Podcasts about mobile gaming

This week's episode features Hell Let Loose: Vietnam, Gallipoli, Lou’s Lagoon, Kaboomania, Sizeable, Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass, and 1964 Operation Velvet Twins.

Game server hosting is the layer nobody thinks about until it breaks. In this episode, Kalie Moore sits down with Max Podkidkin, Co-Founder and CEO of BisectHosting, to unpack how a Minecraft server that went dark for three days turned into a 15-year infrastructure business serving hundreds of thousands of customers across more than 140 countries. Max put the first hardware on a credit card, recruited a co-founder he met in his own Minecraft community, and built the company to nearly 100 employees without ever raising outside capital. They get into what those early years actually looked like, including hiding a laptop on a cart at a factory job to answer support tickets, the two years he and Andrew worked together over text before meeting face to face, and how a US and UK split gave them 24/7 coverage with a team of two.The conversation also covers how the hosting business really works, from the economics of renting out resources to why running a server at home costs more than most people think. Max explains why BisectHosting has turned down repeated acquisition offers while private equity consolidates the market around them, how the team gets into a studio's Discord and pre-tests server files before working with a game studio, and what 15 years of hosting communities has taught him about why modding and UGC keep games alive long after launch. He also shares the studio's approach to AI, including Biko, the assistant built into their server panel that has cut support tickets by double digits without a single person losing their job.Big thanks to Heroic Labs for making this episode possible. Gram Games used Heroic Labs to tailor offers and events by player cohort, calling it "critical" in a post-IDFA world where retention is everything. Read how Gram merged personalization and advanced social features into a core system of their live operations: https://heroiclabs.com/blog/gram-games-case-study/?_gl=1*709y52*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTI0MTAzNTM2Ny4xNzg1MjI4NzQ2*_ga_R9WLGSZ1KN*czE3ODUyMjg3NDUkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODUyMjg3NDUkajYwJGwwJGgw We'd also like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you're a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/.If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Who's On:Guest - Max Podkidkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-podkidkin/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc CabeLinks mentioned: https://www.bisecthosting.com/

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 23rd. In this week's issue, we share our latest podcast episode and tackle how and why the mobile games industry keeps converging on best practices across genres — and what that means for the future.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://naavik.substack.com/p/the-great-mobile-convergence Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features Pit Panic, Ground Zero Hero, Pro Jank Footy, Moss: The Forgotten Relic, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition, With Eyes of Ice, Case Solved: The London Files, and Twisted Tower.

Between 2018 and 2024, the turnover of Portuguese games companies went from around 5 million to nearly 100 million. In this episode, Kalie Moore sits down with Jefferson Valadares, Co-Founder and CEO of partNerd and President of the Portuguese Association of Game Development Companies, to unpack whether a country long known for exporting its best talent can become a home for original IP. Jefferson has seen the industry from nearly every seat, as Studio GM at EA, Executive Producer at BioWare, Head of Mobile at Bandai Namco, and a board member at Rovio before its sale to Sega. They explore what the AAA years taught him about when to spend and when to wing it, why big companies keep funding games they already know won't work, and what he learned running studio acquisitions at Fortis Games about why most deals quietly lose their value.The conversation also goes inside partNerd, the four-person studio he's building now, and why they're making an original co-op game exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. Jefferson explains the thinking behind designing for asymmetric skill levels so parents, kids, and non-gamers can play together, why GameShare shaped their commercial model, and how hard it is for veteran developers to unlearn best practice and build something genuinely new. He also revisits Doppio, his early bet on voice as a gaming platform, and the timing that led to selling to Fortis in late 2021. Along the way he lays out the Helsinki parallel he sees playing out in Lisbon, why the hardest gap for emerging ecosystems is product rather than engineering or art, and what he thinks the industry is underestimating about the generation that grew up on Roblox and Minecraft rather than GTA.This episode is brought to you by Appcharge, the payments platform built specifically for mobile gaming that processes over a billion dollars annually. Learn more here: https://www.appcharge.com/?utm_source=naavik&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=sponsorship_paymentsWe'd also like to thank Dive for making this episode possible! With its fully managed analytics and LiveOps platform built for game studios, 95% of their clients grow revenue in one year. All of that without having to hire an in-house data team. Learn more here: dive.games/scale.If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Who's On:Guest - Jeferson Valadares: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefersonvaladares/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 16th. In this week's issue, we examine Roblox, which lost nearly a third of its value after it reported Q2 2026 results. We explore what the latest numbers might mean for the present and future of the company.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/robloxs-expensive-year-of-good-intentionsMeet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features Skatesterre, Plungeez, Verho - Curse of Faces, Kusan: City of Wolves, Go North, Pets Survivors, and John Fox.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 9th. In this week's issue, we discuss the rising “friendslop" phenomenon, why it's somewhat disrupting established live-ops practices, and whether it is sustainable long-term.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/friendslop-disrupting-the-live-ops-status-quoMeet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Plus: SK Hynix plans to invest about $38 billion to expand chip production. And video game company Take Two reports loss despite higher revenue. Imani Moise hosts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week's episode features Brave Escape, High Times, Mate'Morphosis, Bee With Gun, Aleesha's Tower, Scarlet Wolf, and Poetic Trio.

