THE GAMING PLAYBOOK
Harry Phokou sits down with experts in the games industry who have never been interviewed before. Through these in-depth conversations, we unpack the “Playbook” that made them so successful.
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For guest or sponsorship inquiries reach out to playbook@phokou.com
Latest Episode
Today’s guest is Jenny Xu, a long-distance runner, Forbes 30 Under 30, and CEO of Talofa Games.
Jenny breaks down her wild journey from making 100+ games as a kid to raising $6M and building Monster Walk, a genre-bending fitness RPG. We dig into founder focus, beating overwhelm, fundraising reality, personal identity, creative intuition, and the life moments that shaped her.
If you’re building games, raising money, or trying to stay disciplined as a founder, this episode is for you.
Connect with Jenny:
LinkedIn: 
/ xujennyc
Monster walk: https://linktr.ee/talofa
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
YouTube: 
/ @hphokou
Instagram: 
/ hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at thegamingplaybook.com
Featured Episodes
Recent Episodes
Today’s guest is Jenny Xu, a long-distance runner, Forbes 30 Under 30, and CEO of Talofa Games.
Jenny breaks down her wild journey from making 100+ games as a kid to raising $6M and building Monster Walk, a genre-bending fitness RPG. We dig into founder focus, beating overwhelm, fundraising reality, personal identity, creative intuition, and the life moments that shaped her.
If you’re building games, raising money, or trying to stay disciplined as a founder, this episode is for you.
Connect with Jenny:
LinkedIn: / xujennyc
Monster walk: https://linktr.ee/talofa
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
YouTube: / @hphokou
Instagram: / hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at thegamingplaybook.com
Today’s guest is Simon Sundén, a veteran of the competitive gaming scene, CEO of Clutch Group, and the operator behind major esports productions like the GeoGuessr World Cup.
We dig into the rise of esports from its origins in South Korea, how livestreaming changed the industry forever, and why most studios misunderstand what esports is actually for. Simon breaks down what makes a game truly competitive, how to evaluate esports potential, and why watchability matters more than most devs realise.
Whether you’re a game developer, studio founder, or just obsessed with competitive gaming, this is a masterclass in understanding how esports really works.
Connect with Simon:
LinkedIn: / simonsunden
Company’s LinkedIn: / clutchgame
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
YouTube: / @hphokou
Instagram: / hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at thegamingplaybook.com
Today’s guest is Henri Lindgren, a veteran games industry leader, CEO of Kokoon Games, and former head of Lightneer.
We unpack the real side of building and leading game studios, from scaling startups to shutting down companies, rebuilding from scratch, and mastering resilience as a founder. Henri shares insights about leadership, culture, and mental endurance in the turbulent games industry, along with practical strategies for bootstrapping, raising angel investment, and avoiding the VC trap.
Whether you’re a game dev, entrepreneur, or creative leader, this is a masterclass in staying resilient when the grind gets real.
Connect with Henri:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henri-lindgren-9a388b39/
Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kokoongames/
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to The Gaming Playbook Weekly at thegamingplaybook.com
In this episode, I sit down with Matt Hitchcock, co-founder of Other Things Agency, to break down what it really takes to market, launch, and revive games in 2025. From creating game trailers that actually sell, to fixing poor launches and standing out on Steam, this is the conversation every indie developer and studio marketer needs to hear.
Matt shares insights from working on campaigns for Elder Scrolls Online, Squirrel With a Gun, and Cloudheim, revealing how studios can build hype, craft effective trailers, and make their store pages convert. We also dive into hiring in the games industry, what great portfolios look like, and the mistakes job seekers keep making.
If you’re building, marketing, or relaunching a game, this episode will save you time, money, and frustration.
Connect with Matt:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthitch/
E-mail: matt@otherthingsagency.com
Website: https://otherthingsagency.com/
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net
What does it actually take to build a career in games? In this episode, I sit down with Amir Satvat, Director of Business Development at Tencent and the creator of one of the biggest gaming career communities online. Amir’s helped almost 4,000 people land roles in games, all while juggling a full-time job.
We talk about the real odds of getting into the industry, how he handled 2,000+ job rejections, what it takes to build visibility on LinkedIn, and the personal cost of becoming a public figure.
Whether you’re just starting out or making a career move within games, this conversation dives into how to stay consistent, build systems that last, and turn your passion for games into a long-term career.
Connect with Amir:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirsatvat/
Website: https://amirsatvat.com/
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights:
→ Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net
Ever wondered why some indie games blow up without “doing any marketing”? And why that idea frustrates real game marketers?
In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Pappas, founder of RenGen Marketing and host of Indie Game Movement podcast, to unpack what real marketing looks like for indie studios in 2025. Andrew has worked with countless devs across the world to help them understand how to connect with players, build sustainable studios, and turn creative passion into commercial success.
We talk about why marketing should start at the concept stage, how to identify player pain points before you even prototype, and why so many devs are leaving money on the table by ignoring empathy-driven marketing. Andrew also breaks down how to build trust-based content, choose the right marketing channels for your strengths, and craft systems that actually scale without burning out your team.
This is a practical, no-fluff deep dive into how indie studios can market smarter, connect deeper with players, and build a real business around creativity, not just luck.
Connect with Andrew:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpappas-rengen/
Website: https://www.rengenmarketing.com/
Podcast: https://www.rengenmarketing.com/podcast/100-2/
Newsletter: https://www.rengenmarketing.com/newsletter/
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net
Want to be guest?
Have a story or strategy that gaming professionals need to hear? Apply here to be a guest on The Gaming Playbook. We’re always looking for leaders, innovators, and experts to share their wisdom with our audience.
For business inquiries or sponsorship opportunities, reach out to playbook@phokou.com
