PocketGamer.biz Podcast

PGbiz Podcast

Welcome to your regular glimpse into the business of mobile games. Featuring interviews with games industry experts! Your hosts are the insiders at PocketGamer.biz, the top B2B site for the mobile games industry. It covers the people, technology and deals that drive this multi-billion dollar sector. In our ongoing podcast, you’ll hear the editorial team and their guests dive into the topics and themes at the forefront of the industry. You’ll get unique insight and exclusive Q and As, taking you behind the scenes on the international mobile games scene.

Episodes

Mentioned books

Jan 7, 2025 • 36min

Mobile Gamers Have More Choice Than Ever—Here’s How to Keep Them Loyal, Playing, and Paying

Mobile gamers are drowning in choices, but they’ll still spend—if your ad monetization strategy speaks to their player type and why they downloaded your game in the first place. But it’s not enough to satisfy players; studios ring in the revenues when they combine services and a sense of urgency. This is where Mistplay’s latest Mobile Gaming Growth Report equips game devs and ad mon teams with a roadmap to profitable growth in 2025. Kyle West, Sr. Director of Marketing at Mistplay, joins hosts Brian Baglow and Peggy Anne Salz to unpack findings and show how developers can sharpen their marketing, maximise monetisation, and level up loyalty programs by crafting experiences according to player personas and gameplay preferences. He’s joined by Oxana Fomina, well-known ad mon authority and Founder of Gradient Universe, a game analytics consulting firm. She delves into her latest client successes to reveal standout strategies studios of any size can use to turn players into payers. Listen in to Part 1 of a special two-part series where we dig into how studios can sync UA with LiveOps for better results, take small but effective steps to scale web shops, and use FOMO as motivation while still adding value to limited-time events. CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 04:24 - The Mistplay Mobile Gaming Growth Report 07:23 - Brand as a part of UA 10:17 - Utilizing first-party data effectively 12:05 - Aligning UA and LiveOps 15:00 - Actions for small studios 17:50 - Effective monetisation strategies 21:37 - Why web shops? 24:34 - Balance urgency with value 26:53 - Quantity vs Quality 28:57 - Advice for starting studios * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/144491/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

Dec 17, 2024 • 33min

7 Habits of Incredibly Effective Gaming Jedis: Special Edition

In 2024, our hosts Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow interviewed 45 experts across the gaming industry, from straightforward studio heads and energised executives to data-driven developers and monetisation mavens. In this special edition episode, Peggy and Brian look back on the Top 7 shows of this year, recapping the pure-gold lessons and learnings from the marketers you enjoyed hearing from the most in 2024. As this is the year’s final show, all of us at Steel Media and the Pocketgamer.biz Podcast want to wish you a happy holiday season and a joyful new year. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you in January for the first episode of 2025! CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 04:35 - #7 The Innogames team 07:46 - #6 Akin Babaygit, Tripledot Studios 10:46 - #5 Patrick McSteen, Logan Square Consulting 15:02 - #4 Ryan Filsinger, Iron Fox Games 18:43 - #3 Maria Sayans, ustwo games 22:00 - #2 Teis Anker Mikkelsen, Multiscription 26:02 - #1 Daniel Tchernahovsky, AppLovin 30:41 - Year #2 of the Pocketgamer.biz Podcast * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/144491/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

Dec 16, 2024 • 49min

Week in Mobile Games E40 - Games industry trends 2024 review

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the big games industry trends of the year for 2024. In this festive episode, we look at AI, regulation, layoffs, the state of games media, HTML5, the year's top games and much more! ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Winners - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2024/winners/ 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/ 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Awards 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/pocket-gamer-awards-2024-winners-revealed/ 👉🏻 Nominations open for the first Top 50 UK Game Makers 2025 - https://forms.gle/UNfa7YtrVzKkmbtS9

Dec 9, 2024 • 54min

Week in Mobile Games E39 - Mobile's hot new releases and the loot box investigation unpacked

Dec 4, 2024 • 49min

Investor Trends Set to Dominate Gaming M&A in 2025 ft. Drake Star’s Michael Metzger

