PocketGamer.biz Podcast

In Part 2 of our deep dive into the world of rewarded ads, we move beyond the basics to explore how studios can master long-term campaign success through advanced technology and integrated design. Industry experts Zino Rost van Tonningen, CEO at TyrAds and Arseny Lebedev, Co-Founder & CEO at Original Games return to discuss why the "final boss" of monetization is the seamless merger of live ops and rewarded environments.

This episode covers the transition from simple metrics like early ROAS to a holistic view of user engagement and retention. Learn how AI-driven hyper-segmentation is becoming the only way to scale personalization, why monetization must be a core pillar of game design from day one, and how to avoid the pitfalls of over-optimizing too early. We conclude with a rapid-fire round of expert advice on what studios should start, stop, and watch in the coming year.

Chapters:
00:00 - Integrating Monetization into Game Design
03:41 - Measuring Beyond ROAS: The Importance of Early Engagement
07:48 - Growing the Baseline: Strategies for High-Value and Middle Segments
11:06 - The Dangers of Over-Optimization and Breaking Player Trust
14:01 - Troubleshooting Campaign Exhaustion and Event Setup
15:51 - AI and Hyper-Segmentation: The Future of Rewarded Ads
19:37 - The "Final Boss": Merging Live Ops with Rewarded Environments
21:31 - Rapid Fire: Expert Tips for Studios in 2026
24:20 - Personal Favorites: Runescape, Doom, and Subnautica 2

Let's Connect
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Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and features and data editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 95th episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.
On the show we discuss:
Appcharge's new report that claims direct-to-consumer platforms are banking $17 billion.
Google's rollout of new Play store fees, including a 20% platform tax not tied to Google Pay.
HoYoverse’s new game Honkai: Nexus Anima.
Why Scopely launched the Monopoly Go Chat app.
The Traitors WhatsApp game.
Layoffs at Kabam and the impending Microsoft cuts.
00:00 Introduction and Heatwave Experiences02:25 Pokémon Champions04:52 Patching old games with StarCraft 209:28 Direct-to-Consumer hits $17bn13:33 Honkai Nexus Anima
17:19 The Traitors Anywhere
20:36 Google Play fee changes
24:25 Monopoly Go Chat
28:20 Layoffs at Kabam
31:14 Outro
** Let's Connect **
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👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz
👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com
👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform
👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2025/👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, editorial director for events Mariam Ahmad and features and data editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 94th episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.On the show we discuss:- Takeaways from Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona 2026.- The UK social media ban for under-16s.- The launch of Pokémon Champions on mobile.- How Where Winds Meet made $22.1m on mobile in six months outside of China.- Unreal Engine for Fortnite creator payouts surpass $1 billion - and the Roblox vs Fortnite battle.- Whether GTA VI will really impact mobile game spending.
00:00 - Introductions
03:24 - PGC Barcelona Takeaways
11:37 - Pokémon Champions' Mobile Launch
15:27 - Fortnite vs Roblox
20:24 - The UK Under-16 Social Media Ban3
2:53 - Where Winds Meet Banks $22m
35:55 - Will GTA VI Impact Mobile Spending?** Let's Connect **👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2025/👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com

Explore the rapidly evolving landscape of rewarded ads in mobile gaming with industry experts. In this episode we dive into the shift from simple install-driven models to sophisticated, data-led strategies that integrate live ops and deep user segmentation. Our guests Zino Rost van Tonningen, CEO at TyrAds and Arseny Lebedev, Co-Founder & CEO at Original Games discuss the critical role of data structure in the age of AI and why a "one-size-fits-all" approach no longer works for monetization.

The discussion covers the diverse personas within the rewarded ecosystem—ranging from "rewards hunters" to dedicated casual players—and how these segments impact long-term profitability and LTV. Discover why rewarded ads are becoming a vital alternative for game discovery amidst the challenges of modern app store SEO.

This is Part 1 of our in-depth conversation. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we dive deeper into the evolving world of rewarded ads, exploring how studios can leverage AI for hyper-segmentation, the critical importance of integrating monetization directly into game design, and expert tips for accurately measuring long-term campaign success.

Timestamps:
00:00 - The Evolution of Rewarded Ads
02:40 - Data-Driven Market Correction
06:30 - A Publisher's Perspective on Rewarded UA
10:00 - High-Value User Behavior
12:50 - Balancing User Segments for Profitability
17:15 - Scalability and Competition
19:35 - The Four Main Rewarded Personas

** Let's Connect **
👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz
👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pocketgamer-biz/?originalSubdomain=uk
👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz
👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz

Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook, editorial director for events Mariam Ahmad and features and data editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 93rd episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.
On the show we discuss:
The growth of Spain and Portugal's games hubs and why they are attracting so many international publishers.
Record D2C revenue at the world's top games companies.
The confusion around Xbox's big reset.
The Candy Crush All Stars tournament that had a $1 million prize pool.
The ESA's letter warning the No Fakes Act could create legal uncertainty for the games industry.
How ARM aims to unlock triple-A graphics on mobile with Neural Dawn.