Best STEAM APE Podcasts (2026)

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317. Inside the Hiring Playbook of Top-Performing Startups 1:15:28

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15h ago1:15:28

1:15:28

Hiring is one of the most underestimated competitive advantages in startups, and one of the fastest ways to break a company.In this episode, Michail Katkoff, Joe Burridge (Head of Talent at Play Ventures), and Miki Blasko (Head of Talent at Deconstructor of Fun) break down what founders consistently get wrong about hiring, and how those mistakes qu…

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TWIG Jr: Awards, Predictions, and Gen Alpha's Take on Gaming 31:28

6d ago31:28

31:28

Rocky (12) and Mickey (10) are back with Eric Kress and Jen Donahoe for the annual TWIG Jr segment, bringing unfiltered Gen Alpha opinions on everything from Roblox to the Switch 2. The kids don't hold back: hypercasual games are "mindless slop," Steal a Brain Rot is "ruining America," and Fortnite is running out of collabs. They break down what's …

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C1E32: The Truth About Paradise 1:21:30

6d ago1:21:30

1:21:30

ESPN takes time to rest, recover, and grieve in Tightwad after their adventure at Famous Films before Stirling's old friend, Liberty Mutual, pays them a visit to help spread the Truth about Lantern Corp. Starring: Paul as the GM Jim as the good Doctor Winston Theroux Queen as Lizzie Calhoun Justin as Maximilian Graves Riley as Stirling Domi as Libe…

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Shooter Monthly #3 Marathon vs the Market, Valorant Goes Massive, Marvel Rivals Misreads Progression 59:03

8d ago59:03

59:03

Is Die Hard a Christmas Shooter Movie? Only this podcast would know!We discuss:- Call of Duty’s rare public admission of failure and what the end of back-to-back sub-franchise releases actually signals.- Marathon’s delay, $40 price point, and why fiscal calendars still distort launch strategy.- Why Valorant Mobile exploded in China, and why Western…

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12 x TWIG Predictions: The Numbers Don't Lie! 58:33

12d ago58:33

58:33

Steam PC flops, Xbox layoffs return, Sony’s handheld dominates, investors flee games for apps, Roblox sees a $100M exit, China beats Turkey, PC indie rises, mobile teams pivot to apps. 01:01 Tribute to Vince Zampella 08:03 Biggest Game of the Year Predictions 08:09 GTA 6 and Its Impact 11:42 Other Major Game Predictions 14:13 Industry Macro Trends …

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316. Slipknot's Clown: Building Games Like You Build a Band 1:09:17

15d ago1:09:17

1:09:17

In this Deep Dive, Jen drops into the pit with Sean “Clown” Crahan — co-founder of Slipknot, lifelong gamer, and unapologetic creative chaos agent. We go from masks to Minecraft, breaking down the origin story of VERNEARTH, why creator-led studios are having their moment, and how the things metal has always understood, culture, empathy, friction, a…

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TWIG #362 The Golden TWIGs 2025 Show 1:06:41

18d ago1:06:41

1:06:41

Brace yourself. Golden TWIG voting is open! https://forms.gle/b4HFZkaeczN41BsBA This isn’t a participation-trophy awards show. Nor some thinly veiled promotion of paid sponsors. Golden TWIG is the industry mirror we all pretend not to look into. Vote now and help us separate the gold from the garbage. 00:00 Welcome 00:24 Golden Twig Award Nominatio…

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Bump in Paradise 3: Melee League 49:21

19d ago49:21

49:21

It's all out war as the Salvation Slammers fight to rescue their captured teammates. Starring: Paul as the GM Jim as the "Gator" Aiden Bega Justin as Luscious Lucious Loganberry Riley as Starbuck Coffee Bump in Paradise is a steampunk dystopian TTRPG Actual Play production performed with Jex J. Thomas's Bump in the Dark system, which can be found o…

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315. From Space Ape to Duolingo via Supercell with Simon Hade 1:10:18

22d ago1:10:18

1:10:18

What actually happens after the hit games, the acquisitions, and the “success”? In this episode, Simon Hade, co-founder of Space Ape Games, walks through the uncomfortable middle of game company building: from Playfish → Space Ape → Supercell → NextBeat → Duolingo. This isn’t a victory lap. It’s a post-mortem on genre mastery vs. exploration, lean …

