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Artwork for Deconstructor of Fun

Deconstructor of Fun

Deconstructor of Fun
Gaming Industry
Roblox
Mobile Gaming
User Acquisition
Supercell
Game Development
Xbox
Applovin
Fortnite
Appsflyer
Call Of Duty
Epic Games
Unity
Cyprus
Ubisoft
Game Monetization
AI In Gaming
Venture Capital
Hybrid Casual Games
Mobile Games

Deconstructor of Fun podcast is created by games professionals for games professionals. We explore the business side of the games industry with the goal of bringing listeners content that is relevant, insightful, and entertaining on a weekly basis. Hosts: Michail Katkoff www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/ Eric Kress www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/ Phillip Black www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-ec... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes808Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureVideo Games

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Artwork for Deconstructor of Fun

Latest Episodes

The crew breaks down Sensor Tower's big H1 2026 report, digs into why downloads keep falling while nobody seems to want new games, and asks whether ad revenue was ever going to save anyone. Plus a Warframe live service masterclass and the arrow craze... more

Why is Toon Blast still growing while every other Blast game is fading away?In this episode of Puzzle Monthly, we break down Toon Blast's remarkable resurgence, from its early days challenging Toy Blast to its recent revenue explosion fueled by Super... more

Convoy says 85 million copies in 60 days. That means 63% of every console owner alive buys GTA 6, and the closest anyone has come without a bundle is half that.The crew digs into the Newzoo and Convoy numbers behind GTA 6 and finds projections that w... more

Bungie built the defining live shooter of the decade, then spent ten years surviving its own crises. This one plays like the eulogy.The crew runs the full ups and downs of Bungie from Myth to Marathon, with an ex-Bungie insider walking through every ... more

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Recent Guests

Thomas Lehr
Built the AI system for InnoGames Sunrise Village
InnoGames
Episode: 339. The Most Honest AI Adoption Story in Gaming
Adam Smart
Global Director of Product for Gaming at AppsFlyer
AppsFlyer
Episode: 338. The Mobile vs Web User Acquisition: What Nobody's Talking About
Zoe Bell
Executive Producer of Games at the New York Times
New York Times
Episode: 337. Inside New York Times Games: Why Killing 96% of New Ideas Is the Win
Eliza Jacobs
Vice President of Safety Products at Roblox
Roblox
Episode: 335. My Wife Uninstalled Roblox. Then I Talked to Their Safety Team.
Matt Kaufman
Chief Safety Officer at Roblox
Roblox
Episode: 335. My Wife Uninstalled Roblox. Then I Talked to Their Safety Team.
Laura Charanto
Puzzle Queen with analytical history on Merge
Microsoft at Minecraft
Episode: Puzzle Monthly #3: Merge vs Match-3, Gossip Harbor's Rise, and the Future of Merge
Batuhan Çelebi
Founder of Grand Games
Grand Games
Episode: 334. $500M in 2 Years: Here's How Grand Games Did It!
Stan Pierre-Louis
President and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA)
Entertainment Software Association
Episode: 333. The ESA's Essential Facts: Free Player Data Most Companies Pay For
Christopher Anjos
Guest, game developer/analyst
Episode: Shooter Monthly #7: Marathon’s Collapse, Apex’s Comeback, & Disney’s Extraction Shooter

Hosts

Jen Donahoe
Host of Deconstructor of Fun; marketing/publishing lead
Eric Kress
Host focusing on strategy and monetization commentary
Michail Katkoff
Host; co-host and industry commentator
Phillip Black
Host; monetization economist / commentator

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 536 ratings
  • woof

    Some of the most insufferable personalities in podcasting, unsubbed after Eric started casually dropping the r-slur.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    nickfourtimes
    Canada4 months ago
  • Ever wonder what the far right thinks about gaming?

    From promoting authoritarian states in unmarked ads, to mocking the homeless as not real people, to blaming Joe Biden for the EU existing (?!?) and now finally to Ai not succeeding in gaming not because it doesn’t work but because of “left wing artists”.

    How daft are they? They used to have an entire series dedicated to the “inevitable” rise of NFTs and web 3 gaming.

