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.
The Business of Games
From platforms to players: 2025 reflections, 2026 predictions
Welcome to The Business of Games Podcast, brought to you by Xsolla.
In this episode, hosts Chris Hewish and Lia Ballentine close out the year with a special look back at 2025 and a forward look at the trends that will define 2026.
Instead of a single topic, this one pulls together voices from across the games ecosystem, from studios to platforms to service partners:
- Arron Goolsbey (COO, Mythical Games)
- David Kim (Publishing & Marketing Leader, Web3 Advisor)
- Jenny Xu (Founder & CEO, Talofa Games)
- Lauren Baca (Global VP of Marketing, Xsolla)
- Mark Long (CEO, Villain Studios)
- Olivier Perbet (Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer, IO Interactive)
- Travis Anderson (Global Head of Business Development, Xsolla Ads)
Together, they help map out how the business of games is changing, from regulation and revenue models to AI workflows, creator ecosystems, and the emotional realities of building games through another turbulent year.
We start with 2025 in review: platform rules shifting after Epic v. Google, the surprising rise of younger creators, the erosion of AAA’s monopoly, and the pressure facing studios as layoffs and pivots ripple through the industry.
From there, we turn to five key predictions for 2026:
- How regulation and open ecosystems could finally rebalance power between platforms and developers
- Why mobile is becoming the entry point to cross-device, transmedia game universes
- How AI will quietly become the creative “engine room” behind smaller, faster, more focused teams
- Why web shops will evolve from off-platform checkout pages into full player hubs and loyalty layers
- How the line between player and creator will dissolve as communities help shape both development and business models
Finally, we close with the human side of change: candid reflections on mental health, resilience, imposter syndrome, and gratitude for the careers and communities that make all of this possible.
By the end, you’ll have a clear snapshot of what 2025 actually changed and a practical sense of where to focus as 2026 begins.
Let’s get into it.
For more insights and resources, visit xsolla.com/podcast. Want to join the conversation? Follow and comment on our LinkedIn page at The Business of Games Podcast. That’s 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 who want to learn more about the business of games.