After years of saying not yet, Sensor Tower finally estimated mobile ad revenue, and the number is $12 billion for 2025.Sam, their lead gaming insights analyst, walks through how the estimates were built and why $12 billion is a conservative floor. We get into why puzzle pulls more than half of all gaming ad revenue, how AppLovin keeps eating share while smaller networks shrink, the non-gaming advertisers like Temu, Shein and finance apps flooding into gaming inventory, and why AP-focused hybrids out-earn ad-first hybrids by 4x.CHAPTERS: 00:00 Why Ads Were Opaque01:07 How Sensor Tower Models Ads02:31 The 12 Billion Headline04:00 Coverage Countries Networks06:07 Ads Versus IAP D2C08:52 Non Gaming Demand Surge12:55 Network Share Winners15:15 AppLovin Take Rate Debate19:04 Puzzle Dominates Ad Revenue26:17 Hybrid Casual Economics30:25 Studio Strategy And Wrap

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 2nd. In this week's issue, we discuss the decline of platform-led gaming in China through the lens of Alibaba's likely sale of Lingxi Games, the studio behind Three Kingdoms Tactics.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-structural-failure-of-platform-led-gaming-in-chinaMeet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe

This week's episode features The King is Watching, Truxton Extreme, Turnip Mountain, Killing Floor 3, Wake Up, Lia!, and Froggy Hates Snow.

As studios contend with layoffs, hiring freezes, longer development cycles, and a growing supply of experienced talent outside traditional roles, fractional work is emerging as a potential middle ground between full-time hiring and conventional consulting. Host Devin Becker is joined by Aaron Bush, co-founder and Managing Partner of Naavik, to discuss why the company expanded from research and advisory into fractional talent, what meaningfully separates fractional leadership from contracting or staff augmentation, and how these engagements work in practice. They examine which roles fit the model, why senior talent dominates the supply pool, how studios retain knowledge after an engagement ends, and whether increased reliance on fractional experts could weaken the industry's pipeline for developing junior talent. The conversation also considers whether this is a temporary response to the current employment cycle or an early sign of studios becoming smaller permanent teams supported by flexible specialists.Check out Naavik's Fractional Talent Network: https://naavik.co/fractional-talent/ We'd like to thank Dive for making this episode possible! With its fully managed analytics and LiveOps platform built for game studios, 95% of their clients grow revenue in one year. All of that without having to hire an in-house data team. Learn more here: dive.games/scale If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 26th. In this week's issue, we examine how a new generation of creators and internet-native IP — sometimes memes or worlds that no one owns — are starting to take the entertainment world by storm in new ways.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/how-online-fandom-is-rewriting-the-ip-playbookCheck out Naavik's fractional talent network: https://naavik.co/fractional-talent/ Meet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features CULTIC, 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X, Wreck Runners, Mechaconda, Blast'N Bounty, and Ultra Pixel Survive 2.

