Jonathan Lander

In the fast-paced world of live service gaming, getting fresh, engaging content to players is essential for retaining their attention, but how can studios maintain top-notch quality under pressure? In this session, panelists will discuss ways in which the live service player demographic is changing and what that means for the type, quality, and quantity of content players expect. Learn to adapt by:

• Identifying your current core audience.
• Balancing the quantity of content output, with designing a game that caters to a variety of player abilities.
• Optimizing your studio’s technical infrastructure and team’s expertise to improve observability, the integration of player feedback, and reduce downtime and errors.

Should studios build one universal experience or tailor their games to regional audiences? This in-depth fireside chat with Chase Shi, a Senior Director of Product on Diablo, at Blizzard Entertainment, walks through the strategic and technical trade-offs of localization versus global standardization, using a case study. Attendees will get a glimpse into:

• Interpreting player data to assess demand for localized features and content.
• Balancing content velocity and quality when operating a universal versus regionally adapted game.
• Evaluating long-term engagement strategies based on cultural relevance and platform expectations.

Decline is part of the product lifecycle…or is it? Running multiple live service games on a single platform can unlock major efficiencies, but it’s not without its trade-offs. In this session led by Pawan Gaargi, Chief Product Officer at Monumental, he will share examples from their playbook outlining why their studio has chosen this approach, what they’re evolving, and how they balance strategic goals with backend complexity by:

• Tackling ‘Foundational Hygiene,’ ‘Opportunity Identification,’ and ‘Roadmap Execution.’
• Navigating technical challenges like scalability, data separation, and update management.
• Evolving platform strategy to support growth, flexibility, and long-term sustainability.