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TWIG #361 WB Games’ Fate, CoD’s Apology Tour & the UA Financing Trap 1:03:20

26d ago1:03:20

1:03:20

FNaF 2 crushes box office expectations, proving (again) that game IP owns Hollywood. We break down Matthew Ball’s take on the EA/PIF deal, why 93% ownership signals a sports-media empire play, not an LBO, and why the press got the story wrong. Then: the Nex Playground, a $200 kids’ console that quietly outsold PS5 in November. Is this the next unde…

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314. Hard Truths About Co-Founders, Capital, and Competition with Appcharge's Founders Roei and Maor 1:06:51

28d ago1:06:51

1:06:51

The dynamics of co-founder relationships, featuring Appcharge co-founders Roei Barassi and Maor Sason. They share insights on building a robust team, the significance of mentorship, and the importance of celebrating success. Learn about the challenges and strategies of scaling a company, raising capital, and maintaining a strong culture across glob…

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TWIG #360 The Story of Two Steam Games, Where Winds Meet & The 4X Shake-Up 1:01:04

1M ago1:01:04

1:01:04

This week in games, the money moves got messy: Dream Games recalibrates everyone's ambitions while the Saudi shopping spree continues. We take a look at Where Winds Meet and what it really says about China’s next wave of global ambitions, and ask the uncomfortable question: how are indie studios actually surviving right now? Finally, we zoom out to…

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Bump in Paradise 2: A Zakk of Their Own 1:01:07

1M ago1:01:07

1:01:07

Disaster strikes as the Salvation Slammer's manager is kidnapped along with the rest of the team. As they race to save him they get help from an unlikely source. Starring: Paul as the GM Jim as the "Gator" Aiden Bega Justin as Luscious Lucious Loganberry Riley as Starbuck Coffee Bump in Paradise is a steampunk dystopian TTRPG Actual Play production…

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313. The Complete Guide to Gaming's Fastest-Growing UA Channel 43:04

1M ago43:04

43:04

Loyalty platforms have evolved from sideline UA channels to commanding 25-50% of major studios' media budgets. In this deep dive, VYBS founder Ido Raz breaks down everything game developers need to know about loyalty apps—from the basics to advanced strategies for maximizing player quality and LTV. We cover the biggest misconceptions about incentiv…

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Shooter Monthly #2: Call of Duty Flops, Battlefield Hops, and Arc Raiders Pops 54:13

1M ago54:13

54:13

Call of Duty’s worst launch in a decade collides with the rise of extraction shooters, and the balance of power inside the genre shifts. We dig into why Black Ops 7 cratered, how Battlefield 6 stole the spotlight, and why Arc Raiders is suddenly the most important new IP in shooters. Chris Sides and Feras return to map the fault lines, spar over SP…

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TWIG #359 Unity x Epic, Roblox Controversy, Saudi Money and Why The Game Awards Make No Sense 1:02:51

1M ago1:02:51

1:02:51

The DoF crew break down everything: from Ubisoft’s endless identity crisis to Unity and Epic’s unexpected “Make the Metaverse Great Again” alliance.We get into Roblox CEO David Baszucki’s tense appearance on Hard Fork, the baffling randomness of The Game Awards nominations, Saudi Arabia’s PIF liquidity challenges, and why Turkey’s red-hot gaming sc…

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312. How Three Engineers No One Wanted to Fund Built a $XXXM Company 1:18:25

1M ago1:18:25

1:18:25

This isn't your typical "we raised $50M and exited" story. This is what happens when you have no choice but to figure it out yourselves. When the tripod refuses to fall. When you run out of everything except ideas. This is the story of Heroic Labs. About Heroic Labs: Core infrastructure for game studios. If you've played games from Zynga, Gram Game…

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TWIG #358 Steam Machine, the Future of PC Gaming? 1:02:54

2M ago1:02:54

1:02:54

Call of Duty tanks so hard that even Battlefield feels bad for it. Valve unveils a cube that may or may not be the future of PC gaming, depending on which half of the internet you ask.Sexy cozy games are quietly eating the West, which sounds ridiculous until the revenue charts come out. Now everyone’s worried… And the triumphant return of a special…

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311. How to Build an AI-First Culture with 1,300 People. Real Story. 48:19

