315. From Space Ape to Duolingo via Supercell with Simon Hade

What actually happens after the hit games, the acquisitions, and the “success”?

In this episode, Simon Hade, co-founder of Space Ape Games, walks through the uncomfortable middle of game company building: from Playfish → Space Ape → Supercell → NextBeat → Duolingo.

This isn’t a victory lap. It’s a post-mortem on genre mastery vs. exploration, lean LiveOps, why copying the Supercell playbook breaks most studios, and why Simon ultimately left games to help build Duolingo’s music and learning products.

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

00:43 The Birth of Space Ape

03:26 Fundraising Challenges and Successes

07:48 Innovations and Strategic Moves

13:27 Lean LiveOps Philosophy

16:51 Supercell Acquisition and Cultural Shifts

18:50 Reflections and Lessons Learned

38:59 Spinning Outta Supercell

40:26 Exploring Duolingo Partnership

44:37 Relentless Optimization at Duolingo

49:13 Transitioning to Duolingo

55:42 The Price of Being a Founder

01:03:05 Reflections on Success and Future