In their case, that work was the procedural generation of smartphone games. Years later, with that data and money in hand, the makers of this game-making machine, which focused entirely on «garbage» free-to-play slot machines, used GDC as a wake-up call to an industry where the «right» messages often revolve around listening to players, sidling up to publishers, and racking up critical acclaim. In their case, eschewing all of that worked a little too well for their comfort level. Intwo video game makers had been trying for years to make it in the burgeoning mobile games space. One of them, Maming Money making machine games, had helped get the solid mobile swiping-action game Jack Lumber off the ground. In a past life, I gave that game a good review at the now defunct tablet-only magazine The Daily. Both games operated in a pay-once, machie model without microtransactions. Both attracted awards, recognition, good expo showings, and publishers. Both failed to take off....