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.
Subscribe now to stay informed and inspired.
Visit https://xsolla.com/podcast to explore episodes, connect with our team, and access bonus resources to level up your business of play.
The Business of Games
The Long Game: Discovery After the Download — Featuring RTB House’s Ryan Goeden
Discovery used to be about visibility. Now it’s about architecture.
In this episode of Xsolla Conversations, Chris Hewish talks with Ryan Goeden, Gaming Sales Director of RTB House, to break down what it takes to drive game discovery in today’s fragmented, post-platform world. Drawing on more than a decade in mobile advertising, Ryan shares a clear-eyed view of how developers can build scalable, full-funnel systems that drive re-engagement, extend player lifetime, and recapture revenue.
They explore:
- How Big Huge Games used retargeting to scale discovery and drive 3.5x returns
- Why launching a web shop isn’t enough and what it takes actually to shift player behavior
- The rise of rewarded gaming apps and why they’re quietly reshaping user acquisition
- How to retarget without cannibalization (and why more overlap can boost results)
- The impact of privacy regulations, loss of device IDs, and why "good enough" data is still powerful
Ryan also offers insights into building effective retention loops, coordinating live ops and marketing, and why too many studios stop at user acquisition without investing in what comes next.
This episode is a must-listen for developers looking to take control of their discovery strategy and finally stop depending on platform handouts.
For more insights and resources, visit xsolla.com/podcast. Want to join the conversation? Use the contact form on our website to share your feedback and questions. Plus, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share the podcast with friends who want to learn more about the business of games.
