The Gaming Playbook w/ Harry Phokou

What do game publishers actually do in 2026? Why do some indie games succeed while others fail, even with a great product?
Today's guest is Ben Kvalo, founder of Midwest Games and former publishing, marketing, and technology leader at Netflix, Blizzard, and 2K. Ben breaks down how modern game publishing works, why traditional publishing models are changing, how Steam's algorithm impacts launches, common mistakes indie developers make, and why the future of game development may be shifting away from traditional industry hubs.
Whether you're an indie developer, publisher, marketer, or game industry professional, this conversation provides practical insights into game publishing, Steam marketing, wishlists, launch strategy, publisher relationships, and the future of the games industry.
Connect with Ben:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benkvalo/
Substack: https://substack.com/@benkvalo
Website: https://www.midwestgames.com/
Tombwater: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3308200/Tombwater/
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/
Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
03:00 What Midwest Games does and the concept of Shadow Publishing
04:40 The current state of game publishing
07:51 Why publishing is becoming modular
10:28 Traditional publishers vs specialized expertise
15:49 Why publishers still dominate game revenue
19:59 Common mistakes indie developers make
21:04 Steam page launches and market validation
22:23 Demos, Early Access, and launch strategy
24:50 Steam wishlists and conversion rates
27:46 How external marketing impacts Steam performance
28:25 Steam algorithms, launch timing, and visibility
32:15 What Shadow Publishing actually includes
34:31 The 40+ disciplines behind game publishing
40:11 Building effective publishing teams
42:55 Why recency matters in publishing expertise
46:46 The reality of game development costs in the US
52:28 Remote work, talent, and regional advantages
55:39 MDEV and the growth of Midwest game development
59:10 Industry disruption and future opportunities
01:02:46 Advice for aspiring game publishers
01:05:37 How to connect with Ben
01:06:35 Why you should check out Tombwater

Why are indie game funding deals getting harder in 2026?
In this episode, I'm joined by Pontus Maehler, games industry advisor and Co-Founder of Agora Gaming Partners, an advisory firm focused on video gaming M&A, publishing, and fundraising.
He breaks down the real state of game publishing, project financing, China publishing opportunities, and how indie studios can survive the current market.
We cover how publishing deal terms have changed, why vertical slices matter more than ever, common mistakes developers make when pitching publishers, and what actually gets games funded today.
If you're an indie developer, game founder, or anyone trying to understand the business side of the games industry, this episode is for you!
Connect with Pontus:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pontusmahler/
For pitching a game: scouting@agoragamingpartners.com
For Chinese publishing: lili@agoragamingpartners.com
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/
Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
03:45 The current state of game funding in 2026
05:20 Why VC funding for indie games is collapsing
08:41 Is the VC model dead for indie developers?
11:08 Bootstrapping vs raising money for indie studios
14:07 Why publishers now demand vertical slices and validation
15:50 How publishing deal terms changed after COVID
16:32 Understanding recoup structures and revenue splits
24:15 Biggest mistakes developers make with publishers
27:44 Developers intentionally underbudgeting projects
28:00 Contract clauses indie devs must understand
31:56 Product financing vs traditional publishers
33:42 Grants, tax credits, and alternative funding sources
36:15 Why developers should pay attention to China
39:18 When to approach Chinese publishers before launch
41:05 How Chinese players differ from Western audiences
46:45 What motivates Pontus to work in games
48:40 How developers should think about target audiences
53:32 Final survival advice for indie studios
54:48 Why developers waste too much time pitching at events
59:00 VC funding, scaling, and long-term strategy

Today, I'm joined by Jakub Remiar, Mobile F2P monetization consultant and veteran game designer, for a deep dive into the future of the mobile games industry. From why China is dominating mobile game design and monetization to how user acquisition became the real battleground, this episode breaks down the uncomfortable realities behind today’s biggest games.
Jakub explains why “monetization is game design,” how Chinese studios outscale Western teams, why most mobile studios fail, and what actually separates breakout hits from copycats.
If you work in gaming, product, monetization, or are building a mobile game studio, this episode is for you!
Connect with Jakub:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@2.5gamers/videos
Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-3nua7emvr-A1AXS70f~kRGyniP1PdQjQ
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/
Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
04:42 Gamescom vs ChinaJoy and why the industry is changing
06:47 Why mobile gaming trends move from East to West
09:17 Why Western studios ignore massive Asian games
11:25 Chinese studios taking over 4X and merge games
14:06 Why user acquisition now decides who survives
16:12 Supercell, Clash of Clans, and the missed 4X opportunity
18:34 How Jakub would build a modern game studio
22:44 The modular game development strategy behind hit mobile games
26:32 Why paid UA beats “just making a great game”
28:19 Balatro, streamability, and viral indie success stories
34:06 AI-generated creatives and the future of mobile marketing
36:33 Why top studios create thousands of ads every month
38:18 Fake ads, King Shot, and the reality of mobile advertising
39:39 How mobile games are designed around monetization systems
43:52 Product leadership, game economies, and monetization mistakes
49:33 Why game design knowledge is so hard to learn publicly
53:33 Why even experienced game studios still fail
55:47 Is the gaming industry actually doomed?
58:27 Career advice for aspiring game designers

