PocketGamer.biz Podcast

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

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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, 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.

Recorded live on-site at GDC, host Peggy Anne Salz sits down with Derek Day and Jamie Young, the cousins behind Emerald City Games, to talk about what it really takes to build an independent studio that lasts.

Emerald City started in a basement in 2008, with families upstairs, developers downstairs and a team doing whatever it took to keep the dream alive. Fast forward and the studio has shipped more than a dozen titles across original IP and major franchises, including Star Trek and Tomb Raider.

Derek and Jamie share how Emerald City has stayed independent by balancing creativity with survival, building strong internal tools, protecting its visual identity and staying flexible enough to work across original worlds, licensed IP and live mobile games.

Skillz enters the conversation as the infrastructure layer that helps studios like Emerald City keep that focus. By bringing competition systems, backend support, analytics and live ops tooling closer together, Skillz gives developers more room to build the parts players actually feel: the game, the world, the community and the experience.

In this episode, Peggy, Derek and Jamie get into:
How two cousins built Emerald City Games from a basement into a long-running independent studio
Why staying independent means knowing when to say no, even when opportunities come calling
How the team puts its own creative stamp on major franchises like Star Trek and Tomb Raider
Why retention, live ops and community now shape how mobile games are built from the start
Why integrated SDKs, analytics and platform tools can give indie teams more room to punch above their weight

For indie developers, Emerald City’s story is proof that survival is a strategy. Stay creative, stay adaptable, build the right team and use the right tools so you can keep shipping the games only you can make.

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👉🏻 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 and features and data editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 92nd episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.
On the show we discuss:
Our interview with Sensor Tower's Tom Cui on why it acquired AppMagic.
Xbox's rebrand, player voice and hire of Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer.
Nintendo's new mobile app Pictonico.
The rise of UGC platform Melon Sandbox.
Fortnite's big return to the App Store worldwide - except for Australia.
Nex Playground's success and global expansion.
00:00 - Introduction and Personal Updates04:09 - Sensor Tower Acquires AppMagic10:04 - Fortnite's Return to the App Store13:34 - Nintendo's Pictonico!17:59 - Xbox's Branding Change21:49 - Leadership Changes at Xbox25:00 - Next Playground: A New Motion-Based Console30:20 - The Rise of Melon Sandbox
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👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz
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👉🏻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/
👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform
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PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 91st episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.
On the show we discuss:
Sensor Tower's acquisition of rival AppMagic.
Time and Business Insider's moves to follow the New York Times Games playbook with the launch of new games.
Nintendo Switch 2 sales and the company's share price fall.
Sega's brutal comments on the Rovio acquisition.
Ebay's rejection of GameStop's surprise proposal to buy the company.
The new Wordle TV show, which sounds oddly familiar...
00:00 Introductions07:54 Gamescom LATAM takeaways11:33 Sensor Tower acquires AppMagic16:10 Nintendo's Financials and Switch 2 sales22:32 Ebay rejects GameStop's purchase offer26:25 Time and Business Insider Games29:06 Sega Financials and Rovio's Performance36:16 Wordle gets a TV show
** 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/
👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform
👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com