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
In this episode, I sit down with Ada Mockute Jaime, CMO at Nordcurrent (Cooking Fever, Airplane Chefs) to unpack what’s actually working in mobile game marketing in 2025.
From UGC that turns into billion-view ads, to TikTok Lives that really convert to installs, Ada breaks down the tactics casual studios can copy tomorrow to scale faster and cheaper.
We cover:
– How to turn organic UGC into high-performing Spark Ads
– Why TikTok Lives do drive installs (and how to track it)
– What gameplay actually drives views: fast, chaotic clips that hook instantly
– Why Discord isn’t always the right community hub
– Smarter brand collabs: from Puma drops to QR “secret menus”
Whether you’re a marketer, game developer, or just curious how mobile games reach millions of players, this episode breaks down the strategies shaping game marketing in 2025.
Connect with Ada:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamockute/
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 🎮
This September, I’m excited to be attending the @Live Service Gaming Summit, a must-attend event for anyone building, scaling, or evolving live service games.
From content cadence and monetisation to backend resilience and community building, the summit dives deep into what it really takes to create games that last.
Check out the latest event agenda here: https://www.iqpc.com/events-live-service-gaming-summit/agenda-mc/?utm_source=Harry%20Phokou&utm_medium=External%20Email&utm_campaign=49350.002_LSGSummit_Harry_Phokou_NL_Agenda&utm_term=&utm_content=&disc=&extTreatId=7621796
💸 Use code PHOKOU20 for 20% off your pass
Let me know if you’re attending too, would love to connect!
#LSGSummit #LiveServiceGames #GameDev #GamingIndustry #LiveOps #GameDesign #Monetisation #GamingEvents
Featured Episodes
Recent Episodes
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.
Today’s guest is Raphael Colantonio, President and Creative Director at Wolf Eye Studios. Raphael Colantonio has been a prominent figure in the game industry since 1993. He founded Arkane Studios in 1999 and brought us classics like Arx Fatalis, Dark Messiah, Bioshock 2 (co-development), and the Dishonored series. With hundreds of awards to his name, Raphael co-founded WolfEye Studios in 2019, releasing Weird West in 2022. Besides his expertise in creative direction and game mechanics, Raphael is also a talented musician, having composed music for Dishonored, Prey, and Weird West. In this podcast, he shares his journey from Arkane Studios to founding WolfEye, diving into his passion for game development, the challenges of creating games, the importance of long-term teams, and managing a remote studio. This podcast is for anyone interested in game development, from aspiring developers and studio founders to gaming enthusiasts looking for behind-the-scenes insights.
Today’s guest is Kshiraj Telang, a seasoned artist and Art Director at Moon Active. With over 20 years in the entertainment industry, including over a decade in mobile games, Kshiraj has worked at 11 gaming studios worldwide, gaining a unique perspective on diverse environments. He began his career as a cartoonist, evolving into roles as an animator, web artist, and flash game designer. Now, Kshiraj leads a talented team at Moon Active, providing vision for the company and its products. He also launched the ‘Doodles to Downloads’ podcast to give back to the industry and share insights on game art. In this podcast, he shares insights into the differences in work culture between various countries and the impact of these experiences on his professional development. Kshiraj also discusses the challenges and strategies of managing a globally distributed remote team. Additionally, he touches on how to become a better leader and the critical role of decision-making. This episode offers valuable inspiration and practical advice for aspiring or senior artists and leaders in the gaming industry.
Today’s guest is Selim Ozturk, Founder and Director of The Pixel Movement, a global gaming recruitment agency. With over 12 years of experience, Selim has been instrumental in connecting top talent with leading gaming companies worldwide.
In this episode, Selim shares his journey into gaming recruitment, insights into the industry’s hiring trends, and advice for both job seekers and employers in the gaming sector.
If you’re looking to break into the gaming industry or seeking top talent for your gaming company, this episode offers valuable perspectives.
In this episode, we sit down with John Smith, a veteran game developer known for his work on several AAA titles.
John shares his experiences working in large development teams, the importance of storytelling in games, and his perspective on the current state of the gaming industry.
Whether you’re a gamer or aspiring developer, John’s insights are invaluable.
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