Fourteen years after launch, Subway Surfers is still one of the biggest games in the world. In this episode, Kalie Moore sits down with Mathias Gredal Nørvig, CEO of SYBO, to unpack how a mobile game launched in 2012 continues to attract between 100 and 150 million monthly players while nearly every other hit from its era has faded away. They explore the philosophy behind Subway Surfers' iconic World Tour live operations, why empowering artists and designers has kept the game feeling fresh for more than a decade, how community ideas have directly shaped new characters and game modes, and why collaborations with games like Brawl Stars have become some of the studio's most successful partnerships. Mathias also shares how Subway Surfers Cities evolved from years of experimentation, why SYBO deliberately avoided cannibalizing its flagship title, and what they're still learning as they build the franchise's next chapter.The conversation also dives into one of gaming's most remarkable organic marketing stories: how Subway Surfers became one of TikTok's biggest gaming phenomena without spending on user acquisition, why SYBO gives its social team extraordinary creative freedom, and how the studio thinks about virality, platform expansion, and community-first marketing. Mathias shares SYBO's measured approach to AI, lessons from becoming part of Miniclip and Tencent, why the company stepped back from large-scale licensing despite nearly five billion downloads, and how sustainability, accessibility, and healthy gameplay have become core parts of the studio's long-term vision. The episode offers a rare look inside one of mobile gaming's most enduring success stories and what it takes to build an evergreen franchise that continues to evolve without losing what made it special.We'd also like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Who's On:Guest - Mathias Gredal Nørvig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noervig/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc CabeLinks mentioned:https://sybogames.com/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaming-Good-Unlocking-Create-Better-ebook/dp/B0CSDHG8KC/https://www.goodgame.club/

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 19th. In this week's issue, we shine a light on the memo that undid 10 years of Xbox strategy, focusing on what CEO Asha Sharma is actually trying to achieve. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-memo-that-undid-ten-years-of-xbox-strategyMeet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Join me for episode 488 of the Mobile Tech Podcast with guest Carl-Edwin Michel of Radio Canada -- brought to you by Mint Mobile. In this episode, we discuss the state of mobile games -- from phones to portable consoles to emulation -- and what the disappearance of physical media means for the future of gaming. We also share our thoughts on the end of OnePlus in Europe and North America, and cover rumors, leaks, and news from Samsung, Google, Moto, Huawei, Redmi, Honor, and Hisense.Episode Links- Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tnkgrl- Donate / buy me a coffee (PayPal): https://tnkgrl.com/tnkgrl/- Support the podcast with Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/mobiletech- Carl-Edwin Michel: https://www.threads.com/@carl_edwin- My MacBook Neo review: https://hothardware.com/reviews/apple-macbook-neo-review- PlayStation drops discs: https://hothardware.com/news/playstation-digital-only-sony-confirms-no-more-game-discs- Putting Steam games on cartridges: https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/pc-gaming/pc-gamer-turns-steam-games-into-cartridges-with-ingenious-2-5-inch-ssd-system-games-are-stored-on-128gb-drives-alongside-a-script-to-auto-start-the-title-once-plugged-in- My RedMagic 11 Pro review: https://hothardware.com/reviews/redmagic-11-pro-review- OnePlus shuts down: https://9to5google.com/2026/07/13/oneplus-us-europe-shut-down-report/- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 creaseless display rumor: https://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_video_shows_off_samsung_galaxy_z_fold8_ultras_creaseless_display-news-73689.php- Samsung teases titanium hinge tech: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_introduces_flex_titanium_a_key_innovation_for_its_nextgen_foldables-news-73709.php- Google Pixel 11 2nm chip rumor: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_pixel_11_devices_to_have_the_first_2nm_smartphone_soc_new_modem-news-73693.php- Moto Edge 70 Max with Qi2 magnets: https://www.theverge.com/tech/965884/motorola-edge-70-max-qi2-wireless-price-availability- Huawei Pura 90s Pro Max: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_pura_90s_pro_max_goes_global_with_200mp_tele_cam_pura_90s_pro_also_unveiled-news-73694.php- Ben's Huawei Pura 90s Pro Max review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC8ED877CWE- Redmi Note 17 series: https://www.gsmarena.com/7_redmi_note_17_unveiled_with_8000mah_battery_17_pro_joins_it_with_a_9000mah_battery-news-73716.php- Honor Robot Phone specs leak: https://www.gsmarena.com/honor_robot_phones_key_specifications_leak-news-73710.php- Hisense A10 e-ink phone with detachable LCD: https://www.gsmarena.com/hisense_unveils_an_android_16_phone_with_an_eink_display_and_a_detachable_lcd_the_hisense_a10-news-73718.phpAffiliate Links (If you use these links to buy something, we might earn a commission)- ASUS ROG Xbox-Ally: https://amzn.to/4pwhC6X- RedMagic 11S Pro: https://amzn.to/4fqc9du- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: https://amzn.to/3Ri4GoM- Google Pixel 10a: https://amzn.to/4bkei98- Moto Razr Ultra 2025: https://amzn.to/4wz2iJ6

This week's episode features Denshattack!, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu, Farlands, Welcome to Kowloon, Amanda the Adventurer 3, and Quest Arrest.

