The Gaming Playbook with Harry Phokou

Gaming Industry Podcast

Conversations That Unpack the 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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Why Small Game Teams Are Starting To Beat AAA Studios | Alexandre Amancio
Game Careers Game Development
May 14, 2026

Why Small Game Teams Are Starting To Beat AAA Studios | Alexandre Amancio

AAA games are getting too big, and it’s breaking the industry. In this episode, game director Alexandre Amancio (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry) breaks down why massive teams, bloated scope, and risk-averse design are hurting modern game development, and why smaller,.

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Why Small Game Teams Are Starting To Beat AAA Studios | Alexandre Amancio
Game Careers Game Development
May 14, 2026

Why Small Game Teams Are Starting To Beat AAA Studios | Alexandre Amancio

AAA games are getting too big, and it’s breaking the industry. In this episode, game director Alexandre Amancio (Assassin’s Creed,...

A Supercell Producer’s Secret to Running Retros That Actually Work | Maria Maunula
Game Development
May 7, 2026

A Supercell Producer’s Secret to Running Retros That Actually Work | Maria Maunula

Why do most retrospectives fail, and how do you turn them into a real driver of team performance? In this...

Former Hasbro CEO: You Can License Big IPs as an Indie Dev (Here’s How) | Tom Dusenberry
Game Development Gaming Investment
April 23, 2026

Former Hasbro CEO: You Can License Big IPs as an Indie Dev (Here’s How) | Tom Dusenberry

What does it actually take to build successful games in 2026 and beyond? Today, I’m joined by Tom Dusenberry, former...

How to Build a Sustainable Game Studio in an Unsustainable Industry | Dru Erridge
Game Development Gaming Investment
April 9, 2026

How to Build a Sustainable Game Studio in an Unsustainable Industry | Dru Erridge

How do you build a sustainable studio in an unsustainable industry? In this episode, I sit down with Dru Erridge...

Do Indies Need Publishers? The Answer From Someone Who’s Been Both | Andrei Podoprigora
Game Development Gaming Investment
March 31, 2026

Do Indies Need Publishers? The Answer From Someone Who’s Been Both | Andrei Podoprigora

Do indie game developers actually need publishers? After 20 years in the industry as a developer, studio founder, and publisher,...

Mobile Game Publishing in 2026: What Publishers Actually Want | Elena Lobova
Game Development Game Marketing
March 24, 2026

Mobile Game Publishing in 2026: What Publishers Actually Want | Elena Lobova

Learn how mobile game publishing really works in 2026, from user acquisition costs to what publishers actually look for when...

Why Game Studios Lose Clarity (And Why It Hurts Production) | Anastasia Zaiceva
Game Development Recruitment & HR
March 10, 2026

Why Game Studios Lose Clarity (And Why It Hurts Production) | Anastasia Zaiceva

What does a game studio brand really mean beyond a logo or color palette? Today, I’m joined by Anastasia Zaiceva,...

Why Most Careers Stall (And How I Built a $10K/Month Business in 90 Days) | Harry Phokou
Personal Branding
March 4, 2026

Why Most Careers Stall (And How I Built a $10K/Month Business in 90 Days) | Harry Phokou

In this episode, I join Jonny Rose to share how I built Hivemind into a leading go-to-market marketing agency for...

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Harry Phokou hosting The Gaming Playbook

The Gaming Playbook Host

Meet Harry

Harry Phokou is the host of The Gaming Playbook, where he has interviewed 200+ gaming industry leaders to uncover the strategies, decisions, and playbooks behind the industry's most successful companies and operators. He is the founder of Hivemind, which he grew using LinkedIn by turning content into consistent deal flow — a system that now powers dozens of founder-led brands. Through Hivemind World and Hivemind Marketing, he has hosted 20+ industry mixers connecting studios, publishers, and B2B partners, and has used LinkedIn to tour 30+ game studios across Europe. Read more