The Gaming Playbook w/ Harry Phokou

Want to break into the gaming industry or level up your career fast? In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, Harry Phokou sits down with Alexander Brazie (World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Ori and the Will of the Wisps) to discuss how to actually get a job in games and get promoted quickly. From the power of playtesting and portfolios to insider hiring mindsets and the truth about nepotism, Alexander unpacks 20+ years of experience. Whether you're a student, self-taught dev, or working in QA looking to transition into design, this episode is your roadmap. Connect with Alexander: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-brazie/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-brazie/] Discord: https://gamedesignskills.com/funsmith-club [https://gamedesignskills.com/funsmith-club]/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xelnath/ [https://www.instagram.com/xelnath/] X: https://x.com/xelnath?mx=2 [https://x.com/xelnath?mx=2] Connect with Harry: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/] YouTube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou [https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou [https://www.instagram.com/hphokou] Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:  → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net [www.gamingrally.net] Enjoyed the episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to help more developers find us. Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Alexander’s legendary background (WoW, Riot, Moon Studios) 01:45 How Alexander got his first job in games at 13 06:08 What successful game design students do differently 09:39 How to network and build real industry relationships 13:16 What gets people hired (and what doesn't) 17:57 The “barrel” employee concept and how to become one 21:07 Why learning to implement your ideas gets you hired faster 28:46 How to get noticed as an implementer (and land high-impact projects) 35:26 Do game designers need to code to get hired? 40:16 How to showcase your work as a content designer 43:21 How to show you're thinking ahead like a lead designer 45:20 Make your system design work visible to employers 49:09 Narrative design tips for students breaking into games 52:35 Dumb vs. smart ways to ask for a promotion 56:40 AAA job interview tips & frameworks 1:00:56 Why a game design degree doesn’t make you senior 1:05:30 Transitioning to roles outside of games 1:07:39 Why documenting your work will change your career 1:12:15 Final wrap-up & advice from me #GameDesignCareer #BreakingIntoGames #GamingJobs2025 #PortfolioTips #HowToGetPromoted

Want to turn your Discord community into a revenue-generating machine? In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Tom Gayner, CEO of Levellr, who’s helped Scopely, Krafton, and even the NFL build high-performing Discord communities. We dive into the most common mistakes studios make, why Discord users are 6x more valuable, and how AI is revolutionizing community management. If you’re a game studio, this is your blueprint for building a self-sustaining, monetized community. Connect with Tom: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomgayner/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomgayner/] Website: https://www.levellr.com/ [https://www.levellr.com/] Connect with Harry: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou [https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou [https://www.instagram.com/hphokou] Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net [www.gamingrally.net] 👉 Enjoyed the episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to help more developers find us. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:44 Why most studios ignore Discord 05:48 Data: Discord users = 6x more valuable 11:57 Pre-launch Discord strategy 15:06 Creating organic player-to-player interaction 17:02 Minimum requirements before launching a Discord 20:10 What resource investment actually looks like 23:04 How Levellr started & why it matters now 27:40 AI's breakthrough in community insight grouping 30:42 Querying your own Discord like a knowledge base 32:28 Fastest way to get 1,000 engaged members 34:08 Game/Discord integration examples 37:56 Best way to hire a community manager 42:32 Is Discord ROI Real or Just Hype? 46:16 The Fear of Backlash (And Why It's Wrong) 49:25 The Future of Discord in Game Publishing 52:34 Getting Insights from Player-Run Discords 55:02 Community Advice for Publishers 56:18 How to reach Tom & final thoughts #GameDev #DiscordCommunity #RetentionStrategy #CommunityGrowth

Why do most good games still fail today, even with great gameplay? Markus Wilding – former marketing leader at Take-Two, 2K, and Private Division – joins me to reveal why visibility is now more critical than quality... and how developers and publishers must adapt to survive. We unpack how outdated marketing playbooks are killing games, why community building is non-negotiable, and the practical strategies every studio needs to market smarter in 2025. Expect deep dives into: - Why 90% of marketing strategies are stuck in the past - How to use influencer marketing correctly in today's market - How early-stage market validation can save your studio - How to build community momentum before launch - Why the future belongs to "snackable fun" games, not bloated AAA - Practical frameworks for self-auditing your game's marketing readiness Whether you're an indie developer, publisher, marketer, or founder, this conversation will shift how you approach game success today. Connect with Markus: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-wilding/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-wilding/] Website: https://beyondthewall.games/ [https://beyondthewall.games/] Connect with Harry: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou [https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou [https://www.instagram.com/hphokou] Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter [https://gamingrally.net/] Enjoyed the episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to help more developers find us. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:01 Markus' Transition From AAA to Consulting 07:03 Why Visibility Beats Quality Today 12:51 Discord, Reddit, and Building Real Player Communities 17:01 Why the "19,000 Games on Steam" Stat Is Misleading 21:31 The Old Game Problem 30:20 Why Graphics No Longer Guarantee Success 33:42 Finding the Fun: What AAA Forgets 35:00 Why "Snackable Gameplay" Dominates 38:48 What Good Marketing Advice Actually Looks Like 42:50 Why Understanding Development Is Non-Negotiable 48:37 Why Markus Is Optimistic About Gaming’s Future 50:25 Connect With Markus #GameMarketing #IndieGameDev #GamingIndustry #MarketingStrategy #CommunityBuilding