Influence Mobile founder and CEO Daniel Todd joins Chris Lustrino to discuss how the company built Rewarded Play into a major rewards platform for mobile gaming. Influence Mobile helps game developers acquire and retain high-value players by offering rewards to users who discover, play, and spend inside mobile games. Daniel explains how his decades of experience in internet advertising and rewards programs led to the company's current model, why older women are among the most valuable mobile gaming audiences, and why mobile gaming's scale is often underestimated. The conversation also covers Influence Mobile's $28 million revenue base, its Android success, upcoming iOS expansion, white-label opportunities, and the long-term vision for a broader rewards ecosystem. View Influence Mobile on Kingscrowd

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) is moving from an experimental monetization channel toward a more established part of game publishing, but adoption remains uneven. Host Devin Becker is joined by David Stelzer, CSO of Appcharge, to discuss findings from the company's recent report and what they reveal about the current state of DTC. They examine why more than half of studios are still making few meaningful changes, what separates the small group of innovators pulling ahead, and where developers continue to misunderstand web stores, player behavior, and the operational demands of running DTC effectively. The conversation also looks ahead to dedicated DTC teams, standardized technology stacks, broader adoption beyond games, and what winning in DTC could look like over the next three to five years.We'd like to thank Medal.tv for making this episode possible. If you're a PC gamer and want to clip your moments or a studio, publisher, or marketer looking to reach a high-quality gaming audience and get your game in front of the right players, check out all Medal has to offer at https://grow.medal.tv.If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 12th. In today's issue, we evaluate the memory boom's effect on the present and future of gaming hardware.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-ai-boom-is-repricing-gaming-hardware-and-rewiring-the-console-businessMeet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com India's State of Play report: https://mixiglobalinv.com/report/upload/indias-state-of-play-260708.pdf Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features HYPERWIRED, Biomechanical Toy (QUByte Classics), Village of the Curse, The Fissure, In Fair Spirits, and Dustwind: Resistance - Tunnels of Death.

Mobile has spent the last decade perfecting paid acquisition, and often, paid UA comprises 99% of a mobile game's marketing budget. PC and console gaming generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue, yet most studios have never tried performance marketing once. PC and console have always played in the field of brand, festivals, press, influencers, and content creators due to a variety of reasons that we unpack in this episode. Alexandra Takei, VP of Platform Revenue at Medal, sits down with Jules Baculard, founder and CEO of AdZap, to unpack why PC performance marketing has lagged behind mobile and what it would take to build a real acquisition stack for Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. The conversation covers the structural challenges: thin desktop inventory, cross-device attribution, Steam's limited data visibility, long purchase windows, and the uncomfortable reality that many Steam purchases are never played. Jules explains how AdZap built their performance platform using mobile ad infrastructure, Steam's companion app, landing pages, signal engineering, and retargeting to drive qualified traffic and wishlist growth. The episode also digs into real case studies across indie and Ubisoft titles, incrementality testing, CPI benchmarks, and why wishlists still matter, even if they are an imperfect KPI.For any studio trying to make every marketing dollar work harder, this is a tactical look at PC performance's next frontierWe'd also like to thank Medal.tv for making this episode possible. If you're a PC gamer and want to clip your moments or a studio, publisher, or marketer looking to reach a high-quality gaming audience and get your game in front of the right players, check out all Medal has to offer at https://grow.medal.tv.If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 5th. In today's issue, we discuss the underrated, emerging intersection of creators and DTC — and why creator codes specifically are becoming an increasingly low-cost, high-reward way to drive player engagement and monetization.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-next-wave-of-creator-led-growthWant to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features PlayStation announcing the end of physical media, rumors of mass Xbox layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations, and the usual what we've been playing.

