Gaming Decoded: A Games Business Podcast

Most games don’t fail because they’re bad. They fail because no one knows who they’re for. In this episode of Gaming Decoded, Andrea Rene sits down with Tracey McGarrigan, founder and CEO of Ansible Comms and Tech Advisors, a strategic marketing and communications consultancy working with games studios and executives around the world. They break down what actually drives success in game launches, and why so many studios get it wrong. She also shares the real story of a game that went to the community and said: get us 100,000 Steam wishlists or we cancel this project, and what happened next.They unpack:-What a real go-to-market (GTM) strategy looks like-Why defining your audience early is non-negotiable-The biggest communication breakdowns inside studios-How indie teams can do effective marketing without big budgets-Why “launch day” matters less than everGlossary Decoded: Go-to-Market StrategyChapters:00:00 What Is a Go-To-Market Strategy?00:50 Why Game Marketing Feels Like “Dark Arts”02:15 The Biggest Communication Mistakes in Studios05:15 Why Teams Ignore Marketing Until It’s Too Late06:50 Start Here: Defining Success08:00 The Real Meaning of “Target Audience”10:15 Fixing Misalignment Inside Game Studios13:20 Who Is Your Game Actually For?14:40 Why Developers Skip Audience Definition17:15 How Indie Teams Can Do Marketing Without Budget19:15 Events vs Digital: Where to Find Your Audience21:05 Using Showcases (Steam Next Fest, etc.)23:45 What Is a GTM Strategy? (Glossary Decoded)24:50 What a Strong GTM Plan Actually Includes27:10 The Risk of Undocumented Marketing Strategy29:00 Real Story: Canceling a Game Before Launch33:10 Why Failure Can Be a Strategic Win Connect with Tracey McGarrigan:LinkedIn: http://www/linkedin.com/in/tamcgarriganAnsible Comms: http://www.ansiblecomms.comLearn more about Vivrato: http://www.vivrato.comConnect with Gaming Decoded: [email protected] on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/teamvivratoConnect with Andrea ReneInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/andrearene_LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/andreareneWebsite: http://www.andrearene.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/andrearene.bsky.social

The games industry has a structural problem that most studios refuse to name: development and publishing have been at war for decades, and players are paying the price.In this episode of Gaming Decoded, host Andrea Rene sits down with Jonathan Lander, CEO & Founder of Square Corners Consulting and a Vivrato Visionary with over two decades leading online games at CCP (EVE Online) and ZeniMax Online (Elder Scrolls Online). Jon makes the case that the siloed model most studios still operate under was designed for physical retail in the 90s and has no business running a live service game in 2025.He also argues that the industry is still in its early stage of professionalization, roughly equivalent to where pharma was when it was still figuring out what medicine actually meant, and explains what it will take to grow up.This episode covers:Why development and publishing silos actively damage the quality of gamesHow to build an integrated studio model that actually worksThe live service chicken-and-egg problem: great game first, or great product first?Why listening too closely to your community might be hurting youWhy you should make games for demographics you are not part ofThe untapped opportunity in making games for Gen AlphaGlossary Decoded: PublishingTimestamps:00:00 – What It Takes to Launch a Live Service Game01:22 – The Biggest Problems in the Game Industry Today02:14 – Why “Anyone Can Make a Game” Changed Everything03:20 – The Collapse of Traditional Publishing Models08:56 – From Silos to Integration: The Future of Development11:15 – Why Marketing Must Start Earlier13:00 – The Real Challenge of Live Service Games18:40 – Roblox, Fortnite & the Future of Engagement21:19 – Why “One Game for Everyone” Doesn’t Exist22:28 – Niche Games vs Mass Market Strategy27:10 – Why Games Get Canceled Mid-Development28:00 – The Danger of Dev vs Publishing Disconnect28:54 – The Rise of Community Power31:32 – The Right Way to Use Player Feedback37:23 – Proof That Integration Works39:12 – Advice for Future Game Leaders41:22 – Glossary Decoded: What “Publishing” Really MeansConnect with Jon:Square Corners Consulting: http://www.squarecornersconsulting.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-lander-9364101/Learn more about Vivrato: http://www.vivrato.comConnect with Gaming Decoded: [email protected] on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/teamvivratoConnect with Andrea Rene: http://www.andrearene.comInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/andrearene_LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/andreareneX: http://www.x.com/andreareneBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/andrearene.bsky.social

What do you get when you interview over 350 games industry leaders and ask them the same question? 173 different answers. That's the problem Adam Boyes set out to solve.In the inaugural episode of Gaming Decoded, host Andrea Rene sits down with Adam Boyes, founder and CEO of Vivrato Consultancy, to talk about why the games business is struggling despite more players and more money in the market than ever before. Adam explains the research behind Vivrato's Deck of Games Industry Challenges, why the era of the manufactured blockbuster may be over, and why the most important shift any aspiring studio founder can make is to understand they are building a business first, and a video game second.They also cover:- How to get noticed when breaking into the games industry- Why the industry needs to move from competition to community- The gardening model of game development and why it matters now- What it means to preserve the heart and soul of games in an AI age- Whether you're a studio founder, an investor, a developer trying to navigate the current climate, or someone who wants to work in games, this episode is your starting point.Glossary Decoded: DeveloperLearn more about Vivrato: http://www.vivrato.comConnect with Gaming Decoded: [email protected] on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/teamvivratoConnect with Adam Boyes:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamboyes/Connect with Andrea ReneInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/andrearene_LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/andreareneX: http://www.x.com/andreareneBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/andrearene.bsky.social

What do you get when you interview over 350 games industry leaders and ask them the same question? 173 different answers. That's the problem Adam Boyes set out to solve.In the inaugural episode of Gaming Decoded, host Andrea Rene sits down with Adam Boyes, founder and CEO of Vivrato, to talk about why the games business is struggling despite more players and more money in the market than ever before. Adam explains the research behind Vivrato's Deck of Games Industry Challenges, why the era of the manufactured blockbuster may be over, and why the most important shift any aspiring studio founder can make is to understand they are building a business first, and a video game second. They also cover:How to get noticed when breaking into the games industry Why the industry needs to move from competition to communityThe gardening model of game development and why it matters nowWhat it means to preserve the heart and soul of games in an AI ageWhether you're a studio founder, an investor, a developer trying to navigate the current climate, or someone who wants to work in games, this episode is your starting point.Glossary Decoded: DeveloperLearn more about Vivrato: http://www.vivrato.comConnect with Gaming Decoded: [email protected] on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/teamvivratoConnect with Adam Boyes:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamboyes/Connect with Andrea ReneInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/andrearene_LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/andreareneX: http://www.x.com/andreareneBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/andrearene.bsky.social

Welcome to Gaming Decoded: A Games Business Podcast from Vivrato Consultancy. Each week, we pull back the curtain on the strategies and stories that power the world’s most successful game makers and industry leaders. Hosted by Andrea Rene and powered by Vivrato, each episode features industry operators, creators, and leaders sharing actionable lessons, market intelligence, and practical advice for developers, publishers, studio executives, VCs, and tech partners shaping games today and tomorrow.  Learn more at http://www.vivrato.com