What made gaming acquisitions attractive in 2024, and what do investors have on their wishlist for 2025? Michael Metzger, Managing Partner at global tech investment bank Drake Star, takes the mic in this episode of the Pocketgamer.biz Podcast to shine a light on the new era of M&A and share advice with studios shaping their growth strategies for the upcoming year. Alongside our host, Peggy Anne Salz, and special co-host Craig Chapple, Michael reveals insights from Drake Star's Global Gaming Report Q3 2024, explaining why 2024 saw a surge in M&A activity—with a 70% year-over-year increase in gaming sales—and how factors like private equity interest, strategic acquisitions, and profitability-focused deals are shaking up the industry status quo. Tune in to determine what's driving the shift, what it means for developers, and why diversification into non-gaming sectors should be on your growth radar for 2025. Drake Star’s Global Gaming Report Q3 2024 - https://www.drakestar.com/news/global-gaming-report-q3-2024 Michael Metzger - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmmetzger/ Drake Star - https://www.drakestar.com/ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:41 - Getting to close 05:42 - Length of acquisition 08:56 - What's driving gaming M&A? 13:00 - Is it sustainable? 17:11 - What are acquiers looking for? 19:49 - Rollups in 2025 23:37 - The financing climate 30:15 - Bullish on blockchain 33:43 - Diversification 35:44 - Investments in 2025 42:09 - Advice for studios * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/144491/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

Nov 30, 2024 • 44min

Week in Mobile Games E38 - Xbox and Adjust mishandle their PR and Supercell's culture revolution

Nov 26, 2024 • 53min

Sticky, Loveable, and Loyal: How Developers Create Winning Games with Psychological Segmentation

Accurate segmentation makes the difference between a good game and a great one, but with the declining availability of third-party data, developers face mounting challenges in finding strategies that drive installs and reduce churn. The opportunity? Psychological segmentation, which taps into player motivations and traits rather than relying on surface-level demographics or behaviors. This week, Joe Schaeppi, CEO and Co-Founder of Solsten, joins our hosts Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow to reveal how this approach gives developers a winning edge. From understanding the "why" behind player behavior to uncovering untapped personas and creating experiences that truly resonate, Joe breaks down how psychology-driven segmentation empowers developers to connect with players on a deeper level. The result? Games that are not only sticky but also lovable and loyalty-worthy. Tune in to learn about the science of resonance, why it beats relevance, and how to design games that foster enduring player relationships and scalable success. CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:45 - Risk & fun 04:30 - What kind of player are you? 07:39 - Resonance vs relevance 11:46 - How to use resonance to stand out 19:24 - Solsten is an insurance policy 25:34 - How does Solsten work? 32:37 - It starts during development 36:30 - Values show up during play 40:01 - Integrating brands 46:33 - If 50% of VCs like your idea 50:16 - Favourite games Q&A * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/144491/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

Nov 26, 2024 • 1h 2min

Week in Mobile Games E37 - Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket's blockbuster launch and Royal Kingdom hype

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and News Editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this week's episode we discuss the success of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, Dream Games' big Royal Kingdom launch, and ask: are developers burned out on mobile? ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Winners - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2024/winners/ 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Everything is a games platform - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/everything-is-a-games-platform/ 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Awards 2024 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-pocket-gamer-awards-2024-tickets-1042651016257

Nov 19, 2024 • 39min

The 84% Problem: What Bad Ads Are Costing Game Publishers

84% of players uninstall games due to disruptive or poorly placed ads, proving that bad ads don't just hurt a game's reputation but its bottom line, too. Our hosts, Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow, dive into AppHarbr's recent report, “Player Sentiments On In-Game Ads” — a one-of-a-kind survey of over 600 players — before Peggy hits the floor at Gamesforum London to ask games professionals how they combat problematic creatives. Ad monetisation and growth experts from Kwalee, Product Madness, Moloco, GameBiz Consulting and Playtika share the steps to taking back control of your game's ad quality and where they see the most growth for games in 2025. Božo Janković - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bozoj/ John Wright - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwright1987/ Bruno Balistrieri - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruno-balistrieri-5b10a8194/ Piyush Mishra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/piyush-mishra-4333a340/ Or Zilberman - https://www.linkedin.com/in/or-zilberman-469834131/ Michael Fortune - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mifortune/ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:35 - AppHarbr Survey 03:41 - Relevance, timing, and quality 07:09 - Božo Janković - GameBiz Consulting 13:57 - John Wright - Kwalee 22:19 - Bruno Balistrieri - Kwalee 24:56 - Piyush Mishra - Product Madness 31:38 - Or Zilberman - Playtika 34:38 - Michael Fortune - Moloco * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/144491/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

Nov 18, 2024 • 1h 8min

Week in Mobile Games E36 - Games industry M&A hits overdrive with Plarium and Easybrain deals

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and News Editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this week's episode we discuss Miniclip's $1.2 billion acquisition of Easybrain, MTG's big deal for Plarium and ask why is Microsoft talking about mobile acquisitions? ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Winners - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2024/winners/ 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Everything is a games platform - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/everything-is-a-games-platform/

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