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
Discover how The Baby in Yellow, an indie horror game born from a game jam, exploded to over 300 million downloads — without any marketing budget or VC funding. In this episode, Greg Lee, co-founder of Team Terrible, shares how content creators, viral design strategies, and long-term thinking helped them turn a side project into a global hit. From leaving Rockstar to building a 12-person indie studio, Greg dives deep into:
- The early days of viral traction
- Designing for shareability and YouTube
- Monetization without selling out
- Building a passionate fanbase
- Advice for aspiring indie developers
If you’re a game dev, indie founder, or creative entrepreneur, this is your blueprint for building something that markets itself. Learn how to go viral, build a studio, and create lasting IP in the age of short attention spans.
Connect with Greg:
LinkedIn: 
/ greg-lee-40aa1276
X: https://x.com/heyimgreg
The Baby in Yellow:
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de…
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-bab…
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/22…
Discord: 
/ discord
Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: / hphokou
YouTube: 
/ @hphokou
Instagram: 
/ hphokou
Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net
Featured Episodes
Recent Episodes
Today’s guest is Callum Godfrey, the Head of Third Party Publishing at nDreams. With over 20 years in the gaming industry, Callum has worked with major players like Activision, EA, King, and Wargaming. He’s been involved in everything from AAA titles to mobile games and now focuses on the fast-evolving world of VR. These days, he’s back to being hands-on with game teams, leading third-party publishing at nDreams, and pushing the boundaries of VR gaming. In this podcast, he shares his journey through the gaming industry, offering valuable insights on understanding your audience, prioritizing LiveOps, and pitching to publishers. He also explores the future of AAA games and provides practical tips for handling layoffs. Whether you’re a game developer or part of a gaming studio aiming to publish your game or implement LiveOps effectively, this podcast is for you.
Today’s guest is Chris O’Connell, a renowned recruitment mentor and host of The Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast. Chris is a former global top biller at SThree and the founder of a £25M recruitment business, which he successfully scaled and sold. With over 75,000 LinkedIn followers and a track record of mentoring over 50 businesses, Chris now helps recruitment leaders build purpose-driven, high-performing companies. He specializes in leadership coaching, talent management, business development, and strategy execution, guiding leaders through transformational growth and exit strategies. In this podcast, Chris O’Connell shares heartfelt lessons from his coaching experience and personal struggles. He opens up about the tough challenges that shaped him, offering advice on how to stay resilient, lead with purpose, and keep growing. You’ll also hear practical tips on business development and creating a healthy work-life balance. This podcast is perfect for CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners who want to grow both personally and professionally while building stronger, more successful businesses.
Today’s guest is Christina-Marie Drake, a leading recruiter at Ghostpunch Games and founder of Moms in Gaming. With nearly a decade of experience in HR and recruitment, including five years in the gaming industry, Christina-Marie has helped connect top talent to game studios through her expertise in social networking, leadership, and strategic initiatives. A former recruiter at Naughty Dog, she transitioned from contract work to full-time roles, driven by her passion for candidate experience and human connection. Christina-Marie is also a proud Women in Games Ambassador and LinkedIn Top Voice. In this podcast, she shares practical steps for handling a layoff, from preparation to securing your next job. She discusses her own layoff experience and offers advice on building a master resume, deciding whether to learn new skills or keep applying, and filling gaps in your resume. Christina also addresses age-related concerns in job hunting and how to broaden your search to different titles. The episode wraps up with a Q&A session for additional insights. This podcast is for professionals facing or recovering from layoffs, career changers, and anyone looking to enhance their job search strategies.
Today’s guest is Simran Whitham, founder and CEO of FORMAT, the award-winning events production and creative agency. With over 8 years of experience in marketing and production across the events, video games, and digital creative industries, Simran has co-founded and worked as Head of Marketing at Tri-Heart Interactive, Head of Player Engagement at Milky Tea, Lead Social Media Manager at The Lowry Theatre, and marketing executive at VR/AR studio XR Games. Along the way, he gained invaluable experience that inspired him to create FORMAT, a leading games industry community nightlife event. In this episode, Simran delves into the secrets behind organizing successful and profitable events. He shares the journey of FORMAT, from its inception to groundbreaking gaming events, and offers practical advice on everything from generating lead flow and tracking attendees to finding the balance between profitability and fun. Simran also provides insights on overcoming challenges, networking strategies, and how to make your event stand out. This podcast is ideal for event planners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the events and games industries. Whether you’re looking to launch your first event or seeking ways to optimize and grow your existing business, this podcast is for you.
In this episode, we sit down with Tarak Ford, an experienced leader in team development and organizational growth. Tarak shares his insights on building effective teams, fostering a positive work culture, and strategies for scaling organizations.
Whether you’re a team leader, manager, or aspiring to build successful teams, this conversation offers valuable perspectives.
Today’s guest is… me, Harry Phokou. I was invited to join Andrew Pappas on the Indie Game Movement podcast to discuss business development. In this episode, I shared my journey of launching a ghostwriting business back in April and offered practical tips on leveraging LinkedIn for growth in the gaming industry. We covered personal branding, optimizing LinkedIn profiles, starting meaningful conversations, and creating content that attracts leads. I also explored consulting opportunities and highlighted the importance of maintaining effort and momentum for sustained business growth. If you’re an indie game developer or industry professional seeking practical tips and strategies to enhance your business development and leverage LinkedIn for growth, this podcast is for you.
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