2M ago48:19

48:19

What if your company stopped chasing quarterly goals and spent an entire month training every employee on AI? That's exactly what AppsFlyer did, and it completely transformed how they approach innovation. In this episode, AppsFlyer down with Barak Witkovsky, Chief Product Officer of AppsFlyer, to discuss one of the boldest AI transformation experim…

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Bump in Paradise 1: Battle Ball an Underdog Story 1:31:13

2M ago1:31:13

1:31:13

The Salvation Slammers Tour bus takes a wrong turn and gets lost before finding its way to an oddly vacant theme park, Famous Freddie's Fantastic Fun Land. Starring: Paul as the GM Jim as the "Gator" Aiden Bega Justin as Luscious Lucious Loganberry Riley as Starbuck Coffee Bump in Paradise is a steampunk dystopian TTRPG Actual Play production perfo…

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Game Analytics 01 - Building 19:54

2M ago19:54

19:54

This episode breaks down the real foundation of successful game development: clean data, aligned teams, and fast decision loops. Learn why most studios collect too much data, how to build a shared truth, and how AI changes the analyst’s role. Perfect for teams that want clarity, not more dashboards.

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Game Analytics 02 - Marketing 33:34

2M ago33:34

33:34

CPI is only one signal. In this episode, we show how top studios test appeal in prototypes, validate value in soft launch, and scale with confidence. A fast, practical guide to reading market signals at every stage of development.

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Game Analytics 03 - Monetizing 21:31

2M ago21:31

21:31

Monetization isn’t a layer, it’s the outcome of understanding player motivation. This episode covers segmentation, pricing, LTV curves, and early warning signs of monetization failure. A concise breakdown of how sustainable revenue systems are built.

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Game Analytics 04 - Retaining 24:45

2M ago24:45

24:45

Most retention problems come from mismatched expectations, not flawed features. This episode teaches how to align creatives with gameplay, diagnose early vs. late churn, and use personalization to keep players engaged. Short, sharp retention truths every team should hear.

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TWIG #357 Royal Match $200M Splurge, Arc Raiders AI Controversy and AI Duolingo's Broken Streak 1:01:58

2M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

Epic vs Google stays stuck in limbo as the judge rejects the settlement, Duolingo’s stock finally breaks its streak, and Square Enix joins the wave of Eastern publishers restructuring their way into a new identity. Royal Match’s reported $200M ad spend shows just how hard you have to swing to own casual in 2025, while Chinese publishers quietly (an…

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Shooter Monthly #1: Battlefield Revolution, Arc Raiders Evolution, and the ABI Mystery 1:05:42

2M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

Welcome to the debut episode of Shooter Monthly, the podcast that’s never out of projectiles. Host Phillip Black (DICE) is joined by shooter Avengers, Christopher Anjos (EA, Timi, ATVI), Chris Sides (Bungie, Capital Games), and Feras Musmar (DICE, TTK Games) for a wide-ranging discussion on the current shooter landscape.We talk:Arena Breakout: Infi…

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TWIG #356 Epic vs Google, Roblox’s Rough Quarter, Supercell Pulls the Plug 59:39

2M ago59:39

59:39

Epic takes another swing at Google and wins, Unity cozies up with Epic in a surprising move, and Roblox continues to puzzle investors after a tough earnings call. We also dive into Arcadia Gaming Partners’ growing influence, and why Supercell pulled the plug on Squad Busters. 0:00 Welcome 01:26 Updates, Announcements, and Shills 07:06 Epic and Goog…

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C1E31: Dances with Dinosaurs 50:14

2M ago50:14

50:14

The tides turn as ESPN makes a daring comeback! But what will it cost them? Will they be able to save their friends and family before Famous Nathan's gang of outlaws do his dirty work? Starring: Paul as the GM Jim as the good Doctor Winston Theroux Queen as Lizzie Calhoun Justin as Maximilian Graves Riley as Stirling Blades in Paradise is a steampu…

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Cyprus 7: Where Are All The Greek Gaming Studios on Cyprus? 10:40

2M ago10:40

10:40

Alex Siamantas of Holyday Studios reflected on eleven years of building a profitable idle-RPG studio as one of the island’s few Greek founders

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Cyprus 6: The Secret Behind White Nights Conferences with Julia Lebedeva 10:52

2M ago10:52

10:52

Julia Lebedeva of WN Media Group spoke about launching the first Women in Games Cyprus event

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Cyprus 5: How a Metal Band Inspired a Wild Game Idea 11:09

2M ago11:09

11:09

Alexey Morozov of Horns Up Games shifted the tone completely. His project, Lord of Metal, is a festival-management sim built with the Swedish band Sabaton, combining the logistics of live events with the chaos of rock culture. It’s equal parts management game and love letter to heavy music.

