The Gaming Playbook w/ Harry Phokou

What does it actually take to build successful games in 2026 and beyond?
Today, I'm joined by Tom Dusenberry, former Hasbro Interactive CEO, who shares hard-earned lessons from shipping 300+ games, navigating M&A, and working with some of the biggest IPs in the world.
We break down the realities of game development today, from licensing and funding to AI, discoverability, and what truly drives long-term success.
If you're a game developer, studio founder, or just curious about how the games industry really works behind the scenes, this episode will challenge how you think about building, scaling, and sustaining games.
Connect with Tom:
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdusenberry/⁠
Websites: ⁠http://www.dusenberryentertainment.com/⁠
Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠
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
02:30 What is licensing in games (in-licensing vs out-licensing)
05:00 Can indie devs work with big IPs like Disney or Star Wars?
08:00 Minimum requirements before approaching IP holders
10:00 When NOT to use a license in your game
11:30 How licensing deals actually work (funding, marketing, value)
12:30 State of the games industry in 2026 (growth, AI, layoffs)
16:00 Why layoffs happen even during record profits
17:00 Should you build the next Fortnite?
18:30 Systems-based games vs narrative games (replayability debate)
20:30 Building vs using engines (Unreal, Unity, custom engines)
21:30 Why Hasbro shipped 300+ games (strategy & categories)
23:40 Why most indie games fail (and how to avoid it)
25:00 What makes games addictive (repeat play & engagement)
27:00 Mobile vs PC/console: where the opportunity is
29:00 AI in gaming: tools, workflows, and competitive advantage
33:00 Should studios train teams or hire AI-first talent?
34:30 Funding games: why to avoid venture capital (strong opinion)
39:00 Better alternatives to VC (publishers, family offices)
44:00 M&A: what to know if you’re selling or acquiring
47:00 Career advice: what actually matters long-term
52:00 Work-life balance in games (family vs work reality)
56:00 What has changed vs what hasn’t in gaming
57:30 How to measure “fun” in a game
01:00:00 Testing games: how many players is enough?
01:01:00 Final advice: how to build a game that lasts 10+ years

How do you build a sustainable studio in an unsustainable industry?
In this episode, I sit down with Dru Erridge (ex-Riot Games) to break down how he built a profitable, self-funded game studio in an industry driven by risk, layoffs, and hit-driven outcomes.
We dive into why co-development is the hidden backbone of the games industry, how to build a remote team that actually works, and why chasing your “dream game” too early can kill your company.
If you're a founder, game developer, or studio lead trying to build something sustainable in games, this episode is for you.
Connect with Dru:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/druerridge/
Websites: https://bespokeci.dev/, https://www.gamebreaking.com/contact-us
Game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3053950/Dungeon_Rampage/
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
02:35 How Game Breaking Studios is structured
04:54 Why the games industry is unsustainable
07:31 Why co-development became the sustainable path
10:58 What Dru would tell himself on day one
13:32 The opposite of the VC playbook
14:51 Lessons from Riot’s self-sustaining teams
18:30 Why they built the studio remotely from day one
20:48 How Gather helped them make remote work actually work
23:56 Scaling a remote studio from 3 to 30 people
28:48 Why backend matters so much in modern games
32:01 In-house vs outsourced backend
34:29 Should co-dev studios build their own IP?
37:01 Why original games should be a separate business line
40:06 Who hires studios to build games from scratch
43:23 Their first original-IP push and why it failed
46:15 The Dungeon Rampage revival story
50:43 Rebuilding the game with a tiny team
52:38 Launch results and what happened next
01:00:31 Why there is still opportunity in games

