GameMakers

Joseph Kim
  • 4.8 (6)
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
GameMakers

The GameMakers podcast publishes current, entertaining, and in-depth discussions on F2P game development. Topics that we cover include the business of games, F2P monetization, liveops, game design, game development processes, team structure, and more.

  1. 4D AGO

    Applovin vs Unity: How Applovin Destroyed the Competition!

    (0:00) Introduction (1:00) Overview of AppLovin vs Unity market situation since 2022(2:10) Discussion of current mobile UA market conditions(6:30) Introduction to AppLovin vs Unity topic(9:00) How AppLovin gained advantage through Max mediation platform(11:10) The data advantage of first-party data in AppLovin's ecosystem(13:20) The lock-in effect of AppLovin's mediation and UA offerings(17:30) The snowball effect of AppLovin's market dominance(19:40) How AppLovin captured MoPub market share(22:20) Unity's execution issues after Iron Source merger(25:00) Cultural conflicts within Unity and algorithm problems(29:00) Discussion of Unity's "Vector" AI initiative(32:40) Unity's disappearing account managers and weak sales culture(35:20) AppLovin's focus on high-value customers and resource allocation(38:20) Increasing margin for AppLovin as market share grows(40:40) Unity's potential comeback strategy with Vector(45:10) The challenge for any network to compete with AppLovin(48:40) The "must use" nature of AppLovin for ad-monetized games(52:00) The risks of having 70-80% of UA budget on AppLovin(54:30) Potential industry alternatives to AppLovin(57:00) Discussion of emerging competitors like Moloco and Integral(1:01:30) The possible path forward for Unity to compete(1:05:40) Predictions for the future of mobile UA in two years(1:10:00) Speculation about AppLovin's TikTok acquisition bid(1:14:20) Wrap-up and conclusionSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH JK! — • INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

    1h 15m

  2. APR 2

    Future of AI in Game Development: Revolution or Evolution?

    Dive into the future of AI in game development with this insightful panel from GDC featuring Aaron Farr (CTO at Jam and Tea Studios) and Liam Dean (Principal Analyst, Games at Omdia). They explore AI-native games, emergent gameplay, development acceleration, and how AI is transforming both game creation and player experiences. Essential viewing for game developers, executives, and anyone interested in how AI will reshape the gaming landscape.Timestamps0:00 - Introduction and panel overview1:50 - How revolutionary will AI be for gaming?3:30 - Current limitations of AI in game development5:10 - The concept of "AI native games" explained8:00 - Retail Mage: A real example of an AI native game11:10 - Emergent gameplay with AI - The painting IOU story14:20 - AI games vs. multiplayer games comparison17:40 - The controversy around AI in the games industry18:50 - Ethics of AI in game development22:20 - Who wins and loses with AI in game development?24:40 - The "organizational meta" and how AI will reshape studio structure27:40 - AI's impact on product development velocity30:20 - How traditional game studios will adapt (or fail)34:00 - Behind the scenes of an AI-native studio36:10 - How AI dramatically reduces development time (8 weeks vs 4 years)38:10 - The AI Dungeon Master example43:30 - Practical AI applications available right now47:10 - Q&A: Examples of AI-native games in the market49:30 - Q&A: Impact on staffing and team sizes52:40 - The future of game development organizationsSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

    56 min

  3. MAR 26

    GDC 2025: What Happened?

    Join us for an in-depth discussion on the Game Developers Conference 2025 with industry veterans as they share their perspectives and what was learned during GDC on the current state of the gaming industry. This candid conversation explores attendance trends, market challenges, investment landscapes, and what's next for game developers in a changing economy. Our panel discusses: ⭐ GDC attendance trends and the shift to more exclusive, executive-focused events ⭐ The "age of efficiency" and austerity measures affecting game studios ⭐ Investment challenges and the evolving VC landscape for gaming ⭐ Platform dynamics between developers and companies like Apple and Google ⭐ AI's current and potential impact on game development ⭐ Unity's latest developments and challenges ⭐ The changing nature of GDC itself and its future prospects Featured Speakers: 🗣️ Eric Kress, Principal at Gosser Consulting and host on the Deconstructive of Fun podcast 🗣️ Brett Novak, CEO from Liquid and Grit 🗣️ Solomon Lichter Ruiz, Senior Director Global Gaming at CleverTap 🗣️ Joseph Kim (Host), GameMakers & CEO of Lila Games Recorded March 2025 following the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. #GameDevelopment #GDC2025 #GamingIndustry #GameDev #GameDesign #AI #MobileGames #GameInvesting Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro and GDC attendance discussion 04:00 - San Francisco city impressions 06:30 - Event format changes and networking dynamics 12:40 - Industry challenges and the "age of efficiency" 20:00 - Platform dynamics (Apple/Google) 30:00 - AI in gaming discussion 36:00 - Event highlights and notable gatherings 42:00 - Bing Gordon's insights 47:00 - Final thoughts on GDC's future

    49 min

  4. MAR 11

    The Biggest Fire

    This week I share thoughts from my years in game development about why teams often struggle with addressing their most critical problems. I discussed this with Ben Carcich in a pod I published a couple of weeks back: the "Building Better Games" episode. Some questions came up and I wanted to try something new, a bit of a rant on this topic. Is it lame? Is it useful? Let's try it and find out.

