THE GAMING PLAYBOOK
Harry Phokou sits down with experts in the games industry who have never been interviewed before. Through these in-depth conversations, Harry unpacks the “Playbook” that made them so successful.
Listen or watch on your favorite platforms
Want to be featured?
For guest or sponsorship inquiries reach out to playbook@phokou.com
Latest Episode
Want to turn your Discord community into a revenue-generating machine?
In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Tom Gayner, CEO of Levellr, who’s helped Scopely, Krafton, and even the NFL build high-performing Discord communities.
We dive into the most common mistakes studios make, why Discord users are 6x more valuable, and how AI is revolutionizing community management. If you’re a game studio, this is your blueprint for building a self-sustaining, monetized community.
Connect with Tom:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomgayner/
Website: https://www.levellr.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
👉 Enjoyed the episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to help more developers find us.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:44 Why most studios ignore Discord
05:48 Data: Discord users = 6x more valuable
11:57 Pre-launch Discord strategy
15:06 Creating organic player-to-player interaction
17:02 Minimum requirements before launching a Discord
20:10 What resource investment actually looks like
23:04 How Levellr started & why it matters now
27:40 AI’s breakthrough in community insight grouping
30:42 Querying your own Discord like a knowledge base
32:28 Fastest way to get 1,000 engaged members
34:08 Game/Discord integration examples
37:56 Best way to hire a community manager
42:32 Is Discord ROI Real or Just Hype?
46:16 The Fear of Backlash (And Why It’s Wrong)
49:25 The Future of Discord in Game Publishing
52:34 Getting Insights from Player-Run Discords
55:02 Community Advice for Publishers
56:18 How to reach Tom & final thoughts
#gamedev #discordcommunity #retentionstrategy #communitygrowth
Featured Episodes
Want to turn your Discord community into a revenue-generating machine?
In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Tom Gayner, CEO of Levellr, who’s helped Scopely, Krafton, and even the NFL build high-performing Discord communities.
We dive into the most common mistakes studios make, why Discord users are 6x more valuable, and how AI is revolutionizing community management. If you’re a game studio, this is your blueprint for building a self-sustaining, monetized community.
Connect with Tom:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomgayner/
Website: https://www.levellr.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
👉 Enjoyed the episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to help more developers find us.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:44 Why most studios ignore Discord
05:48 Data: Discord users = 6x more valuable
11:57 Pre-launch Discord strategy
15:06 Creating organic player-to-player interaction
17:02 Minimum requirements before launching a Discord
20:10 What resource investment actually looks like
23:04 How Levellr started & why it matters now
27:40 AI’s breakthrough in community insight grouping
30:42 Querying your own Discord like a knowledge base
32:28 Fastest way to get 1,000 engaged members
34:08 Game/Discord integration examples
37:56 Best way to hire a community manager
42:32 Is Discord ROI Real or Just Hype?
46:16 The Fear of Backlash (And Why It’s Wrong)
49:25 The Future of Discord in Game Publishing
52:34 Getting Insights from Player-Run Discords
55:02 Community Advice for Publishers
56:18 How to reach Tom & final thoughts
#gamedev #discordcommunity #retentionstrategy #communitygrowth
Why do most good games still fail today, even with great gameplay?
Markus Wilding – former marketing leader at Take-Two, 2K, and Private Division – joins me to reveal why visibility is now more critical than quality… and how developers and publishers must adapt to survive.
We unpack how outdated marketing playbooks are killing games, why community building is non-negotiable, and the practical strategies every studio needs to market smarter in 2025.
Expect deep dives into:
– Why 90% of marketing strategies are stuck in the past
– How to use influencer marketing correctly in today’s market
– How early-stage market validation can save your studio
– How to build community momentum before launch
– Why the future belongs to “snackable fun” games, not bloated AAA
– Practical frameworks for self-auditing your game’s marketing readiness
Whether you’re an indie developer, publisher, marketer, or founder, this conversation will shift how you approach game success today.