AAA games are getting too big, and it’s breaking the industry.
In this episode, game director Alexandre Amancio (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry) breaks down why massive teams, bloated scope, and risk-averse design are hurting modern game development, and why smaller, focused teams may be the future.
We dive into building high-performance game teams, creating new IPs, community-first development, the hidden cost of AAA production, remote vs in-person culture, and how Alexandre is applying these lessons to his new horror game, Nightholme.
If you care about game design, indie studios, AAA development, leadership, AI in gaming, or the future of the industry, this episode is packed with hard-earned insights from 20+ years in games.
Connect with Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandre-amancio-2250b42/
Nightholme: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4108680/Nightholme/
Website: https://www.studioellipsis.com/
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/
Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com/
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
02:15 Why the games industry is at a crossroads
03:08 Alexandre’s new horror game: Nightholme
04:10 What’s broken in AAA game development
08:26 Why now is still a great time to make games
09:40 How explosive industry growth weakened teams
10:55 Building a studio differently from day one
12:58 Over-specialization is killing creativity
14:34 Why small teams are winning again
15:27 The biggest mistake new studios make
17:51 Why shipping together builds elite teams
19:24 Far Cry 2 and the power of underdog teams
23:18 Passion vs commercial reality in game development
26:10 Why hybrid teams work best
30:49 The Assassin’s Creed “three circles” framework
36:22 How to prioritize game features correctly
37:38 Designing NightHome’s core fantasy and mythology
40:59 Why new IP creation is brutally difficult
44:42 Why so many ambitious game projects fail
49:42 Community-first game development explained
54:50 Responding to community criticism the right way
56:15 NightHome closed beta and future plans
57:01 Building a real game community on Discord
58:46 Premium games, live content, and post-launch plans
1:00:45 Designing games for streamers and viral moments
1:03:40 Alexandre’s advice for game developers
1:05:10 Wishlist NightHome and join the community

Why do most retrospectives fail, and how do you turn them into a real driver of team performance?
In this episode, I sit down with Maria Maunula, Senior Game Producer at Supercell, to break down how to run retrospectives that actually lead to change, not just empty discussions. From vague action items and anonymous feedback to team trust and accountability, we uncover why most teams get this wrong and how to fix it.
We dive into practical frameworks for running better retros, how to structure them for small and large teams, and why frequency, ownership, and follow-up are the difference between stagnation and growth.
If you're a game developer, team lead, or working in a fast-paced creative environment, this episode will fundamentally change how you think about improving your team.
Connect with Maria:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmaunula/
Supercell's games: https://supercell.com/en/games/
Join Supercell: https://supercell.com/en/careers/#join
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou/
Join our industry events: https://hivemind.world/
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
→ Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at https://join.thegamingplaybook.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:51 From selling toilets to becoming a game producer
03:40 What does a producer actually do?
05:56 What are retrospectives and who needs them?
07:55 Why most retros fail (and what goes wrong)
11:21 Real example: connecting work to meaningful outcomes
13:21 Should retros be emotional?
14:45 Common mistake: focusing on behavior vs outcomes
16:58 How often should you run retros?
19:27 Ideal team size and retro duration
21:25 Structuring a retro: what went well, challenges, actions
24:05 Case study: fixing a real team workflow
26:00 Missing link in remote teams (and how retros fix it)
29:34 Avoiding bottlenecks and empowering the team
32:04 Making retros engaging (Miro, visuals, themes)
36:45 Timeboxing and participation techniques
38:44 Biggest risks: blame culture and conflict
40:37 How to follow up on action items properly
43:19 Should all teams join the same retro?
46:28 Measuring retro success with simple metrics
48:59 Using data to influence leadership decisions
51:29 Hiring insights: how to stand out in applications
59:26 Final advice: making retros actually work