Most startup hiring mistakes come down to two things: hiring too fast and hiring too narrow. Garry Hill, head of talent at Makers Fund, sees both across a portfolio of 130+ companies. Before Makers Fund, he recruited at SpaceX, Amazon, Blizzard, PlayStation and Reddit.We start with the hires who looked perfect on paper and still failed, from pedigreed engineers who burned out at Blizzard to SpaceX's weekend interviews, and how those company cultures really compared. Then we get practical about hiring for game studios and startups discussing referral, interview processes, culture, and how to tell what a big-tech candidate is a fit or not for a startup.Garry also explains why senior talent should consider fractional roles, how talent needs change from seed to Series A to Series C, what good onboarding looks like, and the "truth serum" question he uses when interviewing co-founders.A vital listen to anyone hiring or getting hired in startups-chapters:00:00 Blizzard, SpaceX, Amazon: the hires who looked great and failed12:05 What a head of talent does at Makers Fund14:59 Too fast, too narrow: common founder hiring mistakes19:56 Culture add, not culture fit24:53 Vetting big-tech hires: what did you actually do?31:09 Startup life and going fractional35:03 Seed, Series A, Series C: how talent needs change44:36 Testing co-founders and the truth serum question52:26 Gaming founders vs. tech founders1:00:18 The tell that a co-founder will actually build

Strip out inflation and the games market has barely grown in a decade.This week we dig into Newzoo's latest numbers and what they say about where growth comes from: mature Western markets, existing players and five giant companies taking almost all of it. Then we look at how cheap social games like Big Walk and How to Fish cracked the top 10 PC revenue chart, what Naughty Dog's new Last of Us tease means, and why Chinese developers are rushing GTA-style mobile games out ahead of GTA VI.Topics Covered:Mark Pincus and the $400M Supercell deal that almost happenedWhy 2021 is the wrong benchmark for the marketReal growth after inflation is closer to 2% a yearGrowth comes from mature markets and existing playersChina's advantage at home and abroadCPIs keep climbing while mobile installs fallFive companies drove almost all of 2025's growthBig publishers retreat to their core franchisesFriendslop games break into the PC top 10Naughty Dog confirms more Last of UsChinese GTA-style games launch ahead of GTA VIWhy nobody can compete with GTA head onCHAPTERS:00:00 Intro01:01 Ethan Returns Industry Layoffs01:34 Upcoming Events and Newsletter03:15 Mark Pincus Interview Scoop09:45 Newzoo Outlook Beyond COVID11:37 Growth From Mature Markets15:58 Inflation and Real Growth Math23:28 Mobile Revenue vs Installs CPI Surge27:03 Growth Concentrated in Five Giants29:49 Publishers Retreat to Core Franchises31:04 PC Market Reality Check32:53 Friend Slop Breakouts47:43 Last of Us Future Talk01:00:54 Why GTA Has No Rivals

War Dogs sold 2.2 million copies in four days and nobody saw it coming.This episode we break down Bulkhead's early access hit. A hardcore milsim with three teams, no matchmaking and a $40 price tag beat Helldivers 2's launch curve on Steam, and its peak concurrents grew every day of launch week. We get into the persistent cash economy that might be the teamwork fix Battlefield never found, why the 1v1v1 format splits the panel, and whether a sub-100 person studio can pull off a live service with extraction and PvE modes on the way.Topics Covered:War Dogs launch numbers and who is playingThe persistent cash economy and how it kills gear fearHow cash rewards fix Battlefield's teamwork problemThe 1v1v1 format debateMetal Gear Solid V and the lineage of in-round economiesThe risks of a cross-mode economy with extractionMarketplaces and gambling mechanics in shootersBulkhead's go-to-market and the 5,000 player promiseWhere War Dogs ranks on Steam a year from nowCHAPTERS:00:00 War Dogs Shock Success01:42 Sales Metrics Breakdown08:03 Persistent Cash Economy16:19 Milsim Critiques and Vision33:46 Economy Lineage Discussion34:38 Progression Beyond Cosmetics35:25 CEO Vision And New Modes36:45 Cross Mode Economy Risks39:03 Stakes Gambling And Chaos40:36 Marketplaces In Shooters45:15 Launch Strategy And Trust51:20 Marketing Constraints And Nostalgia52:23 One Year Predictions Debate01:01:05 Wrap Up And Next Episode