Do indie game developers actually need publishers?
After 20 years in the industry as a developer, studio founder, and publisher, Andrei Podoprigora breaks down the honest truth behind indie publishing, what makes a game fundable, and why RIGHT NOW is a once-in-a-generation window for small studios.
We dig into systems-driven game design, why your Steam page is killing your wishlists, the one metric that matters more than wishlists, and the hard lessons from pitching 25+ VCs and hearing nothing but "no."
Whether you're a solo dev trying to get your first game funded or a studio deciding whether to self-publish, this episode is packed with actionable insights you won't find anywhere else.
Connect with Andrei:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/podopriguez/X: https://x.com/podopriguezWebsite: https://www.forklift.gg/
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 Intro
2:05 Andrei’s 20 years in games: dev, studio, publisher, investor
5:05 Why now is still a huge opportunity for indie devs
8:07 The post-COVID industry hangover explained
12:03 Competition vs scarcity in indie games
15:07 Why small teams make avoidable mistakes
18:02 Systems-driven vs content-driven games
22:00 Why systemic games are winning now
25:02 Examples of successful systems-based games
28:05 Why designing systems is so hard
30:04 Are these the best times ever for gamers?
33:00 Why gamers complain so much
36:00 The brutal truth: most games fail to communicate clearly
39:07 How to make your game instantly understandable on Steam
42:00 The biggest misconception about publishers
45:07 Why publishing is not just one gimmick
48:15 Dino, indie publishers, and the Tim Bender debate
50:07 How to evaluate a publisher properly
53:05 Should indie devs work with indie publishers?
54:26 Roleplay: what a good developer should ask a publisher first
58:00 What a publisher actually does behind the scenes
1:01:30 What self-publishing really means
1:05:00 Why most teams underestimate marketing
1:09:30 How to think about traction before signing a deal
1:14:00 Building trust between devs and publishers
1:18:30 Indie support, content, and using media as a funnel
1:26:00 Why survival stories resonate with indie devs
1:29:00 Final thoughts for indie developers

Learn how mobile game publishing really works in 2026, from user acquisition costs to what publishers actually look for when funding games.
Today, I'm joined by an industry expert, Elena Lobova (Head of Strategic Partnerships at Burny Games), who breaks down the realities of mobile game publishing, why most games fail, and how developers can stand out in a hyper-competitive market.
We cover everything from securing a publisher to understanding UA and avoiding the biggest mistakes that kill game launches.
If you're a mobile game developer, indie studio, or just curious about how top publishers operate, this episode is for you.
Connect with Elena:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olenalobova/
Website: https://www.burny.games/
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
03:01 The state of mobile game publishing in 2026
07:12 Building a game in 60 days (real example)
10:55 How to test game ideas quickly
12:32 Designing games for long-term retention
13:55 The “level 100” test for game scalability
15:14 What to prepare before pitching a publisher
19:19 Why a gameplay video is essential
20:50 What metrics matter (retention, CPI, installs)
23:40 Biggest mistakes developers make
26:40 Why marketing knowledge is no longer optional
28:42 Why great games still fail without visibility
33:33 Organic vs paid user acquisition explained
38:03 What publishers look for in teams
40:30 Revenue share, recoup, and funding realities
42:36 Where to find publishers in 2026
47:01 How to get noticed by publishers
51:50 New publishing models (UA funding, SaaS publishing)
56:21 Career advice for game developers
01:00:15 Why rejection doesn’t mean your game is bad
01:03:21 How to pitch Elena & final thoughts

What does a game studio brand really mean beyond a logo or color palette?
Today, I'm joined by Anastasia Zaiceva, Chief Communications Officer at ZiMAD, who shares how strong branding shapes the identity, strategy, and growth of a game studio.
We explore why branding is more than visual design and why it's the foundation that defines a studio’s values, culture, hiring strategy, player relationships, and long-term vision. From aligning internal teams to communicating clearly with players and partners, Anastasia explains how studios can build a brand that supports both creative direction and business success.
If you're building a game studio, working in game marketing, or trying to grow a recognizable brand in the gaming industry, this conversation is for you.
Connect with Anastasia:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-zaiceva/
ZiMAD's game portfolio: https://zimad.com/games
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
02:04 Why most studios misunderstand branding
04:07 Brand vs logo: the real definition of a brand
05:07 Should studios think about branding before building games?
07:35 Why vision is the foundation of a brand
10:22 The danger of chasing metrics instead of vision
12:48 How branding influences internal company culture
15:48 Founder influence on company culture and brand
19:45 Communication channels and mid-stage company branding
21:40 Content strategies that attract top talent
26:59 Human stories vs AI-generated content
29:20 My multi-brand strategy (Hivemind ecosystem)
33:57 AI, search engines, and brand visibility
36:15 Shared responsibilities in modern companies
40:43 What happens when studios don’t have a brand
43:50 How brand builds trust with partners and talent
47:34 Player experience and emotional outcomes of games
50:07 Turning brand strategy into real behaviors
52:10 Using content strategy to reinforce brand identity
57:13 Hiring people aligned with company vision
01:01:12 Final advice on building strong brands