Deconstructor of Fun

What to do, what to do about Marathon? The crew considers radical shock therapy with surprising answers and solutions. Deadlock pushes systems design to its logical extreme in a few shooters that are just starting to play with, but does it actually have an audience? Take bets now.We discuss:● Deadlock’s systems-first design philosophy◦ Layered stat architecture across weapon, vitality, and spirit◦ Scaling curves that turn every component into a progression vector◦ The role of the Action and X-Y-Z plane crosshairs● Marathon’s core tension: retention without acquisition◦ Strong engagement signals versus weak top-of-funnel growth◦ Why extraction shooters remain a constrained TAM◦ Arc Raiders reframing the genre through accessibility◦ Why tuning economy variables won’t solve an acquisition problem● Extraction as a product, not a feature◦ Why the loop requires full-system commitment, not a side mode◦ The importance of PvE readability and social cooperation◦ Session design, server economics, and continuous player insertion

Roblox has over 150 million daily active users, a million concurrent hits, and some of the fastest game iteration cycles in the industry. So why do so many Roblox games still fail to become real businesses? We sit down with Nick Tornow, SVP of Engine and Creator Engineering at Roblox, and Zach Letter, CEO of WonderWorks, to unpack how discovery really works on the platform, why small teams are outperforming traditional studios, and what it actually takes to build a sustainable Roblox company in 2025.Questions we answer in this episode:● Is Roblox a place to build hits or a place to build real companies?● What do outsiders still misunderstand most about Roblox in 2025?● Why are small teams able to ship hit Roblox games in just 5–6 weeks?● How does Roblox discovery actually work, and which metrics matter most?● Why is user acquisition so different on Roblox compared to mobile gaming?● What kinds of games are working now that didn’t work a few years ago?● Can traditional mobile or AAA studios succeed on Roblox, or do they need to become “Roblox-native” first?● How important are community, influencers, and social co-play to growth?● Why is ad revenue still such a small monetization pillar for most Roblox studios?● What will a successful Roblox studio look like three years from now?Michail Katkoff | Nick Tornow | Zach Letter

The industry isn’t slowing down. This week, we break down the biggest shifts across games.
Topics Covered:
● Disney and Epic: Why the speculation is picking up and what a bigger Disney move into games could look like
● Unity’s latest shift: A strong earnings beat, the shutdown of Ironsource, and the sale of Supersonic
● Studio closures and shutdowns: What the latest cuts across VR, live service, and Embracer say about the market
● The Merge 2 rise: Why the category keeps growing and the debate over what’s really driving the revenue
● Cookie Run’s next step: Franchise expansion and the challenge of turning one hit into something bigger
● New soft-launch shooters: Ex-Supercell teams, familiar patterns, and questions about where action games fit on mobile
Plus ++
We also get into Tim Sweeney’s role in Epic’s future, Unity versus AppLovin in ad tech, card systems, soft-launch design, and Kress’s latest reality check on mobile.

CHAPTERS:
01:14 Mario Movie Backlash
03:45 Leroy Jenkins Capital
06:52 Housekeeping And Corrections
09:10 Disney Buying Epic Rumor
12:12 Tim Sweeney Control Fight
14:55 Entertainment Gaming Graveyard
17:46 Unity Dumps IronSource
23:22 Vector Versus AppLovin Scale
26:35 Shutdowns And VR Reality Check
30:46 Matthew Ball Metaverse Spat
33:38 Embracer Wildland Canceled
36:50 Merge Two Boom Explained
42:29 Cards Drive Revenue Debate
50:48 Cookie Run Franchise Bet
56:50 Soft Launch Shooter Doubts
01:00:22 Field Day Hands On Review
01:06:06 Kress's Mobile Reality Rant
01:10:16 Episode Wrap Up

The games industry is hitting another inflection point, and the "old rules" of growth are being rewritten. This week, we’re unpacking:

● Google’s "Level Up" Program: Is it actually a win for devs, or just more platform gatekeeping? We look at Sidekick and the new UA economics.
● The Epic Pivot: Layoffs, the UEFN "platform" gamble, and what the future of Fortnite actually looks like.
● Roblox’s New Play: Their latest brand integration strategy is a massive shift for creator monetization.
● The Newzoo Reality Check: PC is back, player behavior is shifting, and "mid-priced premium" is the new sweet spot.

Plus ++  We dive deep into UA multiplier theory, why CPIs are lying to you, and where real growth is actually hiding in 2026.

CHAPTERS:
00:26 Show Intro and Agenda
01:36 Quick Shills and Updates
04:05 Google Level Up Explained
07:27 Messaging Mess and Sidekick AI
09:06 UA Multiplier and CPI Debate
11:55 Sidekick Skepticism Extortion
14:39 Epic Layoffs Breakdown
19:05 Why Epic Lost Focus
26:14 Star Wars UEFN Toolkit
33:36 Newzoo Report Key Trends
37:31 Report Critique And TAM Reality
42:29 Premium Mid Price Debate
47:39 Roblox Brand Deal Revenue Cut
51:14 Creator Backlash And Platform Control
56:25 Why The Brand Tax Might Help
01:01:04 Final Debate And Wrap Up

The mobile ecosystem is experiencing some massive shifts this month. We dive into the real implications of Unity Vector's new D28 campaign, break down what Google’s recent fee cut actually means for your studio's growth trajectory, and unpack the wild news of AppLovin stepping out of the ad-network shadows to build its very own social network. Topics Covered:● Unity Vector's D28 campaign and its implications● Google's fee cut impact on growth● AppLovin's plans to build a social network

Michail Katkoff | Josh Chandley | John Wright