Mark Pincus founded Zynga that was later acquired of $12.7B by TakeTwo and still thinks he misplayed the hand. On this episode he unpacks the playbook behind Life at the Speed of Play: why all new fails, how to run a company as a democratic dictatorship why anyone lecturing you about culture has a team rolling their eyes behind them.Life at the Speed of Play: https://www.lifeatthespeedofplay.com/Key timestamps:00:00 — Intro1:30 — Why Mark wrote Life at the Speed of Play8:49 — How to test instincts: proven, better, new15:45 — “Know your goal or suffer death by a thousand compromises”20:36 — The “democratic dictatorship” approach to leadership26:59 — Getting people to do the right things when you’re not in the room29:34 — Getting teams to take bold risks and innovate36:14 — Why CEOs should spend time on product39:15 — What Pincus would do differently at Zynga44:04 — Reflecting on the games industry and missed opportunities50:40 — ADHD as a feature for product makers, anchored by a singular vision52:14 — Why most MVPs don’t succeed

Xbox is cutting niche studios and signing a niche Kojima project in the same month. We try to make it make sense.Sony pulled funding on Physint after budget concerns, and Xbox picked it up as a franchise with film and TV rights attached. Meanwhile Microsoft keeps restructuring into clean verticals, with Halo moving under Activision and Obsidian joining Bethesda, which has us asking whether Xbox is getting organized to sell. We also look at Build A Rocket Boy closing after roughly $250M raised and one troubled launch, Apple's new ATT prompt in Europe, and why AppLovin's CEO is suddenly on every stage talking about a $50B mobile ad market.Topics Covered:Apple rewrites the ATT prompt in five EU countries.Sony ends Physint funding and Xbox picks it up.The transmedia bet behind Xbox's Kojima deal.Halo moves to Activision in the latest Xbox cuts.Is Microsoft packaging Xbox to spin off or sell?Build A Rocket Boy closes after MindsEye.What big gaming losses do to investor sentiment.AppLovin's buyback, Axon and the fingerprinting debate.Why AppLovin's CEO is on a speaking tour.CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro01:35 DICE Athens Hometown Events03:07 LA Games Conference Plug04:36 Roundtables and Global Meetups05:41 Newsletter and Founder Story Tease10:08 Apple ATT Prompt Changes EU13:30 Kojima27:41 Microsoft Restructure and Halo Shift30:06 CoD Studios Under Pressure33:45 Can Xbox Be Sold Off36:10 Halo Moved to Activision46:34 Build A Rocket Boy Collapse51:05 AppLovin Stock and Axon53:58 Fingerprinting Cheating Debate58:01 Why the CEO Is Touring01:02:25 Wrap Up and Sign Off

Disney Solitaire is one of the biggest launches of the year, and it might be too successful for its own parent company.This episode breaks down how SuperPlay turned a solitaire game into a Disney-powered hit, why Playtika's debt and earn-out deal could push it to sell, and how Disney Solitaire stacks up against Tiki Solitaire, Grand Harvest and Candy Crush Solitaire. We also look at the full solitaire market, the live ops gap between Disney and everyone else, and whether solitaire can ever rival puzzle.Topics Covered:Why games that scale in tier two and three markets struggle in tier onePlaytika's debt, the SuperPlay earn-out and a possible saleRevenue dropping slower than downloads as a health signalHow big the solitaire market actually isMobilityWare and the ad-only solitaire modelDisney Solitaire as a reskin of Domino DreamsWhy the second game in an IP is half the size of the firstThe social casino pay-to-play economy in Tiki SolitaireCandy Crush Solitaire's hold slot and card design choicesHow Disney Solitaire handles its IP and metaNear wins and a puzzle-style level funnelDisney's 25 to 30 live events per week versus competitorsWhy IP owners may not be the best builders of their own gamesIs solitaire coming for puzzle?CHAPTERS:0:00:00 Introduction & Tier 1 Market Performance0:03:12 Why Playtika May Have to Sell Disney Solitaire0:09:31 The History & Size of the Solitaire Market0:10:58 Why Solitaire Has Struggled to Monetize0:16:20 Disney Solitaire vs. Domino Dreams0:21:12 How Solitaire Games Monetize: The Casino Mechanic0:24:51 Tiki, Grand Harvest & Candy Crush Solitaire0:28:23 What Disney Solitaire Does Differently0:33:41 Live Ops, Streaks & the Disney Advantage0:36:51 Why IP Owners Struggle to Extend Their Games0:38:02 Is Solitaire Coming for Puzzle?0:40:00 Final Thoughts & Outro

