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Deconstructor of Fun · Games

Deconstructor of Fun

Deconstructor of Fun podcast is created by games professionals for games professionals. We explore the business side of the games industry with the goal of bringing listeners content that is relevant, insightful, and entertaining on a weekly basis. Hosts: Michail Katkoff www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/ Eric Kress www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/ Phillip Black www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/ Jen Donahoe www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdonahoe

Episodes

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341. Why the Best Founders Are Neither American nor European

10 Aug 2026
1h 8m
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Emmanuel De Maistre, founder of the AI company Scenario, reflects on a decade of navigating volatile markets, from early drone ventures to the current AI landscape. He emphasizes that resilience and timing are more critical than rigid business plans, noting that his transition into AI was a founder-led pivot driven by ...

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TWIG #395: Xbox Prices Explode, Roblox's Worst Day Ever, and Merge Eats Puzzle

06 Aug 2026
1h 7m
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The gaming industry faces a significant shift as hardware costs rise and consumer attention fragments. Sony maintains a strong market position with a growing install base, while Microsoft’s strategy remains unclear amid steep price hikes and potential hardware withdrawal. Capcom demonstrates the power of established in...

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340. The State of Mobile Gaming Ad Monetization

03 Aug 2026
32m
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Sensor Tower’s inaugural ad monetization report reveals a $12 billion market for mobile game advertising in 2025, anchored by 2.4 trillion observed impressions. While gaming advertisers account for 72% of this revenue, non-gaming demand—particularly from finance and e-commerce—is increasingly significant. Puzzle games ...

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TWIG #394: Playtika's Solitaire Meltdown, the AppLovin-AdMob Duopoly and Why Nobody Wants New Games

31 Jul 2026
53m
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Mobile gaming faces significant headwinds as global download volumes decline by 12%, signaling a shift in consumer demand toward established titles rather than new releases. Market consolidation remains a critical issue, with AppLovin and AdMob controlling two-thirds of gaming ad revenue, driving up user acquisition co...

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Puzzle Monthly #5: The Secret Behind Toon Blast's Success

27 Jul 2026
36m
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Toon Blast maintains its market dominance in the Blast subgenre by evolving from a static, puzzle-heavy experience into a dynamic, luck-driven game that prioritizes engagement. The game’s sustained revenue growth stems from the rapid adoption of the "Super Light Ball" mechanic, which significantly increased board-wide ...

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TWIG #393: GTA 6's Impossible Attach Rate, Playtika's Earn-Out Disaster, and Unity 7's Big Swing

23 Jul 2026
58m
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Grand Theft Auto 6’s pricing strategy highlights a shift toward premium SKUs, though market projections regarding attach rates remain overly optimistic compared to historical benchmarks. Unity’s roadmap for Unity 7 aims to streamline development, yet the platform faces significant challenges in scaling user acquisition...

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Shooter Monthly #8: The Bungie Eulogy, Why Destiny Fell Off, and Can Marathon Save the Studio

21 Jul 2026
54m
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Bungie’s historical resilience faces a new test as the Destiny franchise concludes its ten-year narrative arc, leaving the studio at a critical crossroads. Historically, the developer has repeatedly navigated severe crises—from the Myth 2 uninstallation error to the transformative success of Forsaken—by delivering revo...

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339. The Most Honest AI Adoption Story in Gaming

20 Jul 2026
1h 8m
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TWIG #392: Pokémon’s Gamble, World Cup WHAT & the Monetization Debate

16 Jul 2026
59m
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AppsFlyer's Web Attribution: D2C Web Shop and AI's Future in UA

13 Jul 2026
30m
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TWIG #391: Xbox's 4,800 Cuts, Apex Predator Playbook, and the 6% Problem Killing New Games

09 Jul 2026
56m
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Inside New York Times Games: Why Killing 96% of New Ideas Is the Win

06 Jul 2026
50m
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TWIG #390: Destiny Ends, Xbox's Biggest Layoff Ever, and Google Play's New Fee Chaos

03 Jul 2026
1h 5m
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Puzzle Monthly #4: $60M Marketing, $65M Revenue, What Happened to Good Job Games?

29 Jun 2026
51m
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TWIG #389: GTA 6 Pricing, Tencent Pulls Back from Japan, and Steam Machine Flops at Launch

25 Jun 2026
1h 1m
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Why Most Game Engines Die, and How AI Builds "Living Worlds"

22 Jun 2026
56m
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My Wife Uninstalled Roblox. Then I Talked to Their Safety Team.

19 Jun 2026
54m
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TWIG #388: Xbox's Spinout Plan, Metacore's Mass Layoffs and Netflix's FIFA Flop

18 Jun 2026
1h 4m
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Puzzle Monthly #3: Merge vs Match-3, Gossip Harbor's Rise, and the Future of Merge

15 Jun 2026
46m
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TWIG #387: LiftOff IPO, Xbox pulls out the bangers, and The Simpsons take over Monopoly GO!

12 Jun 2026
51m
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