Deconstructor of Fun

Mishka Katkoff sits down with Carla Rylance - external development expert, XDS Advisory Committee Chair, and Head of Business Solutions for XDS Spark - to dive deep into the 2025 XDS Insights Report. In this episode: Key trends in external development, co-development, and industry shifts following the pandemic. The growing role of AI in game development: how publishers and service providers are using (or not using) AI. Budget trends, rates, and the business realities facing external studios. Why publishers are sticking with trusted partners and the importance of security, flexibility, and due diligence https://xdsummit.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlarylance/https://deconstructoroffun.com/slack Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & technical mishaps 02:00 – What is the XDS Insights Report? 06:00 – Trends in external development & co-dev 15:00 – Budgets, rates, and industry shifts 25:00 – The rise of AI in game development 35:00 – Security, trust, and partner selection 45:00 – Q&A and closing thoughts #ExternalDevelopment #XDS #Podcast #GameIndustry #AI #CoDevelopment

The crew dives into a jam-packed week of industry news from Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2 launch to Epic’s evolving Store strategy. We unpack the growing importance of social features in games and the buzz around the new D&D project from the Star Wars Jedi director. Meanwhile, Elden Ring’s Night Reign expansion proves brutally satisfying, while Zynga quietly shuts down the studio behind Torchlight. We also tackle Activision’s tone-deaf in-game ads and finish with a sharp Philosophy Corner: why do so many AAA green lights go wrong—and what game dev processes desperately need fixing? Don’t miss it. 03:46 Pride Month Reflections 05:14 Personal Updates 06:18 Rants and Industry Insights 09:31 LA Event Announcement 11:32 RIP Sims Co-Creator Tim Luo 12:58 Switch 2 Launch 18:32 Epic Games Unreal + Game Store 22:36 Social Features and Competition 25:10 Star Wars Jedi Director's New D&D Game 27:12 Elden Ring Night Reign: A Tough but Rewarding Experience 31:42 Zynga Shuts Down Torchlight Developer 33:09 Activision's Controversial In-Game Ads 35:28 The Problem with AAA Green Lights 41:02 The Need for Better Game Development Processes

State of Gaming report: https://tinyurl.com/5eyye63d In this episode, Mishka Katkoff sits down with Sensor Tower gaming insights analyst Sam Aune to dissect the state of mobile gaming in 2025. They unpack download trends, the evolving UA playbook, the hybrid casual boom, and shifting genre engagement. The conversation dives into emerging markets, how ads really impact player behavior, and what Gen Z expects from modern mobile games. Backed by fresh Sensor Tower data, Aune breaks down where the biggest opportunities—and pitfalls—lie for today’s game makers. 02:10 Current Trends in Mobile Gaming Downloads 05:12 User Acquisition and Monetization Strategies 07:45 Engagement Trends in Game Genres 11:31 The Rise of Hybrid Casual Games 16:49 Emerging Markets and Growth Opportunities 23:39 Revenue Trends Across Game Genres 27:36 Balancing Niche and Audience Size 30:59 The Decline of New Game Releases 31:56 Understanding Gen Z Players 35:38 Gender Targeting in Game Development 41:55 The Role of IP in Game Success 45:04 Market Concentration and Expansion Strategies

In this episode, Deconstructor of Fun’s Mishka Katkoff sits down with Thibault de Vésinne-Larüe, VP of Core Gaming at Voodoo, to unpack one of the industry’s most ruthless yet successful publishing machines. How does Voodoo test 2,000 prototypes a year? What separates great studios from the rest? Why do most games get killed — and how do you know which ones to bet on? If you’re serious about understanding hybrid-casual publishing, this is required listening. 00:40 Characteristics of Top Performing Teams 04:31 Prototyping Process and Metrics 22:03 Soft Launch and Monetization 25:31 Shift from Ads to In-App Purchases 28:17 Scaling Game Development Teams 31:49 Structuring Partnerships with Developers 40:53 Common Mistakes in Game Development 46:39 Breaking into Voodoo's Ecosystem 48:48 Conclusion and Future Goals

With Michail out, and definitely not living a jetset life, Jen, Eric, Adam, and Phil huddle around the WWDC campfire to tell tales of Game Center. There’s a big change to Battlefield that threatens the franchise, while Delta Force rises as a threat to the East. Split Gate 2? Not so much. Jen defends Apple, marketing, and transmedia, all in one, while Adam claims a Marvel Rival bet and claps for the French. Eric certainly isn’t clapping for Game Pass and Doom, while Phil tries to Grow a Garden. 02:19 Rumors and Updates in the Gaming Industry 03:13 AI Kick-Off 07:32 TV Campaigns and Marketing Strategies 10:45 Off the Record Event and Industry Networking 16:54 Apple's 30% Fee and Game Center 2.0 25:10 Ubisoft's Legal Troubles and Workplace Culture 27:10 Jade Raymond's Career Moves 28:26 Breaking News: EA Shuts Down Black Panther Game 31:19 Expedition 33: A Small Team's Big Success 33:24 Doom the Dark Age: Game Pass Impact 34:57 Game Pass Debate: Success or Failure? 43:18 Splitgate 2: Struggling to Gain Traction 46:26 Fortnite iOS Relaunch: Lukewarm? 51:40 Battlefield 6 59:44 Roblox's Grow a Garden