(To learn how Game Data Pros can help you optimize your games, contact us)
In 2024, we held the first-ever Revenue Optimization in Games Mini-Summit at GDC. We did it because we didn’t like that there aren’t many revenue optimization talks at GDC and that, in general, the idea of “Game Revenue Optimization” doesn’t seem to get much, if any, mindshare at industry conferences.
So, instead of grousing, we organized our own summit in 2024. The feedback we got was incredible — the attendees loved the event, they thought the talks were amazing, and, more generally, they spent the next year asking us if we were going to do it again.
Spoiler Alert— We did. We rented the same venue (the incredible American Bookbinders Museum), ordered a few thousand dollars worth of goat-cheese tarts and coconut macaroons, invited the world, and put on a show.
And what a show it was!
First and foremost, we had a set of world-class talks
After a brief introduction by Pallas Horwitz, the day’s emcee, the talks began at 2:15. We had five speakers.
- Our CEO, Bill Grosso, opened the show with “10 Reasons MMMs Are More Interesting Than You Think” — an overview of how Generative AI combines with open-source libraries like Meridian to make building a good and useful MMM much more accessible to small companies than it was even 5 years ago (slides).
- Then Ryo Shima, CEO of JetSynthesys Japan, presented “How Game Revenue Optimization is Different in Japan” — an in-depth discussion of the behavioral differences between Japanese and Western gamers, and how that impacts monetization strategies (slides).
- Tiffany Keller, one of the superstars at Liquid and Grit, followed Ryo and gave a talk on “Advanced Hybrid Monetization.” This was the graduate seminar version of the roundtable she held last February and was a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in hybrid monetization.
- And, finally, Joost Van Dreunen and Julian Runge closed the presentation part of the day by presenting a sweeping overview of the future of brand engagement with gaming (slides).
Second, we had an amazing audience
Like last year, we were slightly nervous about this — the room only holds 105 people, and we had 340 people registered. Ultimately, we decided to issue 180 tickets. 75 people came, most stayed for the entire summit, and the event turned into a caffeine-fueled group conversation about revenue optimization.
As a side note, the audience included at least one certified game design legend among the other luminaries.
Third, the happy hour was delightful
“Most awesome part of GDC.” — Evan Van Zelfden
The combination of the incredible speakers and the amazing audience meant that the happy hour was more than just an excuse to have salmon brioches and artichoke salad while downing plastic glasses of red wine. The food was good, but the conversations were excellent and lasted until the museum closed.