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Deconstructor of Fun breaks down successful free-to-play games in search of what makes them fun - or not. All of the contributors to this site are both gamers and game makers.

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Deconstructor of Fun
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The Rise of Pakistan’s Game Development Scene
Jul 14

Jul 14 The Rise of Pakistan’s Game Development Scene

Kate Halewood
Business

Pakistan’s game development scene is growing from the ground up. Young devs are learning fast, failing fast, and building without a safety net.

Fair Weather Founders, Dead Equity, and the Cliff that Saves
Jul 7

Jul 7 Fair Weather Founders, Dead Equity, and the Cliff that Saves

Guest Writer
Business

Founder breakups are more common than you think, and dead equity can quietly kill your startup. The 2-year cliff can be a company saver. We break it down why it works with real founder stories.

The Startup That Wasn’t Meant to Scale:  A Conversation with Sophie Vo
Jun 30

Jun 30 The Startup That Wasn’t Meant to Scale: A Conversation with Sophie Vo

Michail Katkoff
Business

An honest conversation with Sophie Vo on walking away from the startup grind to build something radically different. She shares why true success is not about scale but about alignment, real impact, and building a business that actually feels like freedom.

Where Do Geogames Go After Niantic’s $3.5B Exit
Jun 23

Jun 23 Where Do Geogames Go After Niantic’s $3.5B Exit

Guest Writer
Business

If the last era of geogaming was defined by novelty, of catching Pokémon in your backyard and turning your evening walk into an XP grind, the next one will be defined by its depth.

What AI Is Really Doing to Games and the Game Industry
Jun 16

Jun 16 What AI Is Really Doing to Games and the Game Industry

Michail Katkoff
Business

Right now, we’re forcing AI into development without thinking long and hard about the implications. From ethical blind spots to broken career ladders, the future of game development might not be faster, just riskier.

Outsourcing Is Dead. Long Live Co-Development
Jun 10

Jun 10 Outsourcing Is Dead. Long Live Co-Development

Michail Katkoff
Business

Game studios are scaling smarter in 2025—co-development isn’t a backup plan anymore, it’s the new blueprint for building at scale.

Mobile Gaming in 2025: 10 Trends That Matter
Jun 5

Jun 5 Mobile Gaming in 2025: 10 Trends That Matter

Michail Katkoff
Marketing, Predictions

The hits are older. The players are smarter. And success is quieter. Mobile gaming’s mid-year status check is here—and it might not look like what you expected.

How Voodoo Builds Hits: Four Product Lessons from a 2000-Prototypes-a-Year Machine
Jun 2

Jun 2 How Voodoo Builds Hits: Four Product Lessons from a 2000-Prototypes-a-Year Machine

Kate Halewood
Business

How does Voodoo turn rapid-fire prototypes into chart-topping hits? Discover their 4 game-changing product lessons for building scalable, lasting games.

The Hard Truth About the Finnish Game Industry
May 26

May 26 The Hard Truth About the Finnish Game Industry

Michail Katkoff
Business

Why did Finland’s once world-leading game industry lose momentum? Michail Katkoff explores the broader decline across the Finnish ecosystem—from overreliance on studio culture and Supercell mimicry to missed market shifts, studio closures, and waning investor confidence.

What I Took from Games to Build Better Consumer Apps
May 19

May 19 What I Took from Games to Build Better Consumer Apps

Guest Writer
Deconstructions

A breakdown of five game-design “superpowers” that product leaders can bring into consumer apps—from progression systems to re-engagement loops and monetization models.

Squad Busters 2.0 and Supercell's YOLO Strategy
May 16

May 16 Squad Busters 2.0 and Supercell's YOLO Strategy

Michail Katkoff
Deconstructions

Supercell has rebooted Squad Busters. Again. Yet the reboot feels more like a company wrestling with itself than with its competition.

How I Went From a 3D Artist to GM of a Billion-Dollar Game
May 12

May 12 How I Went From a 3D Artist to GM of a Billion-Dollar Game

Kate Halewood
Business

Justin McFarlane went from 3D artist to GM of SciPlay’s Billion Dollar flagship game. We explore how long-term trust, internal growth, and deep product proximity shaped his unconventional path — and what it says about building great teams in gaming.

Why Smart Founders Say No to Billions
May 8

May 8 Why Smart Founders Say No to Billions

Michail Katkoff
Business, Founders

What if the smart move for a unicorn founder isn’t to sell or go public, but to simply stay the course?

AppLovin: The Apex Predator
May 5

May 5 AppLovin: The Apex Predator

Guest Writer
Business

AppLovin didn’t win mobile ad tech by competing harder. It rewrote the rules, seized the pipes, and made everyone else dependent.

Rethinking Creative Production with AI
Apr 30

Apr 30 Rethinking Creative Production with AI

Michail Katkoff
Marketing

Debunking AI myths in marketing: creativity, brand voice, and personalization

Mobile Dreams of Hollywood: Inside Royal Kingdom’s Celebrity Blitz
Apr 28

Apr 28 Mobile Dreams of Hollywood: Inside Royal Kingdom’s Celebrity Blitz

Michail Katkoff
Business, Marketing

"When in doubt, add LeBron." That seems to have been Dream Games' mantra when they unleashed an all-out celebrity siege for Royal Kingdom.

Supercell Investments: A Creative Community or a Missed Opportunity?
Apr 22

Apr 22 Supercell Investments: A Creative Community or a Missed Opportunity?

Michail Katkoff
Business

Supercell has revamped its investment strategy under a new brand, but is it more than just rebranding? We break down Supercell Investments' track record, how it compares to CVC best practices.

Duolingo: How the $15B App uses Gaming Principles to Supercharge DAU Growth
Apr 14

Apr 14 Duolingo: How the $15B App uses Gaming Principles to Supercharge DAU Growth

Guest Writer
Deconstructions

The green owl isn’t cute. It’s ruthless. Here’s how Duolingo gamified education and built one of the stickiest consumer apps on the planet.

The Future of Gaming: Engaging Gen Z
Apr 7

Apr 7 The Future of Gaming: Engaging Gen Z

Kate Halewood
Business

By 2026, Gen Z will be the biggest spenders in gaming. But winning them over takes more than a good game—it takes creators, social ecosystems, and seamless cross-platform play. Here’s how to stay ahead.

The Power of Q5 and Retention: Lessons from SciPlay
Mar 31

Mar 31 The Power of Q5 and Retention: Lessons from SciPlay

Kate Halewood
Business

How do you grow in a mature market? Well, there’s no one better to answer this question than Josh Wilson, CEO of SciPlay, who has steered the company to growth every year since 2013.

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