Deconstructor of Fun
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
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
Mentioned books
8 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 1h 5min
TWIG #376: Epic Layoffs, Roblox Tax & Google’s New Strategy
Discussion of Google Play’s Level Up rollout, its Sidekick overlay and how fee cuts might reshape UA economics. A deep dive into Epic’s big layoffs, UEFN bets and whether branded toolkits can save Fortnite. Roblox’s new brand-integration fee and the creator backlash are unpacked. Newzoo’s take on PC resurgence and the rise of mid-priced premium games rounds out the conversation.
Mar 25, 2026 • 1h 1min
UA Monthly #2: AppLovin's Social Network, Google Fee Cuts & Unity D28
John Wright, CEO of Terborella and hands-on UA operator. He discusses Unity Vector's D28 shift and who benefits from longer ROAS windows. He breaks down Google’s recent fee cut and its practical effects on LTV and bidding. He debates AppLovin’s plan to build a social network and the strategic risks of owning ad inventory.
Mar 23, 2026 • 31min
The Epic Settlement: Google's "Level Up" Program & The Future of DTC
Gil Tovly, CMO at AppCharge and payments expert for games, breaks down Google’s new 15% fee and the engineering ask of the Level Up program. He covers mandatory AI sidekicks, web shop economics, how new-user vs existing-user fees differ, and whether direct-to-consumer routes finally make financial sense. Short, strategic, and full of practical caution for studios deciding what to adopt.
12 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 1h 3min
TWiG #375: GDC 2026 Post-Mortem, Epic’s Surrender & Google Play’s Legal Rebirth
A post-GDC breakdown of falling attendance and whether smaller crowds mean leaner, executive-focused meetings. Deep dives into Google Play’s new tiered fee structure and whether a 5% cut actually matters. Discussion of AI-native indie demos and the real costs of running live LLMs in games. Coverage of NCSoft’s big rewarded-play acquisition and trends in merge and horror game performance.
Mar 19, 2026 • 59min
TWIG #374 GDC 2025: The Honest Debrief
A no-filter debrief from GDC week with candid takes on the conference vibe and who actually showed up. Rumors swirl about major industry shakeups and westward moves by Chinese studios. AI conversations dominate, focusing more on pipelines and operations than on standout AI-native games. Shifts in UA, investor pockets, and growing interest in Roblox as a reach and IP tool are highlighted.
Mar 18, 2026 • 54min
Shooter Monthly #5: The Marathon Revelation, Overwatch Reborn & The Death of Highguard
Christopher Onge, games industry strategist focused on shooter live ops and monetization, and Chris Sides, former Bungie/EA developer with Marathon and extraction-shooter insight, discuss Highguard’s rapid collapse. They debate Marathon’s bold persistence-for-battle-royale design and how it compares to Tarkov and Ark Raiders. They also unpack Overwatch’s surprising resurgence and what real live-ops innovation looks like.
Mar 17, 2026 • 54min
State of Gaming 2026: What’s Really Winning Now
Sam Aune, lead gaming insights analyst at Sensor Tower, offers a data-driven tour of 2026 gaming trends. He spotlights Battlefield 6’s premium surge and why hybrid pricing is rising. He unpacks indie social hits fueling virality and explains mobile’s slowdown, strategy games’ revenue dominance, and how Chinese publishers out-execute the West.
Mar 10, 2026 • 45min
Puzzle Monthly #1: Pixel Flow, UA, and the Future of Sort Puzzles
A panel dissects Pixel Flow's rapid rise and the design choices that made monetization click. They compare ad-first and IAP-first models and why a tray mechanic can drive purchases. The conversation covers UA tactics, clone waves, and CPI pressure. Designers praise the tactile UX of Hexa Sort and Magic Sort and debate whether traditional studios can adopt hybrid-casual methods.
11 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 5min
TWiG #373: Turkey Funds Game Dev, WB Games Uncertainty & Discord Drama
Discussion of Turkey rolling out generous studio subsidies and why it could attract game developers. Debate over Warner Bros Games' uncertain future after major media consolidation. Coverage of Discord pausing its global age checks amid backlash and regulatory scrutiny. Quick rundowns of recent funding, monetization moves, leadership reshuffles, and industry trade-show plans.
Mar 2, 2026 • 51min
Meta Is Back in the Game. Here's What That Actually Means.
Guy Meiboom, Meta’s US/EMEA Gaming Director who rebuilt Meta’s gaming org after ATT. He explains why Meta had to restructure, how creative velocity and algorithmic reach now drive UA, and why geo lift and incrementality testing matter. Practical talk on funding UA, avoiding attribution traps, and the behavioral shifts studios must make to scale.