In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Peter Fodor, founder and CEO of AppAgent, a top-tier mobile marketing agency behind games from Supercell, Netflix, and Scopely. Peter shares the unfiltered truth about why most mobile games fail to scale, the critical mistakes studios make, and how to win in today's privacy-first, saturated market. Expect deep dives into:- How to test game ideas before writing a single line of code - The role of creative frameworks and hooks in ad success - Why LiveOps is the future of monetization - Managing remote creative teams without losing your mind - How AI is reshaping mobile game marketing and who should be scared Whether you're a mobile dev, a UA manager, or building the next breakout title, this episode will make you rethink your strategy from the ground up. Connect with Peter: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/petrfodor/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petrfodor/]⁠ Connect with Harry: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/⁠] Youtube: ⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou⁠] Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hphokou [https://www.instagram.com/hphokou] Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry tips – Sign up for the Gaming Rally Newsletter! http://http//gamingrally.net/ [http://http//gamingrally.net/] Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and drop your thoughts in the comments. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:04 The State of Mobile Gaming Post-COVID 05:20 The Biggest Mistakes Mobile Studios Make 07:35 How Small Teams Can Pre-test Game Ideas 10:13 Increasing LTV through LiveOps 14:13 Are IP & Influencer Collabs Only For Big Studios? 16:41 Testing IPs & Understanding Your Audience 18:31 The Power of Creative Frameworks 23:00 Lessons from Walking Planet & Player Surveys 27:15 Timeless Creative Principles (AIDA, KISS) 30:42 Why Most Game Ads Fail at the Hook 32:32 Hooks vs. Storytelling: The Key Mindset Shift 35:04 Managing Creative Teams Remotely 39:17 Frameworks: Who Builds Them And How? 43:37 How to Build Systems Collaboratively 46:07 Hiring Creatives: What to Look For 49:28 AppAgent’s Future & Vision 53:39 AI's Impact on UA, Creative Production & Future Roles 58:02 Advice to Young People Entering Games 59:44 Final Thoughts For The Mobile Games Industry #MobileGameMarketing #GameDevTips #UserAcquisition #CreativeStrategy #MobileGames2025

Ever feel like your writing isn’t landing the way you want? Whether you’re posting on LinkedIn, crafting a sales page, or trying to grow an audience, better writing leads to better results. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Barker, a copywriter who’s helped businesses generate over $3M through content. We talk about what really makes writing work - without the fluff, fake authority, or overhyped promises. - How Matt went from corporate marketing to solopreneurship - Why most people write the wrong way online - and how to fix it - The secret to writing content that attracts, nurtures, and converts - How to avoid the “scamfluencer” trap and build real authority - What top creators do differently to make their writing stand out If you’ve ever wanted to write better, grow an audience, and turn words into results, this episode is for you. Connect with Matt: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjbarker1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjbarker1/] Newsletter: https://www.mattbarker.xyz/newsletter [https://www.mattbarker.xyz/newsletter] Connect with Harry: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/] Youtube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou [https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou [https://www.instagram.com/hphokou] Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry tips – Sign up for the Gaming Rally Newsletter! gamingrally.net [gamingrally.net] Like, comment, and subscribe for more deep dives into copywriting, content marketing, and personal branding. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:26 Matt’s Transition from Corporate to Solopreneurship 09:23 The Difference Between Writing Online & High School Writing 12:34 How To Start Writing 16:24 How to Get Better at Writing (Practical Steps) 23:15 Strategic Writing vs. Creative Writing 26:13 Crafting a Content Strategy That Works 28:57 Overcoming Boredom and Staying Consistent 32:48 The Two Main Goals of Writing on LinkedIn 35:43 The Power of Emotional Storytelling in Copywriting 39:44 The "Scamfluencer" Trend & Why It’s Misleading 42:12 How Long Does It Take to Master Online Writing? 45:42 Unexpected Side Benefits of Writing 47:35 Matt’s Future Plans & Advice to His Past Self 52:32 - Where to Follow & Connect with Matt #Copywriting #ContentMarketing #Ghostwriting #PersonalBranding #LinkedInGrowth