ThinkingData Summit: Global studios coming together to rethink live ops and data during GDC

• The ThinkingData Summit will take place on Tuesday, March 10th, 2026 during GDC week.
• Featured companies taking the stage include Habby, Blizzard, Riot Games, Google and more.
• The event is scheduled from 11am to 5pm, with a networking reception at 4:30pm.
• The ThinkingData Summit will take place at the Marriott Marquis, 780 Mission Street, San Francisco.

The core thesis of the ThinkingData Summit (TDS) - taking place on Tuesday, March 10th in San Francisco - is that in 2026, success for gaming studios requires harnessing and optimising data, analytics, live ops and AI to move from raw insight to measurable impact.

The challenge for many studios is a persistent disconnect between the player insights you have and the ability to turn them into actionable strategies that drive business results like retention and monetisation.

The first TDS in the US is designed to provide real-world expertise in operationalising the data you already have to bridge that gap.

This mission is critical as studios navigate three major industry challenges:

1. The live ops framework gap: The majority of studios currently struggle to create meaningful live ops frameworks to keep players engaged, run frequent tests and improve monetisation. While these strategies are foundational, they are, in some cases, only now being adopted as a central pillar for studios across the Americas, Europe, and MENA.
2. The AI operational pivot: The industry is moving beyond viewing AI solely as a research tool. It is beginning to tap into AI as an operational engine - a shift that is just around the corner and will redefine how analytics are used in real-time to drive game performance.
3. Zero margin for error: With the highest competition and UA costs the industry has ever seen, there is simply no margin left for risk, wasted budget or inefficient operations.

On March 10th, 2026, the US debut of ThinkingData Summit facilitates a conversation on these topics. As a leader in game analytics and live ops, ThinkingData has designed this summit to act as a crossroads for the Americas, Europe, Asia and MENA, where industry veterans will trade the strategic blueprints required to thrive in the modern gaming environment.

The intelligent evolution: Data + AI in practice

A major focus of the day is how data and AI can be used to de-risk the entire game lifecycle. Tim Hong (Former Head of Live Service Games, AWS) will discuss the rise of "Agentic Live Ops", exploring how self-optimising game economies are potentially becoming the new standard for maintaining long-term balance.

This transition to actionable business impact is at the heart of the session by Chris Han (co-founder, ThinkingData). Drawing on ThinkingData’s experience in providing global analytics and live ops tooling, he will showcase how studios can move beyond passive monitoring to active growth. This is further illustrated by Saygın Topatan (CEO, Mavis Games), who will break down how to use data to verify and de-risk new game ideas during the earliest stages of development.

Global perspective: From Blizzard to Riot Games

The ThinkingData Summit provides a rare look into the operational engines of world-class studios. The agenda features a diverse range of regional strengths and technical expertise:

• Chase Shi (Senior director of product, Blizzard Entertainment): On the art of merging qualitative sentiment with quantitative data to guide long-term product roadmaps.
• Anran Li (Engineering manager and product lead, Riot Games): Bringing a technical perspective on building and maintaining games for massive, global audiences.
• Zbigniew Woźnowski (CEO, Reality Games): Exploring new business models that bridge the gap between real-life data and gameplay.
• Mariusz Gąsiewski (CEE mobile gaming lead, Google): Identifying the untapped opportunities in the current mobile landscape that most studios are overlooking.

In a special spotlight session, Stefan Wang (CEO, Habby) will join Craig Chapple (head of content, PocketGamer.biz) for an in-depth interview on the sophisticated data infrastructure Habby uses to scale and sustain long-term global hits.

Architecting the Future of Games

The event is hosted by Brandon Nader (VP of marketing, ThinkingData) and Neil Long (founder and editor, MobileGamer.biz), ensuring a day focused on high-signal insights and high-value networking.

Whether you are in San Francisco for GDC or looking to gain a competitive edge from afar, the ThinkingData Summit is the definitive forum for the leaders architecting the future of games.

Secure your pass or sign up for the the post-event recap series.