This MasterClass is about the product management, strategy and marketing side of managing games and game portfolios.

We will be diving into business principles and how product strategy can align with company strategy (or not). We will be focussing on the big decisions: how and when to make choices, what are the fundamental levers a business has to impact the lifecycle of its product(s); when to scale, and when to scale back; plus what tactics can be applied - and at what stage.

Key takeaways include:

• What are common best practices and mistakes in lifecycle management
• How do these apply to games
• How to expand the lifespan of your game in practice
• What’s a "living game" and how can you scale during the growth and maturity stage of your game

TARGET AUDIENCE: For this MasterClass we recommend that attendees have some understanding of the business of games and product lifecycle.

The class is for decision makers, product owners or producers that own the P&L of games that want better processes in the decision making and ultimately want to be equipped with the toolkits to scale a living game and extend the lifecycle of a game. The takeaways will be most practical and useful for those working in mobile, free to play on games with an expected longer lifetime than your average hypercasual title.

Meet the Mentor

Oliver is a noted growth hacker and mobile marketing guru and has helped app companies ranging from indies to market giants like Rovio and Wargaming. In his more than 20 years in marketing and advertising he has marketed hundreds of casual, core and MMO games in the online and mobile space.

Currently he serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Nottingham-based Lockwood Publishing, the creator of the virtual 3D world AVAKIN LIFE. Next to that he is board member and advisor for a number of mobile games companies. Previously he worked for many years as a consultant in mobile marketing where he kickstarted mobile UA for companies such as MAG Interactive, flaregames, EightPixelSquare and Hutch Games and worked with great teams at ProSieben, Rovio, Wargaming, Next Games and others. Before that he held leadership positions at iQU, JAGEX and IPlay/Oberon Media.

Content breakdown

Part 1: Product Strategy for Games (60 minutes)

In this part we will look at good business practices around growth and lifecycle extension for products and services and explore how this applies to game companies and their portfolios. We will be exploring historical data sets of games and develop hypotheses around what the decision makers could or should have done and when.

Part 2: Lifecycle Management (60 minutes)

In this part we will go deeper on the lifecycle of games and explore how product strategy in games studios intersects with company strategy and how to set up goals and milestones in order to focus on the things that matter when running a living game.

Part 3: The Scaling Toolbox (60 minutes)

In this part we will explore the options and tactics that can be applied in different scenarios and at the different stages of the lifecycle of games.

Teaching Format

Part 1:

• Presentation lecture (20 mins)
• Group activity (20 mins)
• Feedback and review (20 mins)

Part 2:

• Presentation lecture (20 mins)
• Group activity (20 mins)
• Feedback and review (20 mins)

Part 3:

• Presentation lecture (20 mins)
• Group activity (20 mins)
• Feedback and review (20 mins)

Looking for more MasterClasses in game design?

This MasterClass is part of a wider series of deep-dive workshop sessions, covering practical game design topics, brought to you by PocketGamer.biz in collaboration with some of the finest minds in the games industry.

If you’re interested in attending another MasterClass, you can find more information at www.pocketgamer.biz/masterclass

Monday 13 September (14:00 - 17:00)

Save Your Game From Disaster: Playtesting Secrets From a Former Ubisoft Expert, with Pascal Luban

Tuesday 14 September (10:00 - 13:00)

Make a Change: How to Apply Game Design to Real-world Issues, with Ellis Bartholomeus

Wednesday 15 September (10:00 - 13:00)

The Right Balance: Connect Gameplay & Monetisation Effectively, with Glyn Fairweather

Wednesday 15 September (14:00 - 17:00)

Get Your Shit Together with Player Behaviour, with Kelly Vero

Thursday 16 September (14:00 - 17:00)

Game Design: How to Benchmark, Create and Measure Fun, with Javier Barnes

Friday 17 September (10:00 - 13:00)

Building an Audience: Marketing, UA, & Creative Production, with Mobile Game Doctor

Don’t forget, we have some superb multi-booking discount deals...

• 3 for 2: book three MasterClasses for the price of two!
• Corporate discount: bespoke offers available for large groups and/or multiple MasterClass sessions (please email to discuss discounts)

To arrange any of the bespoke packages above, please email katy.reilly@steelmedianetwork.com for more information.

Please note the final ticket price is in £UK, and conference tickets can be subject to UK VAT at a rate of 20%. You will be sent a VAT receipt by email along with confirmation of your booking.

For all other questions, please contact support@pgconnects.com.

Terms and conditions apply