S03 E13 Xsolla’s Chris Hewish On Creative Commerce Solutions To Take Control Of Your Game
Oct 12, 2023
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Xsolla, a game commerce platform, offers solutions to increase game margins and retain players. By bypassing app stores, Xsolla allows devs to distribute games directly to players, providing increased control of data, customizable monetization tools, and a headless checkout. Xsolla's CEO discusses the benefits of ditching app stores, the Digital Markets Act, and the revenue potential of web shops. The podcast also touches on Xsolla's recent acquisitions, the importance of community and social shopping in the gaming industry, and suggestions for future show topics.
Xsolla provides game developers with the tools and solutions to connect directly with players, maximize revenue, personalize player experiences, and access valuable player data.
Through their webshop feature, Xsolla enables developers to establish an online presence, engage directly with players, increase revenue margins, and enhance player engagement by offering a personalized experience beyond traditional app stores.
Deep dives
Exola: Helping Game Developers Connect Directly with Players
Exola is a game commerce platform that aims to connect game developers and publishers directly to their players. By providing the tools and solutions needed for direct communication, Exola enables developers to sell their games, in-app purchases, digital goods, and subscriptions to players. As the merchant of record, Exola also handles tasks such as payments, taxes, compliance, and customer support, allowing developers to focus on creating great games. The platform emphasizes the importance of going beyond commerce, expanding into back-end technologies, marketing, user acquisition, and providing comprehensive data analytics. By cutting out intermediaries, developers can maximize their revenue, personalize the player experience, and access valuable player data.
Webshop: Creating an Online Hub for Mobile Games
Exola's webshop feature allows mobile game developers to establish an online presence and engage directly with players. The webshop enables players to purchase in-game currency, special items, and more, while offering a personalized experience that extends beyond what traditional app stores provide. Benefits include higher revenue margins, increased player conversion rates, and access to alternative payment methods that are popular in emerging markets. Webshops also serve as community hubs, allowing developers to interact with players through video updates, special offers, and developer diaries. By leveraging webshops, developers can reach new audiences, maximize revenue, and enhance player engagement.
Headless Checkout: Enhancing the Player Experience
Exola's recent update to its paystation product introduces headless checkout, which allows developers to fully customize the checkout experience within their games. By integrating their own game UI and UX, developers can seamlessly blend the purchasing process into the overall gaming experience, eliminating disruptive pop-ups and maintaining players' immersion in the game. Customization has proven to be crucial in reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing transaction completion. Players value a checkout process that feels natural and aligned with the game's aesthetics. Exola's headless checkout offers a highly customizable and player-friendly solution that improves the overall player experience and drives higher conversion rates.
Exola Mall: A Comprehensive Gaming Marketplace
Exola Mall is more than just a traditional marketplace. It serves as a comprehensive gaming mall, providing players with a one-stop destination for games, bonus content, special offers, and influencer-driven campaigns. The mall facilitates direct connections between developers and players, creating a vibrant gaming community. Through Exola Mall, developers can extend their reach, engage with players, and leverage the power of social shopping. This trend, widely successful in eastern countries, offers a unique opportunity for developers to interact with players directly, increase revenue, and expand their player base. Exola's ecosystem, complemented by webshops, customizable checkout experiences, and back-end services, positions the platform as a powerhouse for game developers looking to thrive in the gaming industry.
Removing friction, taking control of user data, and enhancing customer engagement throughout the funnel are necessary steps to increase game margins and retain valuable players. However, the app store duopoly can put a block in the road, restricting access to players in growing markets, charging high transaction fees, and limiting commerce capabilities. This week’s guest, Xsolla, clears those obstacles. Xsolla is a game commerce platform that helps devs distribute their games directly to players, bypassing the oversaturated app stores and putting the power back in the hands of creators. Chris Hewish, President and Interim CEO of Xsolla, takes centre stage in this episode to tell devs about the company’s innovative solutions that maximise player LTV, give companies increased control of their data, and provide fully customisable, alternative monetisation tools that don’t interrupt gameplay and can increase revenue per paying user by 8X.
CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
0:10 - Intro
02:45 - What does Xsolla do?
05:39 - A new era of game distribution
09:06 - Is it more cost-effective to ditch the app stores?
14:40 - The Digital Markets Act
16:46 - Giving developers more control over what they create
21:23 - How does a web shop increase your revenue?
Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event
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