In this special episode of the Naavik Gaming Podcast, recorded live from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, host Kalie Moore sits down with fellow Cannes Lions Gaming Jury member Cheryl Platz, author of The Game Development Strategy Guide, and former UX leader at Riot Games, Scopely, Microsoft, and Amazon. Together, they pull back the curtain on what it was actually like judging one of the world's most prestigious creative awards programs, from the multi-stage evaluation process to the debates that shaped the final winners. They discuss the challenges of evaluating gaming campaigns across vastly different audiences, genres, and markets, and share lessons for brands, agencies, and developers looking to create work that genuinely resonates with players.The conversation explores some of the most memorable campaigns from this year's competition, including a deep dive into Supercell's big year. Kalie and Cheryl unpack why Copycat's Welcome earned the coveted Grand Prix, how Pocket-Sized Halftime Show won Gold and dominated the conversation across all entertainment conversations, and what these campaigns reveal about creativity, player insight, and measurable impact. They also discuss Skittles' viral gaming flute, Silent Clean's horror game for a century-old cleaning brand, and campaigns that used gaming to tackle organ donation, wildfire prevention, and medical education. The episode offers a rare inside look at how creative excellence is judged at the highest level and what the future of brand integration in games might look like.We'd also like to thank Dive for making this episode possible! With its fully managed analytics and LiveOps platform built for game studios, 95% of their clients grow revenue in one year. All of that without having to hire an in-house data team. Learn more here: dive.games/scale..If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Who's On:Guest - Cheryl Platz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylplatz/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc CabeLinks mentioned:https://www.cherylplatz.com/https://www.gamedevelopmentstrategyguide.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enduring-play-a-game-development-podcast/id1826460395?l=es-MXhttps://www.lovethework.com/en/awards/winners-shortlists/cannes-lions/entertainment-lions-for-gaming?tag=publication+dates%40%40year%40%402026

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 28th. In today's issue, we uncover two underrated mobile development regions that are flying under the radar — a downloads powerhouse and a small but mighty region punching above its weight. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/two-underrated-mobile-development-regionsWant to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features Abyssus, Bellwright, Riven, Tour de France 2026, Frog Sqwad, Mori Carta, Nitro City Racing, Secret Paws - Cozy Apartments, and Springbot: The Last Spark.

In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Angela Yu, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of StoReel, to explore one of the fastest-growing entertainment categories that gaming executives should be paying attention to: AI-native microdramas. While many still think of microdramas as shortened TV shows, Angela argues they have far more in common with mobile games, relying on retention loops, emotional hooks, creator ecosystems, user acquisition economics, and increasingly interactive experiences. She shares how StoReel is building both a consumer platform for AI-generated serialized stories and a creation suite that enables creators to produce content dramatically faster and cheaper than traditional production methods. Along the way, they unpack the KPI performance of AI-produced titles and what game studios can learn from the category's rapid growth.The conversation also explores one of the most fascinating cultural divides in technology today: why attitudes toward AI look dramatically different in China versus the West. Having spent half her life in both markets, Angela offers a unique perspective on why creators, companies, and consumers in China have embraced AI far more aggressively, and what that means for the future of entertainment. They discuss creator ownership, AI-powered storytelling, underserved content genres, interactive characters, and why the next generation of entertainment may look less like Hollywood and more like a creator-driven marketplace where anyone can build, monetize, and distribute serialized stories. The episode ultimately examines how AI is reshaping not just production workflows, but the entire relationship between creators, audiences, and entertainment itself.We'd also like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Who's On:Guest - Angela Yu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-yu-0a0379112/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc CabeLinks mentioned: https://storeel.com/

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 21st. In today's issue, we dive deep into LEGO's 30-year history, examining its roots, how it is quietly starting to change, and what comes next for the company in gaming. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/thirty-years-of-gaming-at-lego Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features Realm of Ink, Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5, Gobliiins Collection, One Move Away, A Frog's Job 2: Froggina, Steamboat Incident, Pitstop in Purgatory, Chicken Climber, and FORENSIC - M.E. Protocol.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 14th. In today's issue, we discuss the current state of microdramas — a category which rapidly evolved from a niche Chinese entertainment phenomenon into one of the fastest-growing mobile content categories in the world — exploring the widening gap between audience expansion and monetization, a trend which raises important questions about the category's long-term economics.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-microdrama-volume-vs-value-paradox Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features NBA The Run, Dungeon Clawler, Do You even Forklift?, Psyvariar 3, Necrophosis: Full Consciousness, and Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown.