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Cyprus 4: GDCy and the Story of the Largest Developer Festival in Cyprus 16:23

2M ago16:23

16:23

GDCy founders Tim Fadeev and Andrey Ivashentsev shared the story of how a single pub meetup evolved into the region’s largest developer festival. They credit the island’s mix of sunlight, low taxes, and openness to business. Cyprus, they say, isn’t just a haven for founders - it’s starting to feel like Europe’s next creative cluster.…

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Cyprus 3: We Relocated our Studio from Ukraine to Cyprus and This Happened... 5:22

2M ago5:22

5:22

Leonid Zhuravskyi, CEO of MysteryTag, said he’s found Cyprus to have a rare sense of openness - competitors who still share notes over coffee or wine.

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Cyprus 2: Cyprus Investment Secrets You Didn’t Know! 7:07

2M ago7:07

7:07

Andrey Feinberg (Kuznetsov), an independent advisor who’s seen the investment side of the story. Despite tougher global conditions, he says Cyprus remains busy, with founders rebuilding after relocation and finding stability in a global business that rarely offers it.

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Cyprus 1: What If Cyprus Becomes The NEXT BIG Tech Powerhouse? Aleksandr Bogdanov, CEO of Studio 42 6:16

2M ago6:16

6:16

Aleksandr Bogdanov, CEO of Studio 42, spoke about Cyprus as a new mixing pot, with veterans from Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia now calling Limassol home. He believes the island could rival Istanbul as the next tech powerhouse.

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Masters of Publishing 5: Scaling is a Grind 34:19

2M ago34:19

34:19

Scaling hybridcasual games is like solving a puzzle with moving pieces: CPI, retention, and platform dynamics constantly shift. Samantha Benjamin explains why profit-sharing doesn’t guarantee profit, how the spray-and-pray era is over, and why scaling is now a perpetual process of adjustment and reinvestment.👉 Understand what it takes to grow effic…

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Masters of Publishing 4: Secrets to Winning Big with Game Monetization! 23:13

2M ago23:13

23:13

Monetization in hybridcasual is a balancing act: ads for early players, IAP for the committed ones. Maayan Eshkol dives into player segmentation, the real role of a game economist, and why monetization has to be part of the design loop from day one.👉 Learn how to integrate ads and IAP without sacrificing retention.…

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310. Pim De Witte on Turning Down $500 Million from OpenAI... Then Raising $134M. 1:03:46

2M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

Pim De Witte, founder of General Intuition and Medal.tv, turned down a deal reportedly worth $500 million from OpenAI, and instead raised $134 million to build an AI lab rooted in games, not words.In this conversation, Michail Katkoff (Deconstructor of Fun) dives deep into:1) How world models could replace game engines2) Why games are the best simu…

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TWIG #355 Apple’s $2B Problem, Halo’s PlayStation Leap, and EA’s Reality Check 1:08:40

2M ago1:08:40

1:08:40

We unpack Apple’s $2B legal battle, Halo’s surprise move to PlayStation, and EA’s latest earnings reality check, alongside Amazon Game Studios’ restructuring, AI’s growing impact on gaming investments, and a one-year look back at Pokémon TCG Pocket. From corporate chaos to console crossovers, it’s a packed week of insights, strategy, and sharp take…

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Masters of Publishing 3: What Makes Game Go Viral in 2026? 38:14

2M ago38:14

38:14

Great creatives don’t guarantee great traffic. Karen Levy unpacks how to scale UA with structured testing, controlled volume, and ruthless iteration. We explore the rise of AI-driven pipelines, why UGC-style ads dominate TikTok and Reels, and why authenticity outperforms glossy fakes. 👉 https://supersonic.com/…

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Masters of Publishing 2: 3 Signs Your Game Will Be a Smash! 16:35

2M ago16:35

16:35

What makes a hybridcasual hit? Guy Agiv explains how to design a core loop that hooks instantly but also unfolds depth over time. We cover the milestones from prototype to scale, how publishers and developers shift roles across the journey, and why “simplicity beats complexity” when it comes to retention.👉 Discover why elegant design—not clutter—is…

