The Gaming Playbook w/ Harry Phokou

Today, I'm joined by Doug Pennant, a Senior Producer at Infinity Ward, drawing on 16 years across Alien: Isolation, Total War, and Call of Duty, who explains how game developers can build resilient, long-term careers in an industry shaped by layoffs, changing technology, and increasingly project-based employment.
We talked about transferable skills, difficult managers, networking before you need a job, adapting your CV to the market, and why MobyGames could become an important hiring tool for game developers.
If you're a game developer, producer, or an industry professional who wants to build a career that lasts, this episode is for you.
Connect with Doug:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-pennant/
Substack: https://dougpennant.substack.com/
His book: https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Mentor-Production-Mentors-Careers/dp/1032785608
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
01:46 Why personal resilience matters in the game industry
04:02 Why growing game studios struggle with management
11:56 What new developers should know about difficult bosses
20:31 What career resilience actually means
23:05 The producer interview test for adaptability
25:42 Why investing in skills creates career security
29:45 Why game industry jobs for life are disappearing
31:55 What caused the game industry layoffs
40:17 Smaller studios and the future of game development
43:43 Why networking matters before you need a job
45:26 Job hunting and the hidden game industry job market
51:01 When your skills no longer match the market
55:06 Codev and outsourcing as more durable career paths
56:09 Using MobyGames to get discovered by recruiters
1:02:24 What a producer does 90 days before launch
1:04:26 Why game teams must stop adding features
1:08:30 Why every visionary needs strong brakes
1:10:53 Self-care and staying optimistic about games
1:12:20 How cultural grants can fund video games
1:13:20 Doug’s book, Substack, and where to follow him

Today, I'm joined by Adam Selcuk, CPO at VaultN, who explains why game studios are leaving significant revenue on the table by ignoring third-party PC game distribution. Drawing on 20+ years in digital game retail, Adam breaks down how publishers can sell more copies, reach new markets, improve discoverability, and maintain control over pricing and distribution.
We discuss why Steam alone isn't enough, how third-party distribution can significantly increase game sales, and what developers should do before launch to maximize revenue.
If you're an indie game developer, publisher, or studio founder looking to sell more copies of your game, this episode is for you.
Connect with Adam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamselcuk/Website: https://vaultn.com/
Connect with Harry:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokouInstagram: 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 Intro02:43 How PC game distribution has evolved07:50 Why Steam isn't enough anymore11:18 The biggest distribution mistake developers make15:24 How third-party distribution increases sales20:34 Why cheap game keys end up on grey-market websites25:07 Why discoverability is everything29:22 Pre-orders, wishlists, and where to send players31:39 Why modern game distribution took so long to evolve36:01 Why solo developers should care about third-party stores39:24 How local storefronts create more sales42:27 The future of PC game distribution46:49 The biggest misconception about game distribution47:55 Adam's best marketing advice for indie developers53:36 Where to connect with Adam

What does it really take to get an indie game funded?
After 17 years in AAA game development, Quentin Cobb left studios behind to found Ironroot Games. In this conversation, he shares what he's learning while actively pitching publishers and investors, raising funding, building a vertical slice, and navigating today's publishing landscape.
We discuss publisher expectations, angel investors, AI in game development, pitching a game studio, and why investors often back founders as much as games.
If you're an indie game developer, studio founder, or anyone trying to fund your next game, this episode is packed with practical advice from someone living it today.
Connect with Quentin:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quentin-cobb/
Website: https://ironrootgames.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

00:00 Intro
01:45 Quentin's AAA background and founding Ironroot Games
04:25 Why funding is the biggest challenge for indie studios
06:25 How Quentin survived after the Microsoft layoffs
09:03 Angel investors, friends & family, and early funding
11:29 Building a team before funding exists
15:44 What publishing deals are possible in 2026?
19:01 Why publishers invest in founders, not just games
22:22 Becoming a first-time CEO and earning investor confidence
26:35 Publisher pitches vs investor pitches
28:27 AAA vs indie development: biggest differences
29:55 Lessons from developing The Last of Us
33:03 Finding the features players actually care about
36:08 Why Ironroot Games is focused on single-player
37:29 AI in game development and publisher expectations
47:24 China, Europe, and finding the right publishing partners
57:07 How to get honest feedback from publishers
59:49 Making games that are personal
1:08:54 Gamescom plans and pitching the prototype
1:12:00 Final advice for every indie game developer

Multiplayer doesn't have to be built on day one.
Today, I'm joined by Michael Szklarski, Co-Founder of ReadyM, who explains how community-driven multiplayer mods have transformed games like GTA V and why the future of gaming may belong to player-created experiences.
From the origins of GTA multiplayer mods and FiveM to Black Myth: Wukong, Oblivion Remastered, Minecraft, Roblox, Skyrim, and Hytale, this conversation explores how UGC (User-Generated Content), modding, and multiplayer communities can dramatically extend a game's lifespan.
Whether you're a game developer, publisher, aspiring game designer, or modder, you'll learn how successful games evolve into long-lasting platforms, why some games attract thriving modding communities while others don't, and what it takes to build the next generation of community-powered games.
Connect with Michael:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalszklarski
Website: https://docs.ready.mp/
Forum: https://forum.ready.mp/
Oblivion Multiplayer Mod: https://oblivionmp.firstlook.gg/
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
01:23 ReadyM and the vision behind community multiplayer
02:47 What is UGC multiplayer?
05:32 The origins of GTA multiplayer modding
07:43 How multiplayer mods work under the hood
10:03 How GTMP became FiveM
15:17 Why Rockstar acquired FiveM
20:11 How UGC extends a game's lifespan
25:03 Can developers design games for modding success?
29:11 Should studios build official modding tools?
35:17 Michael's journey into modding
38:58 When modding became a business
42:56 Building ReadyM and multiplayer technology
46:56 Raising investment and proving the vision
53:52 Why Red Dead Redemption Online never reached FiveM's success
56:42 Advice for AAA game developers
58:41 Advice for aspiring modders

Hiring isn't guesswork.
In this episode, I'm joined by Frank Lofaro, who has helped over 1,700 businesses hire better, from zero-employee startups to companies scaling past 100 people. Before founding Tank Recruiting, he spent three years at AeroTech (one of the largest private staffing firms in the world) and was an employee #12 at Acquisition.com, where he worked as an internal recruiter and hired across an entire portfolio of companies.
We talked about how to make your first hire, avoid costly hiring mistakes, identify A-players, create better interview processes, improve candidate experience, and build a team that can scale with your business.
Whether you're a founder making your first hire or leading a growing company, this conversation is for you.
Connect with Frank:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-lofaro/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franklofaro/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TankRecruiting
Website: http://tankrecruiting.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
05:03 How Frank got into recruiting and joined Acquisition.com
08:50 Why hiring speed and candidate experience matter
14:13 Making your first hire: where founders should start
15:59 The mistake of hiring a COO too early
20:12 Why over-titling employees creates problems
23:20 Biggest hiring mistakes from 0–10 employees
26:53 Accountability meetings and managing performance
32:13 The hiring framework: Qualify, Amplify, Evaluate
36:02 How to review resumes and screen candidates efficiently
40:13 Structured interviews and objective hiring decisions
47:39 Take-home assessments and hiring tests
52:31 Frank's favorite interview question
53:49 Who should run first-round interviews?
56:59 The biggest hiring lesson: never compromise on culture fit
01:00:22 Why Frank started Tank Recruiting