    Philip black may be known as the stupidest man in gaming for a reason… but please hire them as consultants!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    BigBetter
    United States9 months ago
  • Underwhelming

    For such a good newsletter the hosts are actually pretty weak in podcast form. Chore to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Jrd929
    United States10 months ago
  • Entertaining and useful

    Great host and guests covering all holistic industry topics and deep dives on topical events

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BigDave1092
    Swedena year ago
  • Fun and insightful

    Need to drop Ethan though

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NC099
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Insightful, high-signal industry analysis with strong host chemistry.
Audio quality and some episodes can be uneven; pacing and hosting style can be polarizing.
Valuable for listeners who want practical takeaways on monetization and growth.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#88
United States/Leisure/Video Games
Apple Podcasts
#46
Canada/Leisure/Video Games
Apple Podcasts
#244
Canada/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#246
United Kingdom/Leisure/Video Games
Apple Podcasts
#118
Germany/Leisure/Video Games
Apple Podcasts
#210
Italy/Leisure/Video Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

339. The Most Honest AI Adoption Story in Gaming
Q: What was the hardest step in the Sunrise Village AI pipeline, and which part was easiest to implement?
The hardest part was ensuring the end product had quality and fun, which required continuous human input to craft story, balance, and cinematics; the easiest wins came from automating repetitive, data-heavy tasks like transforming game design definitions from wiki to Unity-ready formats and automating early-stage storytelling drafts.
TWIG #387: LiftOff IPO, Xbox pulls out the bangers, and The Simpsons take over Monopoly GO!
Q: Josh, where does Liftoff sit within the ecosystem and what impact will this have on the mobile game industry?
Liftoff is positioned at the edge of the ecosystem with a strong non-gaming ad focus inside mostly gaming, which could pressure competitors like AppLovin; the IPO reveals exposure and the need for strategic partnerships, but it's still early to gauge sustained impact.
335. My Wife Uninstalled Roblox. Then I Talked to Their Safety Team.
Q: When will Kids Accounts and Select Accounts launch globally and how do they change access?
Kids Accounts (ages 5-8) and Select Accounts (ages 9-15) launch globally in June; these accounts restrict chat and content to age-appropriate levels and require age verification to access more features, with further improvements in parental controls and visibility for parents.
335. My Wife Uninstalled Roblox. Then I Talked to Their Safety Team.
Q: What's the feedback from parents and policymakers about these safety features?
Feedback has been largely positive from parents and policymakers, with approval of proactive age checks and the ability to ensure that communication is age-appropriate and restricted to peer groups, along with a recognition of Roblox's transparency and scale of safety efforts.
335. My Wife Uninstalled Roblox. Then I Talked to Their Safety Team.
Q: So Matt, can you give me some counterarguments, like where should I start?
We should start by acknowledging the vast majority of Roblox users have safe experiences, then emphasize that safety is the top priority, with stringent policies, age-gated features, and continuous improvements to keep kids safe while enabling creativity.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Deconstructor of Fun

What is Deconstructor of Fun about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, industry-focused roundtable centered on the business of games. Across episodes, discussions frequently pivot around live service dynamics, monetization economics, platform strategies (including subscriptions and AD-supported models), and the tension between big IPs and lean development approaches. Guests range from developers and operators to investors and market analysts, with a penchant for data-informed takes, candid disagreements, and practical takeaways for strategy, growth, and market positioning. The show stands out for its veteran perspectives, willingness to challenge conventional wisdom, and a candid, debate-driven format that blends macro industry trends with hands-on insights for publishers, developers, and investors.

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Which podcasts are similar to Deconstructor of Fun?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Deconstructor of Fun:

1. Naavik Gaming Podcast
2. Gamecraft
3. Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson
4. TBPN
5. Channels with Peter Kafka

How many episodes of Deconstructor of Fun are there?

Deconstructor of Fun launched 9 years ago and published 808 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Deconstructor of Fun?

Recent guests on Deconstructor of Fun include:

1. Thomas Lehr
2. Adam Smart
3. Zoe Bell
4. Eliza Jacobs
5. Matt Kaufman
6. Laura Charanto
7. Batuhan Çelebi
8. Stan Pierre-Louis

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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