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Masters of Publishing 1: Secrets to Getting Signed by a Publisher 37:56

2M ago37:56

37:56

Hybridcasual isn’t just “hypercasual with IAP.” Igor Beraslavski (GM at Supersonic) breaks down how publishing has evolved from testing prototypes to becoming a full-stack partner in design, monetization, and live ops. We discuss what publishers look for, how to spot market trends before the herd, and why most me-too products never scale.👉 Learn ho…

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309. Ex-Take-Two CEO on the Future of Games and the Intersection of AI and Creativity 1:16:58

2M ago1:16:58

1:16:58

Ben Feder has done it all: CEO of Take-Two Interactive during the GTA and Red Dead years, President of Tencent’s International Partnerships, and board member at Epic Games and Bad Robot. Now he’s turned investor, running Tirta Ventures, a fund at the intersection of AI and gaming. In this conversation, Ben and Michail Katkoff explore what makes a g…

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TWIG #354 Google's New Payment-Link Era and Rovio's End of an Era 59:39

3M ago59:39

59:39

Jen Donahoe makes her triumphant return. She's joined by Eric Kress and special guest Stan Kwon from BetaHat. We dig into: Battlefield 6 corrections, marketing takeaways Android’s new payment-link era Unity’s cross-platform payments what General Intuition’s $134 M seed means for spatial reasoning and game data Rovio’s restructuring Football Manager…

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C1E30: Dino Ape Man 44:32

3M ago44:32

44:32

Get ready for a rip roaring battle as ESPN hope to escape the claws of death. Amidst the furious fighting comes quite a lot of spiritual awakening. Will our heroes make it out of this one alive? Starring: Paul as the GM Jim as the good Doctor Winston Theroux Queen as Lizzie Calhoun Justin as Maximilian Graves Riley as Stirling Blades in Paradise is…

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308. The 8 Trends That Will Redefine Gaming in Asia (and Beyond) 1:15:38

3M ago1:15:38

1:15:38

Mishka Katkoff is joined by Daniel Ahmad (Director of Research & Insights, Niko Partners) and Lisa Hanson (CEO & Founder, Niko Partners) for a deep dive into the latest trends and insights from the Asian, MENA, and Indian gaming markets. We cover regulatory changes in China, the rise of India as a gaming powerhouse, the evolving MENA landscape, and…

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TWIG #353 Netflix Goes Couch Co-op, PlayStation 6’s AI Ambitions, Supercell’s Open Letter 59:31

3M ago59:31

59:31

Supercell’s CEO releases a rare open letter calling for more industry collaboration, while Ubisoft’s nepotism controversy reignites debates around leadership culture. Netflix Games kicks off its Battle for the Living Room with a push into Smart TV party games, and early buzz around PlayStation 6 points to an AI-driven leap in graphics and efficienc…

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TWIG #352 EU Regulations, Epic Shops, and the AI Slop Machine Is this goof? 1:01:56

3M ago1:01:56

1:01:56

This week in games: Ilke’s open letter to the EU stirs the industry pot, AppLovin faces an SEC probe, and Epic drops its new Web Shops like it’s 2012 all over again. Ubisoft’s management drama continues, Istanbul’s gaming boom is no joke, and we wrap with a spicy take on the new wave of AI business slop. 00:00 Welcome 01:00 Intro & Shills 07:58 Ilk…

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C1E29: Blazing Wreckage 1:01:47

3M ago1:01:47

1:01:47

After Stirling derails Nathan's train plans, the crew of ESPN continue to navigate his machinations at Famous Films. Starring: Paul as the GM Jim as the good Doctor Winston Theroux Queen as Lizzie Calhoun Justin as Maximilian Graves Riley as Stirling Blades in Paradise is a steampunk dystopian TTRPG Actual Play production performed with John Harper…

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307. How Balatro Became a 7-Million-Copy Indie Hit | Harvey Elliott, CEO of Playstack 1:14:22

3M ago1:14:22

1:14:22

A one-person poker roguelike sold seven million copies and outperformed studios with hundred-million-dollar budgets. In this episode, Playstack CEO Harvey Elliott joins Michail Katkoff to break down how they discovered Balatro, what makes a modern indie publisher truly valuable, and why the next wave of hits will come from focus—not funding. 02:07 …