Designer Notes 96: Owen Mahoney - Idle Thumbs

What this episode covers

In this episode, Soren interviews Owen Mahoney, who served first as the CFO and then as the CEO of Nexon. They discuss what the transition to free-to-play meant for game design, how to make sure your company has the right type of shareholders, and how close Nexon came to buying Riot. This episode was recorded on March 11, 2026, and was engineered by Michael Hermes. Games discussed: Pong, Spacewar, Choplifter, RobotWar, QuizQuiz, MapleStory, KartRider, Stellaris, League of Legends, Minecraft, ARC Raiders, Lethal Company

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Idle Thumbs?

This episode is 1 hour and 29 minutes long.

When was this Idle Thumbs episode published?

This episode was published on July 6, 2026.

What is this episode about?

In this episode, Soren interviews Owen Mahoney, who served first as the CFO and then as the CEO of Nexon. They discuss what the transition to free-to-play meant for game design, how to make sure your company has the right type of shareholders, and...

Can I download this Idle Thumbs episode?

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