Deconstructor of Fun

• TWIG #329: Royal Match Goes All-In, Discord Shifts Gears, Call of Duty Meets Its Match

  We start where we ended last week: the $50M Royal Match campaign and the issue of overspending. Then it's all about Discord’s new CEO and how that signals a potential pivot toward enterprise, ending the platform’s gaming-first DNA.Then, the crew covers NetEase’s sudden executive shakeup and the surprising Delta Force vs. Call of Duty Mobile battle before unpacking Blizzard’s Nexon partnership in Korea. We cap it off with an explanation on why VCs are suddenly frothing over AI in gaming. 02:39 MAU Event and Fireside Chat04:15 Royal Match Campaign Follow-up19:53 Discord's New CEO and Future29:26 NetEase Executive Departures33:19 AI in Gaming Venture Capital37:12 Delta Force vs. Call of Duty Mobile41:08 Blizzard's Publishing Strategy: Nexon Partnership46:34 The Impact of Distribution Duopoly on Gaming53:35 The Future of Game Distribution and Innovation01:02:55 Web Shops and the Changing Revenue Landscape

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• 282. Do It Better: Creative Production with AI

  Alexei Chemenda, CEO and co-founder of Poolday.ai, discusses how AI enables marketers to focus on strategy and storytelling. Discover the future of personalized video ads, the evolving role of A/B testing, and the importance of combining creative and analytical skills in marketing. 00:00 Introduction: Misconceptions About AI in Marketing01:53 Revolutionizing Ad Creation with AI02:53 Personalization and Creative Control04:15 Continuous Creative Cycle04:37 AI in Gaming and Brand Marketing09:22 Balancing Volume and Quality in AI-Driven Marketing16:37 Predictive Analytics and Data Fluency20:19 Future Skills for Marketing Leaders23:13 Enhancing Human Creativity with AI25:22 Conclusion and Contact Information

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• 281. How UGC Is Extending the Lifespan of Games with Uri Marchand, CEO of Overwolf

  Mishka Katkoff sits down with Uri Marchand, CEO of Overwolf, to break down how user-generated content (UGC) is quietly reshaping the gaming industry. They dive into Overwolf’s mission to turn in-game creation into a viable profession, and why modding — once a hobby for the few — is now a legitimate career path for thousands.This isn’t just about mods anymore — it’s about the future of gaming economies.00:00Introduction to Overwolf and UGC04:05 The Evolution of Modding in Gaming06:56 Industry Trends: Embracing UGC10:05 Challenges and Opportunities in Modding13:17 The Role of Platforms like Roblox and Fortnite16:32 Balancing Creator Support and Developer Benefits19:37 Sustainability of the Modding Economy22:23 Revenue Share Models in the Creator Economy25:34 The Impact of AI on Modding29:14 The Power of AI in Game Development30:15 Democratizing Game Creation31:01 Challenges in Scaling Overwolf33:51 Overcoming Investment Hurdles37:41 The Future of Overwolf and Gaming43:24 Innovations in User-Generated Content45:39 Changing Mindsets on Premium Mods48:17 Disruption in the Gaming Industry52:09 Lessons Learned from Overwolf's Journey

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• TWIG #328 The Hidden Cost of Celebrity Ads and the How Hollywood Doesn’t Get Games

   The crew unpacks a week of spicy news and strategic contradictions, starting with Supercell’s latest investments and how VC incentives often clash with long-term game building. We weigh in on GamesBeat’s move to independence, the ongoing esports funding debate, and whether Netflix’s Rebel Moon game is a flex or a fumble. Valorant Mobile’s China launch signals Riot’s next big move, while Tencent continues to dominate with titles like Gunfight King. The team dives into Disney’s Solitaire push, Habby's intriguing new soft launch, and the return of Royal Kingdom’s celebrity-fueled ad campaign—capped off by a heated debate: do TV ads still move the needle for mobile games, or are we watching legacy marketing die in real time?01:56 Industry News Highlights02:47 Supercell Investments Analysis05:35 VC Contradictions and Incentives17:43 GamesBeat Independence20:17 Esports Investment22:31 Oblivion24:15 Netflix's Rebel Moon Game31:00 Valorant Mobile Launch in China32:36 Gunfight King and Tencent's Gaming Dominance33:19 Disney Solitaire40:00 Habby's New Game in Soft Launch46:33 Royal Kingdom's Celebrity Ad Campaign48:44 Debating the Effectiveness of TV Ads for Mobile Games01:06:53 Concluding Thoughts on Marketing Strategies

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• 280. The Harsh Truths Behind Venture Capital No One Tells Founders with Lightspeed's Mortiz Baier-Lentz

  Lightspeed’s Moritz Baier-Lentz joins us for a no-holds-barred conversation on venture capital, gaming, and the inner workings of multi-billion-dollar venture funds. No fluff—just real talk about fund math, spotting exceptional founders, the future of AI in gaming, and why most investments won’t work out (and why that’s okay).00:00 from pro-gamer in Diablo II to Goldman Sachs to Lightspeed VC10:00 The Lightspeed model18:00 How Moritz spots truly exceptional founders (hint: not a checklist)24:00 Fund math 10130:00 Studio investing vs. tech investing in games 36:00 How consolidation is reshaping gaming M&A (and why it’s a big deal)43:00 Speedrun, a16z’s gaming accelerator: innovation or red flag?51:00 Debunking big VC myths58:00 The future of gaming: AI, generative content, and creating the next Roblox1:05:00 How Lightspeed wins competitive deals—and what founders should ask VCs1:12:00 Is raising VC money harder now? Yes. But here’s why it’s still a golden era.1:20:00 Final thoughts: investing at the edge of what’s possible

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