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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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
Ever wondered how to scale a gaming studio to over 300 staff without raising a single dollar of VC funding?
In this episode, I sit down with Marcus Holmstrom, Co-Founder and CEO of The Gang, who shares how he built one of the world’s leading Roblox studios, and working with brands like FIFA, Netflix, Amazon, and Wimbledon, while pioneering the rise of UGC gaming.
We talk about how Roblox developers are actually making huge money from their games, what’s driving the UGC boom, and why more traditional studios are starting to take notice. Marcus also breaks down how to build a remote-first team, hire the right people, and create games that find product-market fit fast.
This is a practical, no-fluff deep dive into the business of modern gaming, from bootstrapping to global scale.
Connect with Marcus:
LinkedIn: / marcusholmstrom
Website: https://www.thegang.io/
Press Kit: https://readymag.website/TheGang/Pres…
Strongman Simulator: https://www.roblox.com/games/67661568…
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
YouTube: / @hphokou
Instagram: / hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net
Dreaming of breaking into the games industry or scaling your studio? In this episode, John Wright (CEO of Turborilla) shares his journey from leaving accountancy to leading a studio with 200M+ downloads, plus hard-earned lessons on leadership, mobile publishing, and scaling games in today’s competitive market. We cover everything from transferable skills and breaking into gaming, to user acquisition strategies, playable ads, retention metrics, and building a motivated team. This is a raw, practical guide for anyone serious about games, leadership, and publishing.
- Learn how to transition careers into gaming with no direct experience
- Discover how CEOs manage change, culture, and accountability
- Understand why retention and CPI make or break mobile games
- Hear real-world lessons from $2B in user acquisition spend
- Insider tips on networking, scaling, and sustaining success in gaming
Connect with John: LinkedIn: / johnwright1987 Website: https://www.turborilla.com/ Mad Skills Motocross 3: https://apps.apple.com/ua/app/mad-ski…, https://play.google.com/store/apps/de… Connect with Harry: LinkedIn: / hphokou YouTube: / @hphokou Instagram: / hphokou Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net
In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Jon Hanson, founder of Skill Tree Marketing and former EA & Warner Bros. publishing exec, who left the AAA grind to help indie and AA studios thrive. Jon shares the unfiltered truth about indie game marketing: why most devs misunderstand it, how to validate your game without wasting years, and what it really takes to cut through the noise with limited budgets.
Expect deep dives into:
– The biggest misconceptions about indie game marketing
– Why 30–50% of your budget should go to marketing (and how to use it wisely)
– How to validate your game early with market research & paid UA
– Case study: saving a VR game with better store optimization & ads
– Steam wishlists: what they really mean and how to grow them effectively
– Using Reddit, Discord & Facebook groups to reach players authentically
– Why storytelling and community trust beat polished “corporate” marketing
– Building a lean, sustainable business in a tough games market
Whether you’re an indie dev, a marketing lead, or a founder aiming to launch your first game, this episode is a brutally honest masterclass on how to market smarter, avoid costly mistakes, and turn your game into a business that lasts.
Connect with Jon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonhanson1/
Website: https://skilltree-marketing.com/
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/SkillTreeMarketing/
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
In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Charlie Czerkawski, veteran game designer behind Shadowgun Legends and Payday 3, and now part of Sharkmob’s design leadership team on Exoborn. Charlie is also the author of Game Economy Design, and he pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build player-friendly yet profitable game economies. Expect deep dives into:
- What game economy design actually is (and how it differs from monetization)
- The biggest misconceptions developers have about economy design
- Vertical vs. horizontal progression, and why many games get it wrong
- Lessons from case studies like Clash Royale, Marvel Snap, and The Finals
- How to balance free vs. premium currency without alienating players
- Why testing “feels good” is harder than it sounds
- Career lessons from building his own studio and working across Europe
- Writing the go-to book on game economy design
Whether you’re an aspiring game designer, a live-ops manager, or a player curious about how games keep you hooked, this episode is a rare inside look into one of the most complex and misunderstood roles in game development. Connect with Charlie:
LinkedIn: / charles-lees-czerkawski-46293524
His book: https://www.routledge.com/Game-Econom…
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
YouTube: / @hphokou
Instagram: / hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net
In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Matej Lancaric, one of the most successful solopreneurs in the gaming industry, who scaled his one-person consultancy past €1.6M in revenue. Matej shares the unfiltered reality of solopreneurship: why you can’t treat it as a backup plan, how to survive the risk of losing big clients, and what it really takes to build and keep a thriving solo business.
Expect deep dives into:
– Why having a backup plan sets you up for failure
– The dangers of relying on one big client (and how to diversify)
– How to set boundaries and avoid scope creep
– The role of Substack, LinkedIn, and conferences in building trust
– Why consistency beats shortcuts every time
– Growing without turning into a traditional agency
– Building products and revenue streams on the side
Whether you’re a consultant, a service provider, or a founder considering going solo, this episode is a brutally honest masterclass on what it really takes to succeed as a 7-figure solopreneur.
Connect with Matej:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matejlancaric/
Substack: https://lancaric.substack.com/
Matej’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpu7cyygnCCCkUEMG2-JiHQ
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
In this episode, I sit down with Kate Edwards, CEO of Geogrify, culturalisation strategist, and former Executive Director of the IGDA, to unpack the hidden mistakes developers make when building games for a global audience.
From Age of Empires getting banned in South Korea, to the backlash around Indiana Jones, to why inclusivity and allegorical distance matter more than ever, Kate breaks down the cultural pitfalls that can derail even the biggest titles, and what studios can do to avoid them.
We cover:
– Why culturalisation is critical for global game success
– The real cost of ignoring stereotypes in game worlds
– How allegorical distance helps avoid offensive tropes
– What inclusivity in games looks like beyond tokenism
– The rise of social media backlash and how to handle it
– Lessons from 30+ years across Microsoft, IGDA, and Geogrify
Whether you’re an indie dev, AAA veteran, or just curious about how culture shapes games, this episode is a masterclass in building worlds that truly resonate with players everywhere.
Connect with Kate:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geogrify/
Check out SetJetters: https://setjetters.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
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
