Deconstructor of Fun

Steam PC flops, Xbox layoffs return, Sony’s handheld dominates, investors flee games for apps, Roblox sees a $100M exit, China beats Turkey, PC indie rises, mobile teams pivot to apps.01:01 Tribute to Vince Zampella08:03 Biggest Game of the Year Predictions08:09 GTA 6 and Its Impact11:42 Other Major Game Predictions14:13 Industry Macro Trends18:50 VC Investments and Gaming26:11 FIFA and Netflix Collaboration32:51 China's Dominance in Mobile Gaming38:52 Epic Games and the Future of Gaming43:08 Predictions for the Gaming Industry53:25 The AI Bubble and Its Implications56:50 Final Thoughts and Holiday Wishes

In this Deep Dive, Jen drops into the pit with Sean “Clown” Crahan — co-founder of Slipknot, lifelong gamer, and unapologetic creative chaos agent.We go from masks to Minecraft, breaking down the origin story of VERNEARTH, why creator-led studios are having their moment, and how the things metal has always understood, culture, empathy, friction, and community, are now becoming core pillars of modern game development.This isn’t a celebrity side quest.It’s a conversation about world-building, trust, and why great games (and great bands) are built by people who actually give a sh*t.Headphones on. Controllers ready. 00:40 Meet Sean Clown Rahan: From Music to Game Development01:24 The Origin of VERNEARTH07:22 Sean's Journey in Gaming and Modding16:54 Collaborations and Creative Challenges25:16 Empathy and Respect in Digital Spaces33:05 The Future of Creator-Led Studios39:17 Failures and Collaborations in the Gaming Industry42:55 The Inspiration Behind VERNEARTH49:11 The Role of Culture in Gaming and Music01:00:32 The Intersection of Metal and Gaming Cultures

Brace yourself. Golden TWIG voting is open!https://forms.gle/b4HFZkaeczN41BsBA This isn’t a participation-trophy awards show. Nor some thinly veiled promotion of paid sponsors. Golden TWIG is the industry mirror we all pretend not to look into.Vote now and help us separate the gold from the garbage.00:00 Welcome 00:24 Golden Twig Award Nominations00:58 Mishka of Arabia02:43 Upcoming Events and Shills03:48 Podcast Highlights and Industry Insights20:31 Correction of the Year24:53 Most Damage Received31:06 Most Disappointing Game of 202533:07 Disappointing Game Releases34:41 Split Gate 2: A Major Letdown36:21 Underrated Games of the Year39:46 Ubisoft's Surprising Hits44:10 Skeptical Moves in the Gaming Industry49:29 Brilliant Moves in Gaming01:01:04 Limping Donkeys: Gaming's Biggest Failures01:06:01 Golden Twig Nominations Wrap-Up

What actually happens after the hit games, the acquisitions, and the “success”?In this episode, Simon Hade, co-founder of Space Ape Games, walks through the uncomfortable middle of game company building: from Playfish → Space Ape → Supercell → NextBeat → Duolingo.This isn’t a victory lap. It’s a post-mortem on genre mastery vs. exploration, lean LiveOps, why copying the Supercell playbook breaks most studios, and why Simon ultimately left games to help build Duolingo’s music and learning products.00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene00:43 The Birth of Space Ape03:26 Fundraising Challenges and Successes07:48 Innovations and Strategic Moves13:27 Lean LiveOps Philosophy16:51 Supercell Acquisition and Cultural Shifts18:50 Reflections and Lessons Learned38:59 Spinning Outta Supercell40:26 Exploring Duolingo Partnership44:37 Relentless Optimization at Duolingo49:13 Transitioning to Duolingo55:42 The Price of Being a Founder01:03:05 Reflections on Success and Future

FNaF 2 crushes box office expectations, proving (again) that game IP owns Hollywood. We break down Matthew Ball’s take on the EA/PIF deal, why 93% ownership signals a sports-media empire play, not an LBO, and why the press got the story wrong.Then: the Nex Playground, a $200 kids’ console that quietly outsold PS5 in November. Is this the next underserved frontier in family gaming?We also tear into UA financing schemes masquerading as “cohort funding.” Spoiler: the effective interest rates rhyme with credit-card debt, and studios have died using them.Call of Duty launches an apology tour for Black Ops 7 and vows to stop annualized crunch. We assess the odds.And we close with AppLovin beating Google on Android e-commerce ads, inside Google’s own OS. A massive signal for the future of UA as e-comm competition starts eating the gaming pie.