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Mattel163 CEO Amy Huang on the power of live ops

Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #6 kicks off on April 19th

 Mattel163 CEO Amy Huang on the power of live ops

2021 is now well underway and the latest Pocket Gamer Connects Digital is set to bring together some of the finest voices in the games industry and beyond.

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 Mattel163 CEO Amy Huang, who works with beloved iconic IPs and helps adapt them into digital games for the global audience.

At PGC Digital #6, Huang will speak about live operations, drawing from her experience in the industry.

PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a bit about your company?

Amy Huang: Mattel163 is a joint venture between two giants, NetEase and Mattel. Our goal is focused on bringing the iconic brands from Mattel into digital play for audiences around the world. Our ambition is not only the mobile platform, we want to provide entertainment wherever our players are.

What does your role entail?

As CEO, my role is to provide strategy and direction for my team, attract and recruit the best talents in the world, provide an open and collaborative environment for creative minds to break existing moulds, as well as create digital entertainment for the global audience.

Why did you want to work in the games industry?

I've played games all of my life. Games are a great way to connect with people, relax and escape from the stress of life. I don't think there are enough high-quality games made for women in this market. There are still tremendous opportunities in the industry and plenty of room for innovation, with lots of new games surely destined to become classics for decades to come.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?

If you play games and are passionate at heart about the kind of game you want to make, don't be afraid to jump in. Don't get distracted by the halo of big brands or big companies - instead, focus on the product and the team that you will be working with. Ultimately, it's the team that brings a game to life.

What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?

2020 was undoubtedly a big year for the game industry overall. It goes to show that games are very much part of everyone's lives - especially during times of high stress and anxiety.

We the developers should work harder to provide high-quality entertainment to players around the world and help use games to make the world a better place.

What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?

Everyone is so focused on iOS 14 and its impact on the game industry. The shift towards closed ecosystems will be very challenging to developers and publishers going forward.

We'll have to find a way forward that protects consumer privacy, at the same time maintaining the efficiencies of digital marketing.

How has the games industry changed since you first started?

The mobile games industry has grown tremendously since the beginning of the last decade, yet the process is still the same. There is so much competition out there, so many games that look-alike. However, the painstaking development process remains the same, the quest for fun is still the goal and the bar of quality gets higher and higher.

Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?

Connecting with my industry peers, hearing from the best practice of other game companies and just generally learning.

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!