Connect with Markus:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-wilding/
Website: https://beyondthewall.games/
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 – gamingrally.net
👉 Enjoyed the episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to help more developers find us.
In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, Harry Phokou sits down with Peter Fodor, founder and CEO of AppAgent, a top-tier mobile marketing agency behind games from Supercell, Netflix, and Scopely. Peter shares the unfiltered truth about why most mobile games fail to scale, the critical mistakes studios make, and how to win in today’s privacy-first, saturated market. Expect deep dives into:
- How to test game ideas before writing a single line of code
- The role of creative frameworks and hooks in ad success
- Why LiveOps is the future of monetization
- Managing remote creative teams without losing your mind
- How AI is reshaping mobile game marketing and who should be scared
Whether you’re a mobile dev, a UA manager, or building the next breakout title, this episode will make you rethink your strategy from the ground up.
Connect with Peter:
LinkedIn: 
/ petrfodor
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
YouTube: 
/ @hphokou
Instagram: 
/ hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry tips – Sign up for the Gaming Rally Newsletter! gamingrally.net
Ever feel like your writing isn’t landing the way you want? Whether you’re posting on LinkedIn, crafting a sales page, or trying to grow an audience, better writing leads to better results. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Barker, a copywriter who’s helped businesses generate over $3M through content. We talk about what really makes writing work – without the fluff, fake authority, or overhyped promises.
- How Matt went from corporate marketing to solopreneurship
- Why most people write the wrong way online – and how to fix it
- The secret to writing content that attracts, nurtures, and converts
- How to avoid the “scamfluencer” trap and build real authority
- What top creators do differently to make their writing stand out
If you’ve ever wanted to write better, grow an audience, and turn words into results, this episode is for you.
Connect with Matt:
LinkedIn: / mattjbarker1
Newsletter: https://www.mattbarker.xyz/newsletter
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
Youtube: / @hphokou
Instagram: / hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry tips – Sign up for the Gaming Rally Newsletter! gamingrally.net
Today’s guest is Lara Acosta, a personal branding expert, content strategist, and founder of Literally Academy. Lara went from being unemployed in 2022 to becoming the #1 female creator on LinkedIn, amassing over 300,000 followers and generating millions through her personal brand. She now teaches others how to build a standout online presence, create engaging content, and turn their audience into a thriving business. In this episode, Lara shares her journey of building a personal brand as a woman in business and the strategies that helped her grow to over 200,000 followers on LinkedIn. She dives into the power of self-promotion, why most people struggle with content creation, and how to talk with your audience, not at them, using her SLAY framework. If you’re a content creator, business owner, or someone looking to build an authentic personal brand, this episode is for you!
Connect with Lara:
LinkedIn: / laraacostar
Youtube: / @laraacosta
𝕏: 
/ laraacostar
Instagram: / laraacostar
Connect with
Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
Youtube: / @hphokou
Instagram: / hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry tips – Sign up for the Gaming Rally Newsletter! gamingrally.net
Today’s guest is Hendrik Lesser, president of the European Game Developer Federation and CEO of Remote Control Productions (RCP).
Hendrik started out selling and writing about games before spending nearly five years at Take-Two Interactive. In 2005, he founded Remote Control Productions (RCP), which has grown from a small startup into a global network of 16 studios, shipping over 400 projects. Through RCP, he helps developers focus on making great games while handling business operations, and he continues to advocate for the industry through policy, education, and mentorship.
In this episode, he breaks down the real challenges facing the gaming industry in 2025, from cash flow struggles to why bad business, not bad games, is what really kills studios. He shares hard-earned lessons on studio leadership, competing with old games, and the biggest risks developers need to watch out for. Hendrik also talks about the power of partnerships, how to make remote teams work, and why strong leadership matters more than ever.
Whether you’re running a studio, breaking into the industry, or just want a behind-the-scenes look at the business of games, this episode is for you!
Connect with Hendrik:
LinkedIn:/hendriklesser
Website: https://rcp.family/
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: /hphokou
YouTube: / @hphokou
Instagram: / hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry tips – Sign up for 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