    27 min

  5. MAR 4

    Understanding Battle Pass Game Design from Overwatch 2

    Dive deep into Battle Pass design with industry experts discussing Overwatch 2's approach, player psychology, and monetization strategies. Learn essential insights about progression systems, player choice, and value perception from game developer Ted Park and former Riot meta-systems expert Chris Cobb, hosted by Joseph Kim of Lila Games.Content Overview0:00 - Introduction and Battle Pass Overview3:35 - Hero-Based Games: The Main Character Problem7:20 - Battle Pass Progression and Grindiness13:15 - Value Perception and Premium Options18:40 - Customization vs Production Realities24:10 - Battle Pass Currency and Mythic Rewards System31:25 - Loot Boxes: Their Surprise Return38:15 - IP Integration and Themed Content43:50 - Ideal Battle Pass Design: Expert Recommendations52:15 - Conclusion and Key TakeawaysSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

    53 min

  6. FEB 18

    How to Build Better Games - Game Production

    In an industry where development costs have skyrocketed, and market success has become increasingly challenging, understanding the true drivers of successful game development has never been more crucial. In this discussion with Ben Carcich from Building Better Games, we highlight the counter-intuitive patterns of success and practical frameworks for modern game development leadership.Key Focus Areas: 🔑 Why the most successful games often emerge from the most visibly challenging development processes 🔑 How premature scaling and uncertainty avoidance doom projects before launch 🔑 Critical success patterns observed across AAA and indie studios 🔑 Practical approaches to balancing creative vision, technical execution, and business reality Listen to this episode for actionable insights that challenge conventional wisdom about building successful games in 2024.OUTLINE:0:00 Intro1:45 How costs impact game success6:05 Other major problems with game success10:30 Zero sum time problem and the rise of live operated games11:40 Success from China and small devs12:30 Importance of delivering on a player experience14:35 The Alignment problem15:24 Fighting to expand the percentage of new game time18:25 How bigger production cost impacts decision making20:15 Major production problems - comfort with uncertainty24:35 Fear and pride25:55 Game projects with big problems succeed more often29:40 Pride and Insecurity31:52 The rush to production39:45 Obsession with planning42:20 Importance of development speed44:25 What derails planning: the wrong person and bad decisions47:09 The problem with the creative auteur49:52 Decision analysis vs. prioritization54:15 Scope creep: The ooh ooh ooh idea problem1:00:50 Taking lessons from the military and football1:04:52 Why do great lessons come from military and sports1:13:42 The problem with big plans1:14:37 Why you shouldn’t “always have an answer”1:19:00 The #1 rule: common sense rules1:22:34 How to find time to think deeply1:24:43 You don’t need to solve every problem1:30:02 How to think about long-term issues1:37:12 What are characteristics from successful game studios1:58:12 You should push when you’re young2:01:01 More about Building Better Games consultancy👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Building Better Games: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/- Ben Carcich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

    2h 7m

  7. FEB 10

    The FUTURE of 4X Games: FirstFun's Surprising Billion-Dollar Strategy

    Join gaming industry veterans as they break down the unprecedented transformation of mobile 4X games. Featuring insights from Joseph Kim (Lila Games), Justin Yau (Wharton MBA), UA specialist Matej Lancaric (2.5 Gamers) and game design specialist Jakub Remiar (2.5 Gamers) on how Chinese gaming companies are achieving $8M+ daily revenue through innovative UA strategies and product design. Key Topics: 🔑 Evolution of 4X game design 🔑 UA innovation and AI creative production 🔑 Server economics and monetization strategies 🔑 Future industry predictions ⏰ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction and Speaker Backgrounds 3:09 First Fun/River Game Partnership History 8:05 Modern 4X Game Economics 15:20 UA Strategy Evolution 23:45 Creative Production at Scale 31:30 AI's Role in UA Innovation 38:15 Product Design Integration 45:40 Server Management Strategies 52:30 Future of 4X Gaming 57:15 Non-Consensus Predictions 🔍 Featured Experts: Joseph Kim (CEO, Lila Games) Justin Yau (Industry Analyst, Wharton) Matej Lancaric (UA Specialist) Jakub Remiar (Game Design Consultant) 💡 Additional Resources: Previous Matej +: JK Collaboration Podcast on 4X UA Strategy: https://youtu.be/IvRjmGvWhdQ Dissecting Best-Selling Mobile 4X Game Metrics by Ning Wang: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dissecting-best-selling-mobile-4x-game-metrics-ning-wang-vk1pc/ Join the GameMakers newsletter for more industry insights and discussions: Newsletter: www.gamemakers.com #MobileGaming #GameDev #UserAcquisition #4XGames #GameStrategy

    1h 6m

  8. FEB 4

    LiveOps Playbook: Critical Secrets from Gaming's Top Experts

    Learn the insider strategies from industry legends Frank Yan (Brawl Stars), Dafna Ben Onn (SciPlay), and Ivan Trancik (Superscale) on mastering mobile game operations! 📍 Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction to LiveOps Fundamentals 2:15 - Frank Yan: Rapid Content Deployment Strategies 4:30 - The Art of Player Segmentation 7:00 - Dafna Ben Onn: Optimizing Rewards and Retention 10:45 - Balancing Monetization and Player Experience 14:20 - Ivan Trancik: Analytics and Experimentation Stages 18:30 - Building a Data-Driven Game Development Machine 22:00 - Key Takeaways and Future of LiveOps 🔑 Key Insights: How to update games instantly without client updates Personalization techniques that keep players engaged Building a robust analytics infrastructure Experimental strategies for game growth 💡 Perfect for: Mobile game developers Product managers Game studios looking to optimize performance Entrepreneurs in the gaming industry

    16 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The GameMakers podcast publishes current, entertaining, and in-depth discussions on F2P game development. Topics that we cover include the business of games, F2P monetization, liveops, game design, game development processes, team structure, and more.

Information

  • Creator
    Joseph Kim
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    159
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Joseph Kim
  • Show Website
    GameMakers

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