Gaming M&A is no longer just a story about strategics buying obvious hits. In this episode, Alexandra Takei, VP of Platform Revenue at Medal, sits down with Brogan Keane, Managing Partner at Double Black Capital, to unpack what actually happens when a game studio reaches the end of its company lifecycle: sale, exit, or recapitalization. The conversation breaks down who is buying game companies today, from private equity firms and Korean strategics to non-gaming entertainment companies looking for transmedia exposure. Brogan explains why PE buyers care most about profitability and risk mitigation, while strategics may pay more aggressively for IP, portfolio gaps, genre expertise, or future revenue replacement.The episode also gets practical for founders. Alexandra and Brogan discuss what makes a studio acquirable, why the “million units sold” threshold matters, and why founders should focus on one valuable IP rather than distracting side projects. They also walk through deal structure, including upfront cash, retention-based earnouts, performance earnouts, and why headline deal values are often misleading.We'd also like to thank Medal.tv for making this episode possible. If you're a PC gamer and want to clip your moments or a studio, publisher, or marketer looking to reach a high-quality gaming audience and get your game in front of the right players, check out all Medal has to offer at https://grow.medal.tv.If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 7th. In today's issue, we shine a light on Embracer after the company recently announced it is splitting up again. We look back at the key strategic decisions the company has made and what they might mean for its future.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/embracer-splits-again Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features thoughts on PlayStation's State of Play, Sledding Game, Slots & Daggers, SummerHouse, Middle Evil: The Priest, Adorable Adventures, ZPF, Nullstar: Solus, MonsterBlast Infinity, Midnight Swamp, Tale of Dark Lands, and Formula Legends: Formula E - Electric Evolution.

Keeping players playing is getting harder as player attention fragments and expectations rise, so understanding churn has become a core live-ops competency. Host Devin Becker sits down with Elad Levy, Founder & CTO of Dive, to break down how churn is defined (and when it's actually “permanent”), the behavioral signals that players are drifting toward the exit, and the underlying causes teams can often address before it's too late. They dig into practical interventions from in-session nudges, to win-back campaigns as well as what reacquisition can realistically accomplish. The conversation wraps with the dumbest reason players quit, the single most important retention move, and a game Elad thinks nails it.We'd like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you're a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/.If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

