The Business of Games
The Business of Games: A podcast for developers, publishers, and executives navigating the ever-changing game industry.
From monetization models to player behavior, from platform shifts to emerging markets, The Business of Games is your guide to all the things transforming how games are built, marketed, and scaled.
Hosted by Chris Hewish and Lia Ballentine, each episode blends strategic insight, cinematic storytelling, and candid conversations with the people driving the business of play. You’ll hear from top executives inside studios and strategic partners across the ecosystem who are uncovering the ideas, tactics, and trends shaping tomorrow’s opportunities.
Whether you’re launching your first game or scaling a global studio, you’ll find practical strategies, future-forward thinking, and real-world examples you can act on right away.
The Business of Games is brought to you by Xsolla, your strategic partner behind the scenes. We bring together “All the Things” to help you simplify operations, unlock new revenue, reach more players, and launch fast.
Visit xsolla.com to learn more, connect with our team, and access all the things you need to level up your business of play. Want to join the conversation? Follow and comment on our LinkedIn page at The Business of Games Podcast, where we’ll be sharing updates, highlights, and continuing the discussion. And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share the podcast with friends and colleagues who want to learn more about the business of games.
Episodes
35 episodes
Live from GDC: Coffee, conversations, and the business of games
The executive summary: what GDC 2026 revealed about the future of games
Authenticity at scale: Mac Marshall on what direct-to-consumer really means for brand and comms
Curation, control, and connection: David Pava on the real work of direct-to-consumer marketing
From campaigns to trust: what direct-to-consumer really means for marketing
Direct to player: the five principles reshaping the business of games
Retail, rewired: gift cards, payments, and the business of access
Discoverability is the new retail: how games get found, bought, and sustained
Retail in games: from holiday peaks to always-on strategy
Welcome to Season 2 of The Business of Games Podcast
From platforms to players: 2025 reflections, 2026 predictions
Web3 & Games Part 3: Building What Comes Next
Building the open garden: Web3 insights from Mythical Games’ Arron Goolsbey
A sustainable framework for Web3 games: insights from AppsFlyer’s Brian Murphy
Invisible Web3, smarter launches: a playbook for indies with Mark Long, CEO of Villain Studios
Web3 & Games Part 2: The Ongoing Experiment
Web3 and games: beyond the hype with David Kim
Web3 and Games Part 1: The What, Why, and Why Not (Yet)
Building worlds, sustaining play: IOI’s Olivier Perbet on LiveOps, IP, and the future of AAA games
Building in motion: Jenny Xu on Gen Z, LiveOps, and fitness as play
The Gen Z effect: redefining games, identity, and community
LiveOps unlocked: turning gameplay into growth
The executive summary: winners, risks, and next bets from Gamescom
The impact of LiveOps on the business of games
Building community through content creators