Introduction
Jon Jordan: Good day and welcome to the Cellular Video games Playbook. Thanks for tuning in for one more episode. This podcast is all about what makes an important cell sport, what’s and isn’t working for cell sport designers, and all the newest developments. I’m your host, Jon Jordan, though on this particular episode, my internet hosting duties are considerably truncated.
Within the host seat, asking the onerous questions, now we have Brendan Fraher, Basic Supervisor at Liftoff Intelligence. He will likely be speaking to former Rovio Insights lead, Carlos Salvado. They’ll be discussing the indispensable function of participant motivation and market intelligence in making a profitable cell sport. Okay, Brendan, take it over.
Brendan Fraher: Good day everybody. Welcome to the podcast. I’m Brendan, Basic Supervisor right here at GameRefinery, and right this moment we’re diving into among the largest subjects shaping the cell gaming world in 2025 and past.
I’ve a really particular visitor with me right this moment: Carlos Salvado. We’ve recognized one another for a lot of, a few years. I do know you could have distinctive abilities and expertise from many various areas and groups, however are you able to first introduce your self to the viewers to allow them to perceive a little bit bit extra about you?
Meet Carlos Salvado: Insights from 15 years in gaming
Carlos Salvado: Completely. My identify is Carlos Salvado. I’ve been knowledgeable in gaming for the final 15 years, throughout cell, PC, and console. I’ve labored in a number of crafts akin to promoting, product administration, sport design, and economic system design, so I do know my manner round video games in and out.
Principally, I’m right here to let you know that with all of the expertise I’ve amassed, the cell sport ecosystem is evolving always. You all the time have to relearn the whole lot you knew previously. New enterprise fashions, new tech, new AI integrations, and new alternatives that may truly drive income for many corporations usually are not solely targeted on the merchandise themselves however on the entire ecosystem that the video games present—IP licensing, et cetera.
Hopefully, I can share a little bit little bit of that data with you right this moment, and let’s see the way it goes.
Why do all video games look the identical? Hybridization defined
Brendan Fraher: Great. As all the time, each time it’s an important dialog with you, Carlos. I do know we’ve bought an important agenda right this moment, concerning most of the primary challenges high of thoughts for builders; internet shops, dwell occasions, and so forth. However one factor we have been talking about off-camera was sport hybridization. You had a really fascinating phrase, which many audiences ask, ‘why do all video games look the identical?’
Carlos Salvado: I feel the cell video games trade lately goes by way of a inventive chapter to some extent. We’ve foregone making an attempt to be distinctive to making an attempt to make issues work dynamically related throughout a number of completely different video games, typically even throughout genres.
This isn’t simply on cell; you’ll be able to see this throughout the board. There’s a whole lot of discuss of Firm X copied from Firm Y, et cetera, however we must be upfront and perceive that imitation is a manner ahead, a manner for builders to learn to create higher merchandise for their very own audiences. What retains them round? What retains them engaged? How will you make recognized and unknown audiences truly decide into these merchandise and proceed to play throughout the board?
This doesn’t imply you’ll be fixated solely on one explicit sport. It may be your out there portfolio, it may be cross-platform, it may be digital content material. On the finish of the day, we’re making merchandise for brand spanking new shoppers and outdated followers—folks that don’t know the model, folks that need to faucet into the model, folks that simply need a completely different expertise.
Carlos Salvado: So, I like to provide an instance of hybridization simply to make clear precisely what I imply. I like to make use of the match-three souls-like kind of sport. That’s two genres that often don’t combine.
Brendan Fraher: Not the very first thing that often involves thoughts, proper?
Carlos Salvado: Nevertheless it raises the query of informal audiences versus core players. Wouldn’t it be attainable to create that sport for those who design it consciously? You will discover that candy spot the place two worlds meet, and you’ve got an superior product that you would be able to present, with a whole lot of inventive area for individuals to faucet in and expertise one thing new.
That’s what I defend, a minimum of: the inventive course of across the imitation itself.
Brendan Fraher: I agree… even shock breakout hits like Vampire Survivors present how surprising combos can resonate. Luck performs a job, however so does figuring out a distinct segment and timing.
Viewers understanding and market timing
Carlos Salvado: I may even add onto what you have been saying, Brendan, with one instance. Just lately there’s been a giant growth with the remaster of Oblivion from Bethesda Softworks. A variety of youthful players noticed the sport for the primary time by way of the remake and are actually on board with new experiences.
So after getting an idea or an app, you simply have to cater that very same product towards the audiences you need to attain.
Oblivion engages older followers who liked the unique and youthful gamers discovering it for the primary time. You’ll be able to truly be inventive even with an outdated product—you simply want so as to add the options these audiences are in search of.
Principally, context issues. Adapt to it, and you will note a huge impact on no matter IP you could have.
Brendan Fraher: Completely—however “simply perceive your viewers” is less complicated stated than executed. The place ought to individuals begin?
Direct-to-Shopper, internet shops, and the way forward for monetization
Carlos Salvado: Let’s segue into an instance. On cell proper now there’s a giant matter of direct-to-consumer. Studios need options that assist present cheaper experiences to gamers by providing platforms the place they’ll purchase at a big low cost.
This may be good or dangerous. On the great aspect, an online retailer lets a writer management what they put in entrance of gamers—merchandise, bundles, portfolio titles, even merchandise. You additionally get direct communication along with your viewers as a substitute of counting on a 3rd social gathering.
Most corporations these days are providing steep reductions on each buy by way of these platforms. That’s the great half.
However then there’s the murky half:
How will platform holders react?
How will fee processors deal with refunds?
What about compliance?
It’s complicated, particularly at scale throughout a portfolio.
