Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #6 takes place from April 19th to 23rd, so to give you a taste of what to expect, we'll bring you interviews with some of our esteemed speakers at the show.
The conference spans five days and will feature a broad selection of tracks, talks and speakers, as well as various fringe events and the return of our meeting system.
For more details on the event and to book a ticket, head to the website.
For today's spotlight, we spoke with Scuti.AI CEO and founder Nicholas Longano, who will host a talk on game monetisation beyond the existing methods, and how engaging players and utilising brands can be a more important component of the eco-system without commercialising the gameplay experience.
PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a bit about your company?
Nicholas Longano: I created Scuti to solve the monetisation and engagement issues for game makers.
Scuti is the world’s first personalised g-Commerce (game commerce) and NFT marketplace, which provides players with a new form of engagement and exciting rewards through their games while providing all game-makers with the most lucrative new revenue streams.
Scuti was formed by leading video game makers who for the past 20 years have launched many of the top global games and have designed this new platform to always put players first.
Through Scuti, players discover fully curated offerings from top brands and are rewarded with every engagement and purchase, completely unobtrusive to the game experience and without ever leaving their game.
What does your role entail?
As CEO of the company, I am responsible for elements of the platform - the user experience, the brand integration and communication and on-boarding of game makers and publishers.
Have a passion for what you do, and always remember who you are making games for - the player.Nicholas Longano
This is to help them understand how they can actually monetise players in the most rewarding manner and how brands can be part of the game experience, without being disruptive and always rewarding.
Why did you want to work in the games industry?
20 years ago, I saw an opportunity surrounding where this amazing industry that combines entertainment and technology was headed.
The division to enter games was forged when I saw people in New York standing for hours around one block to another lining up to buy the first PlayStation.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?
Have a passion for what you do, and always remember who you are making games for - the player.
Always try to put their entertainment first.
What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?
Clearly, everyone has heard of NFTs and the excitement that's bringing to the industry. COVID-19 has played a role in providing a global forum for games as a stay at home and play staple.
What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?
Games will continue to expand as social platforms and we will see more entertainment through these platforms, beyond the actual games themselves. Games are a collective of like-minded players, so with that publishers will see the power of that network and try to expand beyond the singularity of the game itself.
Mobile will continue to dominate and as processors become more powerful, so what you can do with the device through your game will accelerate.
Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?
Meeting new 'game changers' in the industry, hearing the visions of others and where they see the industry going, as well as how games will continue to evolve from a technology component and how they interact with players.
Want more?
The full conference schedule is now live on the website. In the meantime, you can also check out our other track rundowns and coverage of previous Pocket Gamer Connects conferences ahead of the event itself.
Register for Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #6 today!
