#55 – Frode Krisner: Why Game Discovery Is Broken (And What Actually Works in 2026)

How do you actually get your game discovered in 2026, without killing creativity?

In this episode, I sit down with Frode Krisner, Founder and Co-CEO at Gameopedia, the hidden data layer powering discovery for YouTube, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and others, reaching over a billion gamers every year.

We explore how game discovery really works, why genre is breaking down, how emotional data beats tags, and how AI can amplify creativity instead of replacing it.

If you’re a game developer, founder, publisher, investor, or strategist, this episode will permanently change how you think about discovery, data, and creativity in games.

Hivemind: B2B Gaming Events
Curated roundtable mixers for founders and executives in the games industry.
Food and drinks provided.
2026 event calendar now live.
https://hivemind.world/

Connect with Frode:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frode-krisner-87692b6/
Website: https://gameopedia.com/
Lumos: https://asklumos.com/

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:15 Why Gameopedia exists and what it actually does
04:03 How gaming saved Frode’s life
06:27 How data actually decides which games get discovered
09:16 Lumos: turning game data into real developer decisions
11:30 How Gameopedia actually works behind the scenes
14:04 How specific features shape a game’s success or failure
17:08 When data helps creativity — and when it ruins it
20:28 Why most developers compare against the wrong games
22:54 When data-driven thinking actually hurts innovation
25:33 How publishers and investors really judge games
26:32 Using data to strengthen your pitch (not fake it)
28:05 Catching fatal game mistakes before it’s too late
33:10 Why game tagging is broken (and genres don’t help)
38:34 Making serious game data accessible to indie devs
42:19 Why players don’t choose games by genre
48:48 How broken tagging systems hurt discovery
54:17 The Gameopedia flywheel explained
59:32 Building a company with extreme time and energy limits
01:06:01 Hiring great people (and what founders get wrong)
01:15:55 The best interview question founders should ask
01:18:51 Leadership, suffering, and self-reflection
01:24:03 Asking for help without losing authority
01:26:19 Facing fear to unlock growth
01:35:53 Why caring about people actually matters