This show has been flagged as Explicit by the host. New hosts There were no new hosts this month. Last Month's Shows Id Day Date Title Host 4630 Fri 2026-05-01 Playing Civilization V, Part 11 Ahuka 4631 Mon 2026-05-04 HPR Community News for April 2026 HPR Volunteers 4632 Tue 2026-05-05 Hackerpublic Radio New Years Eve Show 2026 Episode 6 Honkeymagoo 4633 Wed 2026-05-06 Ham Radio Licence Lee 4634 Thu 2026-05-07 Upgrade Failsause operat0r 4635 Fri 2026-05-08 What did I do at work today? Part 3 Section 1 Lee 4636 Mon 2026-05-11 7 seconds memory Antoine 4637 Tue 2026-05-12 UNIX Curio #6 - at and batch Vance 4638 Wed 2026-05-13 Simple Podcasting - Episode 3 - Analyzing and Filtering Whiskeyjack 4639 Thu 2026-05-14 NLUUG Spring Conference 2026 Ken Fallon 4640 Fri 2026-05-15 Robert A. Heinlein Ahuka 4641 Mon 2026-05-18 Technical Dutch Open Source Event (T-DOSE) Ken Fallon 4642 Tue 2026-05-19 Hackerpublic Radio New Years Eve Show 2026 Episode 7 Honkeymagoo 4643 Wed 2026-05-20 HPR Beer Garden 13 - Triple IPA Kevie 4644 Thu 2026-05-21 Response to comments on HPR4424: Newsboat... Archer72 4645 Fri 2026-05-22 ZERO HOUR: FRIDAY AFTERNOON APK HACKING operat0r 4646 Mon 2026-05-25 Mobile Gaming Elsbeth 4647 Tue 2026-05-26 UNIX Curio #7 - Compression Vance 4648 Wed 2026-05-27 Simple Podcasting - Episode 4 - Audio Analysis Fun Whiskeyjack 4649 Thu 2026-05-28 What did I do at work today? Part 3 Section 2 Lee 4650 Fri 2026-05-29 Playing Civilization V, Part 12 Ahuka Comments this month Past shows hpr4424 (2025-07-17) "How I use Newsboat for Podcasts and Reddit" by Archer72. أحمد المحمودي said: "How did I find HPR" (2026-05-12 17:16:07) candycanearter07 said: "Re: How did I find HPR" (2026-05-12 19:36:04) hpr4502 (2025-11-04) "Cheap Yellow Display Project Part 3: Reverse beacon network " by Trey. Archer72 said: "Morse code" (2026-05-19 15:00:39) hpr4567 (2026-02-03) "Movie Recommendations for Hackers" by Deltaray. Antoine said: "Some watched!" (2026-05-27 03:33:12) hpr4587 (2026-03-03) "UNIX Curio #1 - Shell Archives" by Vance. Dave Morriss said: "Great reminder! I had forgotten shar" (2026-05-07 18:18:05) Vance said: "Color printing" (2026-05-08 22:02:23) hpr4607 (2026-03-31) "UNIX Curio #3 - basename and dirname" by Vance. Vance said: "Correction" (2026-05-12 01:03:12) hpr4618 (2026-04-15) "Simple Podcasting - Episode 2 - Basic Filtering" by Whiskeyjack. Henrik Hemrin said: "Generating sine wave" (2026-05-14 19:59:46) Whiskeyjack said: "Reply to Henrik Hemrin on Sine Waves in HPR4618" (2026-05-15 15:22:16) hpr4627 (2026-04-28) "UNIX Curio #5 - Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" by Vance. Steve Barnes said: "Thanks for the context!" (2026-05-21 05:28:05) hpr4628 (2026-04-29) "Nuclear Power Technology Follow Up" by Whiskeyjack. Antoine said: "o/" (2026-05-17 00:24:23) Whiskeyjack said: "Reply to Antoine on HPR4628" (2026-05-17 18:08:18) This month's shows hpr4631 (2026-05-04) "HPR Community News for April 2026" by HPR Volunteers. Whiskeyjack said: "Response to Ken Fallon in HPR4631 Community News" (2026-05-04 05:13:02) candycanearter07 said: "new episodes" (2026-05-04 18:47:39) Ken Fallon said: "new candycanearter07 episodes" (2026-05-05 09:00:00) أحمد المحمودي said: "Thanks for the encouragement" (2026-05-12 17:18:20) hpr4634 (2026-05-07) "Upgrade Failsause" by operat0r. YourName said: "Why is the audio so bad OMG sorry" (2026-05-06 20:05:43) Ken Fallon said: "Already reported and fixed" (2026-05-06 20:35:49) hpr4637 (2026-05-12) "UNIX Curio #6 - at and batch" by Vance. candycanearter07 said: "still useful!" (2026-05-13 03:43:37) norrist said: "at for scheduled reboots" (2026-05-16 19:41:04) Vance said: "Good points" (2026-05-17 03:03:47) Whiskeyjack said: "At and batch in HPR4637" (2026-05-17 18:35:11) hpr4640 (2026-05-15) "Robert A. Heinlein" by Ahuka. Antoine said: "Nice tips" (2026-05-17 00:22:01) Kevin O'Brien said: "I enjoyed doing it" (2026-05-17 19:14:19) hpr4646 (2026-05-25) "Mobile Gaming" by Elsbeth. candycanearter07 said: "my opinion of mobile gaming" (2026-05-27 00:24:58) hpr4647 (2026-05-26) "UNIX Curio #7 - Compression" by Vance. xmanmonk said: "Great Series" (2026-05-27 00:29:32) candycanearter07 said: "thoughts" (2026-05-27 13:20:13) Mailing List discussions Policy decisions surrounding HPR are taken by the community as a whole. This discussion takes place on the Mailing List which is open to all HPR listeners and contributors. The discussions are open and available on the HPR server under Mailman. The threaded discussions this month can be found here: https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2026-May/thread.html Events Calendar With the kind permission of LWN.net we are linking to The LWN.net Community Calendar. Quoting the site: This is the LWN.net community event calendar, where we track events of interest to people using and developing Linux and free software. Clicking on individual events will take you to the appropriate web page. Provide feedback on this episode.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, May 31st. In today's issue, we dive deep into Scopely and the three titles which generate close to 95% of the company's monthly in-app revenue, examining their current states and future prospects. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/dissecting-scopelys-mobile-empire Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features Constance, Savara, Directive 8020, Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks, RoadOut, R-Type Dimensions III, Monster Crown: Sin Eater, Magin: The Rat Project Stories, and a major price hike for the Steam Deck.