Brendan Fraher: And sure, for listeners, we’re speaking about internet shops right here. And also you’re proper—the evolution is occurring quick. Corporations are experimenting, and no one has absolutely cracked the fee expertise but. Nevertheless it’s undoubtedly not going away.
Carlos Salvado: Completely. And regional instances like what’s occurring in Japan with anime and manga fee processors is a preview of how these tensions could play out globally.
However once more: know your viewers. Tailor your providing. Use the information.
Understanding your gamers: motivation, CRM, and evolving audiences
Brendan Fraher: Proper—and that’s why we constructed viewers insights instruments. Motivators assist information UA and creatives. However audiences evolve always, and developments shift. That’s onerous for builders to maintain up with.
Carlos Salvado: It’s. And solely now could be the cell trade catching as much as different industries in how they have interaction with clients.
CRM isn’t only a advertising software. It’s central intelligence.
It helps you discuss to gamers, perceive what resonates, and construct belief—inviting them into early entry, asking for suggestions, and turning them into long-term followers.
This emotional connection is the inspiration of personalised service.
Brendan Fraher: And it’s fascinating that definitions like “gamer” have modified a lot. The most important viewers in gaming is informal cell gamers—feminine, 35+.
In the meantime, core genres skew male, 25–45.
Person bases are numerous and rising.
Carlos Salvado: Precisely. And launching a sport shouldn’t be the top—it’s when the true work begins. Studios should always have interaction, iterate, and perceive what motivates their viewers.
AI’s increasing function in creatives, UA, and LiveOps
Brendan Fraher: And that will get us into UA and creatives. We now have AI-generated creatives… and AI-assisted UA. How do you view this shift?
Carlos Salvado: AI helps with quicker iterations. Extra creatives. Sooner testing.
However the way it impacts UA prices remains to be unclear.
In LiveOps, AI can assist content material technology, however people should nonetheless overview the whole lot to make sure high quality and match. Right now, probably the most impactful work remains to be human creativity—AI simply removes grunt work.
Brendan Fraher: Precisely. Particularly for cross-platform HD video games the place property are costly. AI could possibly be a large drive multiplier. Iteration velocity issues.
Carlos Salvado: Sure. Sooner iteration results in higher launches and simpler enhancements. However once more, it’s essential to perceive your viewers to know what to goal for.
Social foreign money, sharing, and cross-platform participant conduct
Brendan Fraher: After which there’s one other angle—participant expression and social foreign money.
We’ve seen enormous customization demand in mid-core and aggressive video games.
And informal genres have surprising aggressive behaviours too.
Carlos Salvado: It’s human nature. Folks need to present their achievements.
Steam profiles, screenshots, hours performed—that is the brand new social foreign money.
Gamers need cross-platform visibility, methods to indicate off characters, mods, or moments in-game.
{Hardware} makers actually added “Share” buttons to controllers as a result of this issues.
Brendan Fraher: Completely. And in an AI-driven world, genuine experiences—moments value sharing—matter much more.
LiveOps, regulation, and the complexity of recent sport growth
Carlos Salvado: Virtually each facet of sport growth is now being regulated:
Digital equity acts, monetization transparency, influencer advertising, and extra.
Corporations can’t simply throw cash at issues. They should perceive how platforms intersect—enterprise, UA, product, LiveOps.
Influencer advertising is highly effective, however attribution is weak. We nonetheless can’t absolutely observe the person journey from influencer content material to installs. This hole exists throughout gaming, motion pictures, retail—each digital trade.
Brendan Fraher: Sure—and lots of corporations attempt to “shout louder” as a substitute of listening extra. Surveys alone aren’t sufficient. Actual viewers understanding requires behavioural knowledge, motivators, and evaluation.
The facility of viewers insights, regional nuance, and IP activation
Carlos Salvado: Begin with demographics and areas. Tradition can kill a enterprise for those who ignore it.
Then layer on behaviours:
Are they collectors? Rivals? Completionists? Decorators?
Form your LiveOps, economic system, and options round that.
Studios should additionally acknowledge limits—audiences can solely be satisfied so many occasions. So LiveOps groups want fixed suggestions loops. Discuss to your greatest gamers. Watch social media.
GameRefinery is a superb start line, however all the time confirm insights throughout your personal knowledge and channels.
Brendan Fraher: And we are able to’t neglect IPs and regional resonance.
Carlos Salvado: Completely. Worth localization issues.
Cross-media activation—TV collection, movies—can skyrocket curiosity.
Fallout, Cyberpunk, Arcane—excellent examples.
Hybridization isn’t simply mixing genres; it’s mixing popular culture with sport design.
While you mix viewers understanding with the suitable cultural set off, the outcomes will be explosive.
Brendan Fraher: And that’s precisely why motivators and viewers insights matter a lot. Finest-of-breed options work throughout genres for those who perceive why.
Closing ideas and the place to be taught extra
Brendan Fraher: I do know we’re working out of time. There are all the time extra questions than solutions. Carlos, the place can individuals attain you?
Carlos Salvado: LinkedIn is the very best place. You probably have challenges in market insights, promoting, product administration—something you need to brainstorm—be at liberty to succeed in out.
Brendan Fraher: Unbelievable. You’ve labored throughout so many groups and disciplines, tying the whole lot collectively—the last word cat herder.
And I really like your recommendation: Shout much less, hear extra.
Carlos Salvado: Thanks for the invite. At all times pleased to assist.
Brendan Fraher: Superior. Thanks a lot. Bye, of us.
Jon Jordan: Nice work. Because of Brendan and Carlos for his or her perception. Don’t neglect, each episode we’re speaking to the people who find themselves taking the cell video games trade ahead to new and thrilling locations. So, don’t miss out. Do subscribe, and we’ll see you subsequent time.