Michael Martinez, co-founder and CEO of FunCraft, tried to sell his mobile game studio in 2025. Trusted people said "don't do it yet". He chose otherwise. A banker pitched the company to 40 buyers. Zero offers. Then the company doubled to a $50M run rate with just 15 people.Rejection like that either breaks a founder or forces a better business. For FunCraft, it did the second.In this episode, Michael breaks down what went wrong in the M&A process, what a failed sale really costs, and how a 15-person team shifted its focus from valuation to profit.Essential viewing for founders thinking about selling, buyers looking at lean and profitable studios, and anyone in mobile gaming, UA, or ad monetization.00:00 — Funcraft’s failed sale attempt06:27 — Why Michael wanted to sell13:37 — Building a successful business first18:16 — Launching games in just six weeks23:20 — Platform and user acquisition risks29:14 — Balancing growth and profitability34:45 — Building a high-trust remote culture43:12 — Rebuilding the game engine with AI46:18 — Staying focused while scaling

Gaming is back, and this week had a lot to talk about.BlizzCon delivered the biggest slate of announcements Blizzard has had in years, but the timelines and team sizes raise real questions about what Microsoft pressure is doing to the studio. Roblox used RDC to push standalone apps, browser play and a developer wallet, and we debate whether any of it actually improves discoverability. Plus Kojima's Physint moves from PlayStation to Xbox, a heated ad revenue argument over hybrid casual, a surprise 2 million sales hit from Wardogs, and first impressions of FunPlus's Aniimo as it passes 125K CCU on Steam.Topics Covered:Roblox unveils standalone apps and browser play at RDCWhy Roblox standalone apps may struggle with UABlizzCon brings Diablo V, a StarCraft shooter and three WoW SKUsMicrosoft pressure behind Blizzard's bold timelinesKojima's Physint jumps from PlayStation to XboxSavvy Games Group to oversee EA and PIF assetsThe ad revenue debate around hybrid casualWoW Forever and Blizzard's subscription strategyWardogs hits 2 million salesAniimo passes 125K CCU on Steam launch dayCHAPTERS:00:00 Intro01:42 Industry Layoffs Talk02:59 Mishka Podcast Spotlight06:12 Roblox Standalone Apps Debate13:12 Blizcon15:17 Microsoft Pressure Concerns20:03 WoW Monetization Debate21:50 Kojima Physint Switch26:27 EA Merger39:47 Warcraft Forever43:44 War Dogs Surprise Hit47:11 Aniimo Launch51:31 Monetization and Wrap Up

Cyberpunk 2077 sold 13 million copies in ten days, then Sony pulled it from the PlayStation Store. CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michal Nowakowski was the one taking the calls.He walks through what actually broke, why the investors weren't the reason, and how the studio went from a Polish box distributor to owning The Witcher outright. Plus the transmedia strategy, the move to Unreal Engine 5, and why Poland built the strongest gaming ecosystem in Europe.Chapters00:00 From Polish distributor to a global studio04:43 Buying The Witcher rights08:15 Why owning the IP was non-negotiable14:12 Poland's coding culture and the talent pipeline18:54 Scaling to 350 developers on The Witcher 326:16 The Cyberpunk 2077 launch and the hardest week34:03 The decision to fix the game instead of cutting losses39:14 Unreal Engine 5 and rebuilding production43:51 Transmedia, Netflix, and keeping games at the center49:49 What makes the Polish gaming ecosystem work

400 episodes in, and yes, we swear more than anyone will admit.This is the big one. Before the retrospective, we tear apart the latest "video game industry is crashing" clickbait using actual employment data, then get into what OpenAI's new Astra model means for teams already shipping with AI. Then we open the vault: eight years of TWIG, the origin stories nobody remembers the same way twice, and the predictions that aged well or badly.Topics Covered:• Why the "worst crash since the 1980s" headline doesn't hold up• AAA budgets ballooning past 400 million and the indie boom it's fueling• OpenAI's Astra model and how mobile teams are actually using it• How TWIG started and how the cast came together over 8 years• The calls the hosts got right, from Ubisoft to Roblox• The calls they got embarrassingly wrong, from Call of Duty Mobile to Blizzard leadership• Who swears the most and who never does• Eight years of TWIG's biggest arguments and running jokesCHAPTERS: 02:33 Shills04:14 Industry Doom & Gloom Clickbait10:04 Consolidation Not Doom20:45 400th Retrospective Setup22:39 Origin Stories29:35 How The Pod Evolved31:32 Memorable Moments37:33 Owning Bad Takes39:11 League Revenue Debate40:19 Things We Nailed43:02 Product Calls And Patterns45:35 Monopoly Go Inside Scoop47:01 Streaming And Xbox Caps48:19 Biggest Misses Confession56:14 Blizzard Leadership Reversal01:04:47 Who  Argues The Most?01:08:17 Kress: The Cussing GOAT01:09:24 Mice Nuts & Other TWIG Mainstays