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 this spotlight, we spoke with Xsolla vice president of marketing Berkley Egenes, who specialises in game commerce, media integrations and branding.
At PGC Digital #6, Egenes will speak on behalf of how game developers can partner with platforms to increase their audience and fandom of their game.
PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a bit about your company?
Berkley Egenes: We help developers and publishers to accelerate game commerce globally.
Catering only to the video game industry, Xsolla has the unique insight to create tools and services for everything from indie studios to enterprise developers to help them overcome the complexities of game distribution, marketing and monetisation.
The global pandemic has changed everything in how humans communicate, live, work, play and operate.Berkley Egenes
Xsolla is comprised of two powerful engines that work together to accelerate video game commerce globally.
The Xsolla Transaction Engine powers our full suite of cloud-based tools to promote and monetize your video game, while the Xsolla Business Engine provides clients with a roadmap to maximise those tools, and connect them with industry partnerships to expand their business.
What does your role entail?
My role has me heading up the global marketing strategy and integrated campaign development for the game commerce products and solutions at Xsolla.
Why did you want to work in the games industry?
Simply stated - it is the fastest growing and only entertainment/sports industry truly expanding across gaming, entertainment, lifestyle and culture on a global level.
I had to be part of it.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?
Connect with as many people as possible within the industry to learn about their different roles.
There are so many possible entry points to get into the games industry from marketing, competition, production, design, operations, PR, social media, content, investing, media, etcetera. The list goes on and on. Be open to new opportunities and trying something new every day.
What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?
The global pandemic has changed everything in how humans communicate, live, work, play and operate. The games industry was one of the fastest-growing industries in 2020 as people moved back indoors in their homes.
Live events went virtual for a year and we all had to figure out what that meant and how to operate. Now are starting to see more and more hybrid events - some with fans and some to invite fans in the near future.
What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?
Mobile is going to continue to rise as people got more and more used to playing mobile games and using their mobile devices even more from home.
As people move back to offices and school, mobile game usage will continue as we have figured out how to integrate the platform into our work from home setups, with many wanting to keep that permanent going forward.
How has the games industry changed since you first started?
The boom has gotten even bigger over the past couple of years - especially in mobile games. In 2020, everything changed and so did the gaming behaviours of individuals around the world as we spent more time indoors.
Mobile games and causal games boomed during this time and continue to do so. 2021 and 2022 are key for the industry in the new titles and updates that developers are going to be making. Esports will be back in arenas soon too with fans.
Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?
Connecting with the panellists and the attendees to see what other opportunities and issues they are facing as we start re-open our economies and cities.
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!