In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with James Nicholls, Studio Director at Scriptic, to explore one of the most fascinating intersections emerging in entertainment today: true crime, interactive storytelling, streaming platforms, and AI-powered production. Scriptic's breakout title, Scriptic: Crime Stories, became one of the top-performing games in Netflix Games history by turning players into detectives investigating crimes through phones, voice notes, chats, and digital evidence. James breaks down how the studio built a new category they call “narrative play,” where stories come first and gameplay is designed to feel invisible, intuitive, and accessible to audiences far beyond traditional gamers.They also dive into why true crime became the perfect genre to unlock mass-market interactive storytelling, how Scriptic's TikTok strategy generated over 100 million views, and why platforms like YouTube Playables and streaming-first gaming represent a major shift in distribution. Along the way, James shares how Scriptic uses AI across its production pipeline without sacrificing human storytelling craft, and how the future of entertainment may blur the line between watching a prestige drama and stepping inside it yourself.We'd also like to thank Dive for making this episode possible! With its fully managed analytics and LiveOps platform built for game studios, 95% of their clients grow revenue in one year. All of that without having to hire an in-house data team. Learn more here: https://www.dive.games/scale/.If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Who's On:Guest - James Nicholls: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-nicholls-3814759/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.Link Mentioned: https://www.scriptic.com/

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, May 24th. This week, we take a closer look at Asha Sharma's progress and plans three months into her tenure as CEO of Xbox — reviewing her early moves and what she may need to do to reverse Xbox's fortunes. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/where-will-asha-sharma-take-xbox Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features Bus Bound, Atomic Owl, Gunboat God, Dracamar, Codename: Black Crow, Smash It Wild, Under Par Golf Architect, and Sudden Strike 5.

Host Devin Becker sits down with Tom Gayner, CEO of Levellr, to dig into what it actually looks like to listen to players at scale, and how to turn the constant stream of feedback from places like Discord and Reddit into usable sentiment signals. Tom breaks down how Levellr gathers and organizes that data, what teams gain when they treat social channels as a living feedback layer, and how different communities or players tend to “slant” the conversation in different ways. They also get practical about workflows (dashboards and reports vs. hands-on collaboration), how to group feedback into meaningful player personas, when proactive outreach makes sense, where social sentiment shines (and where research methods like focus groups still matter), and what the next 3–5 years of player feedback might look like as tools, and player expectations, keep evolving.We'd like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast We'd also like to thank Neon – a merchant of record with customizable webshops optimized for conversion – for making this episode possible! Neon is trusted by some of the biggest names in gaming and can help you sell direct without the typical overhead. To learn more, visit https://www.neonpay.com/?utm_source=naavik If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This week's episode features Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege, Casual Loop, CyberBlocker Complete Edition, The Empty Desk, Traysia, Magic Twins, THE TAG-ALONG OBSESSION, Rival Stars Horse Racing, ChildStory, PULMO, NubiaPhobia, and Pinball FX - Williams Pinball Volume 10.

This week's episode features STICKER/BALL, Drill Core, The Coma 3: Bloodlines, The Confinement, TerraTech Legion, Elementallis, and Plantera 2: Golden Acorn. Anyway and as always, thank you for watching or listening, I hope you enjoy this here episode, and I hope you have a wonderful wonderful rest of your day. (And if you haven't already, or are a listener and not a watcher, please like, subscribe, hit the bell, and all that jazz; it may not seem like much, but it goes a long way in helping support the show and site in general. I would appreciate it greatly.)

This week's episode features Gambonanza, Survivor Mercs, Dread Delusion, Tiny Bookshop, Skautfold: Moonless Knight, GluMe, Ninjora Echoes, and Above Snakes. Anyway and as always, thank you for watching or listening, I hope you enjoy this here episode, and I hope you have a wonderful wonderful rest of your day. (And if you haven't already, or are a listener and not a watcher, please like, subscribe, hit the bell, and all that jazz; it may not seem like much, but it goes a long way in helping support the show and site in general. I would appreciate it greatly.)