Chris is CEO of Neon, which he founded in 2022 to help game developers build direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies and tools to create lasting brands. Before founding Neon, Chris gained extensive experience in eCommerce, fintech, and strategy roles. He worked at Apple on the strategy for Apple Pay, Apple Card, and Apple Pay Later. At Affirm, he held leadership positions in commercial strategy, contributing to the company’s growth from Series B through its IPO. Chris also played a key role in launching the fintech company ONE, backed by Walmart and Ribbit Capital. Earlier in his career, he worked at Facebook and Booz & Company, gaining expertise in go-to-market strategy and corporate development.

As the head of Meridian Play, Ilya helps developers and publishers expand their games into new markets like China. He brings over a decade of experience navigating the gaming markets in China and APAC. He started his career at Tinno Mobile Corp., and went on to lead APAC Business Development for 4+ years at MY.GAMES & MY.GAMES Venture Capital.

Teppei has spent the past decade investing in the future of gaming, entertainment, and consumer technology. As General Partner at GFR Fund, he’s been instrumental in supporting companies like VRChat, Hiber, Freedom Games, and Omeda Studios, helping them shape the way we play, connect, and create. With his background spanning venture capital, corporate strategy, and even game development, Teppei brings a unique perspective to the evolving gaming landscape.

Nikita has been with Nekki for over seven years, playing a pivotal role in shaping their global business strategy. Nekki, as many of you may know, is the publisher behind the hit midcore game series Shadow Fight and other popular titles like Vector, which have collectively reached over 1 billion installs. Nekki is branching into the Console & PC market with their upcoming project - Spine. As Chief Business Development Officer, Nikita is responsible for everything from forging partnerships with major industry players to driving Nekki’s expansion efforts into new platforms.

Saikala’s career spans leadership roles at top-tier companies like Ubisoft, Product Madness, Space Ape Games, and Miniclip, where she honed her expertise in user acquisition, mobile advertising, and growth strategy. Most recently, she served as SVP of Marketing at Ace Games, helping drive their vision of creating globally beloved mobile games. 

Emily is a veteran of the gaming industry and a trailblazer for women in leadership roles. She’s best known as the Co-Founder and former CEO of Kongregate, where she oversaw its transformation into a powerhouse in mobile game publishing. After leaving Kongregate, Emily founded Double Loop Games, a mobile games studio. Most recently, she’s transitioned into a venture partner role at 1Up Ventures, while also advising and investing in various game startups.

Eden is the Founder and CEO of Pragma—a fully scalable and extensible backend engine that powers live service games. Eden and his team of engineering leaders—who previously built the platforms behind some of the largest games like League of Legends, Valorant, and Destiny 2—are focused on helping studios build successful live service games. Before Pragma, Eden co-founded Fishermen Labs, an AR and VR development studio that became one of the fastest-growing companies in Los Angeles. In addition to his work at Pragma, Eden has an impressive portfolio as an investor and advisor, backing game studios like Frost Giant, Mountaintop, and Lightforge Games.

Warren Woodward co-founded Upptic in 2019, where he has spearheaded full-stack growth marketing initiatives for leading games. With over a decade of experience in user acquisition and digital marketing, Warren has held key roles at companies like Nexon, Blastworks, and Wargaming, where he successfully launched and scaled multiple top-performing mobile games. I’m really excited to ask some questions and learn from Warren’s extensive background in growth and UA.

Boris co-founded Hypemasters in 2019, known for their hit PvP mobile game - World War Armies. With a background in strategic roles at Facebook, Unity Technologies, and Goldman Sachs, Boris brings a wealth of experience to Hypemasters, where his team focuses on creating legendary PvP games that resonate with players globally. t

It’s crucial to build a new habit among users to purchase via your web shop instead of directly from your game app. Rewards programs are one of the best ways to affect purchase behaviors. Most of us belong to a myriad of rewards programs from airlines to credit cards, and even DTC brands like make-up and razors. Getting your players to be loyal to buying via your web shop is no different.

Olya speaks with Antti Hattara, CEO & Co-Founder at StarBerry Games, a free-to-play casual mobile games studio in Berlin. They discuss mobile casual games and what it takes to build and operate them in today’s landscape.

In this episode of Story Mode, we delve into the rich experiences of Terry Lee, COO & Head of Studio at Fusebox Games. He explores the versatility of game studios in adapting business models and platforms, the challenges and opportunities in loyalty programs and personalized experiences, and the strategic role of a COO in fostering sustainable growth and innovation.