While game director and sim genre maniac Director Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim seems to have delivered on the game at this stage in development, Krafton needs to step up to deliver on the title’s business promise. Krafton needs to flex its newly formed publishing arm quickly, or a franchise could slip away.

Phillip & Eric navigate the strangely subdued landscape of GDC 2025, pondering if there really is such a thing as a free lunch. Christopher Kaczmarczyk-Smith dials in, wondering if his absence is secretly the key to Eric’s roundtable success.

They dissect the talks, the conference economics, the rise of mobile’s respectability, and a guest in economy designer, Charlie Hsu.

In this episode:

– Is the game industry actually shrinking, or just taking a nap? And if Web3 isn’t the savior, what’s left besides… sweeps?
– Is GDC just a cleverly disguised wealth transfer from sponsors to developers?
– What’s the latest “reasonable” pitch for Web3 in games?
– What’s the economic model behind those San Francisco walk-up shops overflowing with candy bars right next to the register? High margins? A tourist trap? Something… else

Watch: https://lnkd.in/e66H5DR6
Listen: https://lnkd.in/ekQUjrKX

Netflix Games finally has a coherent strategy—hallelujah! Yet, despite this newfound clarity, it’s missing perhaps the most obvious acquisition opportunity since Sony scooped up Insomniac Games: Jackbox Games.

1. We have to want to live
   
   This revelation insight from former Machine Zone CEO Gabe Leydon spun my head throughout the conference. He’s right: our passion isn’t dead, but it’s undoubtedly been crowded out. Mobile obsesses over acquisition, while HD fixates on fundraising. New platform dreams—web3, AR/VR, HTML5, UGC—have largely fizzled. Yet these platforms persist, surviving but not thriving. Mock AR/VR as the “Dippin’ Dots of Games” if you like, but at least those developers burn with genuine passion.
   
   The rest of the industry must reignite the will to survive—the kind we see from firms like Supercell, Lessmore, and Hypehype.
   
2. AI start supply-side; innovation to follow
   
   Michail Katkoff made an excellent observation about the absence of the “world-changing” bravado heard from SF founders intoxicated by Paul Graham essays. Instead, the talks were pragmatic—topics like ” ‘Angry Birds’ and AI in Practice: Finding Our Own Way.” Games’ AI progress has been slower and more modest than I expected, but the supply-side evolution is well underway.
   
   The indie game section demonstrated this shift, overflowing with polished 3D worlds instead of the usual charming 2D sprites.
   
   There’s no shortage of seed AI ventures either, restoring my confidence that we’ll soon master this tool to advance the game-making craft. Realistically, we’re ~2-3 years from seeing a major mainstream AI-driven hit.
   
3. Mobile has finally earn industry peer respect
   
   It’s about time. While a decade late, HD developers and indies no longer dismiss “mobile” as trivial. I counted over 30 mobile-focused talks! Seeing companies like Scopely actively participate was an encouraging sign that mobile also wants to be a peer of the game industry, not the tech industry.
   
   GDC is a conference of peers, and it feels like that at each talk. It talks about actual developers sharing lessons and perspectives that advance the craft of game-making. Talks like “Tabletop Summit: Timeless Design Lessons from 25 Years of ‘Duel Masters’ TCG”.
   
   While many opt for the Expo-only pass (myself included in past years), I intend to get the full pass annually. I read a lot of copium from non-attendees, and they’re wrong; if you’re a developer, this is the place to be every year—if you’re serious about advancing the game craft, GDC is essential.
   
4. Sweeps, sweeps baby
   
   One of the few EXPLOSIVE growth sections has been in sweeps, or games where players earn virtual currency they can redeem for real-world prizes. While this is a regulatory timebomb, the results so far are breathtaking. I understand the muted enthusiasm from the developers, but the reality is that we need to approach everything with an open mind, including one of the new growth sectors. Like hypercasual, sweeps may look messy now, but their innovation inevitably trickles down.