at Scale
31:30 AI's Role in UA Innovation
38:15 Product Design Integration
45:40 Server Management Strategies
52:30 Future of 4X Gaming
57:15 Non-Consensus Predictions
🔍 Featured Experts:
Joseph Kim (CEO, Lila Games)
Justin Yau (Industry Analyst, Wharton)
Matej Lancaric (UA Specialist)
Jakub Remiar (Game Design Consultant)
💡 Additional Resources:
Previous Matej +: JK Collaboration Podcast on 4X UA Strategy: https://youtu.be/IvRjmGvWhdQ
Dissecting Best-Selling Mobile 4X Game Metrics by Ning Wang: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dissecting-best-selling-mobile-4x-game-metrics-ning-wang-vk1pc/
Join the GameMakers newsletter for more industry insights and discussions: Newsletter: www.gamemakers.com
#MobileGaming #GameDev #UserAcquisition #4XGames #GameStrategy
Learn the insider strategies from industry legends Frank Yan (Brawl Stars), Dafna Ben Onn (SciPlay), and Ivan Trancik (Superscale) on mastering mobile game operations!
📍 Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction to LiveOps Fundamentals 2:15 - Frank Yan: Rapid Content Deployment Strategies 4:30 - The Art of Player Segmentation 7:00 - Dafna Ben Onn: Optimizing Rewards and Retention 10:45 - Balancing Monetization and Player Experience 14:20 - Ivan Trancik: Analytics and Experimentation Stages 18:30 - Building a Data-Driven Game Development Machine 22:00 - Key Takeaways and Future of LiveOps
🔑 Key Insights:
💡 Perfect for:
Leading mobile gaming experts break down everything you need to know about Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) in 2025. Get insider perspectives from AppsFlyer, Wildcard Games, and industry veterans on when to use MMPs, how much they really cost, and where the industry is heading. Perfect for mobile game developers, UA managers, and studio executives looking to optimize their marketing strategy and understand the evolving role of MMPs in today's privacy-first environment. OUTLINE: 00:00 - Introduction & Overview 03:43 - What is an MMP? Core Functions Explained 05:28 - SDK Integration Benefits 08:02 - Attribution & Performance Tracking 12:24 - Impact of IDFA Deprecation 16:32 - When Do Studios Need an MMP? 24:42 - Cost Breakdown for Studios 27:54 - Self-Attributing Networks (SANs) 32:45 - Working with Multiple Ad Networks 38:59 - Creative Optimization & AI Tools 43:08 - Data Clean Rooms & Privacy 51:09 - Open Source MMP Projects 53:52 - Future Trends in Mobile Marketing 57:47 - Industry Changes & Consolidation 1:01:02 - Final Thoughts & Recommendations SPEAKERS: ✅ Josh Chandley. Co-founder and COO at WildCard Games. ✅ Joseph Kim. CEO at Lila Games. ✅ Brian Murphy. Head of Gaming and New Product Strategy at AppsFlyer. ✅ James O’Claire. Former COO at Bubbleye. Founder Open Attribution. For links and additional info go to Gamemakers.com
Join us as we explore the future of user-generated content (UGC) in gaming with Playmakers, diving into why community-created content converts 30% better than studio content and how AI fits into the UGC ecosystem. Essential insights for game developers looking to scale content creation through community engagement. #GameDev #UGC #gaming Co-hosted with Anton Bernstein, CEO at Pocket Worlds. OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 0:40 Best game examples of UGC cosmetics 1:20 How cosmetics work in Counterstrike 3:05 The Playmakers UGC platform business 6:52 Dealing with the biggest UGC problem: Time To Penis (TTP) 9:10 Other problems: Trademarks and duplicates 10:18 Economics of enabling a UGC cosmetics platform 12:06 Balancing professional content vs. UGC content in a game 13:52 The kinds of games better adapted for UGC content 16:10 AI as a complement or competition to UGC: UGC vs. AGC vs. UGAC 20:37 In a world of infinite free content, how to give UGC items value 22:40 Biggest concerns to integrating UGC content in their games 24:40 Integration issues for integrating UGC in games 26:16 The functions required for a UGC platform 27:48 Getting over the cold-start problem getting creators to start making UGC 32:40 Can UGC content be cross-game content? 34:00 Big upcoming UGC macro trends 37:15 Depth vs. shallowness of UGC support Roblox vs. Minecraft 39:20 The trend of UGC remixing 41:35 Future Playmakers roadmap 👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Playmakers: https://www.playmakers.co/ 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
The gaming industry experienced seismic shifts in 2024, from record-breaking layoffs to China's rising dominance. In this comprehensive analysis, we break down the five key developments that shaped gaming in 2024 and what they mean for 2025.
We'll explore:
🔑 The true impact of the gaming recession
🔑 Why live service games are harder than ever to compete with
🔑 How China became a global gaming powerhouse
🔑 The surprising comeback of live operations
🔑 Why UGC platforms struggled to monetize
Plus, we'll dive into our predictions for 2025, including:
🔑 The evolution of game development models
🔑 AI's growing role in gaming
🔑 Market recovery catalysts
🔑 Companies to watch
🔑 Industry transformation ahead
Whether you're a developer, investor, or gaming enthusiast, this analysis will help you understand where the industry is headed and why it matters. Join us for an in-depth look at gaming's past year and future prospects.
Outline
0:00 - Introduction & Overview
2:15 - 2024 Year in Review Overview
3:30 - Gaming Recession Deep Dive (Industry layoffs, Shift in cost-cutting approaches)
7:45 - Live Service Games Dominance (Steam engagement statistics, Why established games maintain power)
12:30 - China's Gaming Success Story (Mobile market dominance, HD gaming breakthrough, Strategic advantages)
18:15 - Live Operations Excellence (Brawl Stars case study, Impact on game performance)
22:45 - UGC Platform Challenges (Monetization struggles, Platform economics)
26:30 - 2025 Predictions Overview
27:45 - New Development Models (Shift from traditional approaches, Efficiency focus)
32:15 - AI Integration in Gaming (Three levels of integration, Future possibilities)
37:30 - Market Recovery Catalysts (Key upcoming releases, Market conditions)
42:15 - Companies to Watch (Detailed analysis of key players, Growth opportunities)
48:30 - Industry Transformation (Workforce changes, Operational shifts)
53:15 - Conclusion & Key Takeaways
55:00 - Final Thoughts
We discuss the impact, economics, and advantages of mobile web stores in a deep discussion with Gil Tov-ly, the CMO of AppCharge, a company that partners with game studios to build optimized web stores. OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 1:13 Motivation and economics of mobile web stores: Huge 20-30% total revenue lift 3:42 Amount of transactions through web stores vs. direct IAP, what impacts more web store transactions? 9:34 How web stores can support VIP spenders 10:40 Typical web store support provided by companies like AppCharge 11:40 impact of web stores 13:48 The player experience with web stores 18:32 breakdown of support services to help developers roll out a web store 25:25 How to evaluate webstore partners 28:25 Current legal and regulatory environment around web stores - what are the limitations? 31:18 Rise of alternative app stores and side-loading 32:30 Building direct relationships with customers by having your own web store 36:25 What does the future look like for player monetization channels in 5-10 years 39:30 More info about AppCharge - what is their promotional pitch? 👇 EPISODE LINKS: - AppCharge: https://appcharge.com/ - Gil Tov-ly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giltovly/ 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
