two & a half gamers Web Shops make up 30% of game revenue in 2025. Here’s how to build yours!
30% of your revenue could be coming from a web shop, and you wouldn’t even see it in your external IAP dashboards.
In this exclusive episode of 2.5 Gamers, we sit down with David Stelzer, President of Xsolla (formerly Epic Games, SEGA, CAA), to discuss how top-grossing games are ditching App Store dependency and scaling through direct-to-consumer (D2C) models.
This isn’t theoretical.
📈 The top mobile publishers using Xsolla’s stack are pulling 25–30% of their total revenue through off-store web shops — with 50% less in fees than Apple or Google.
Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop
💥 What You’ll Learn:
Why web shops are the future of mobile monetization
The battle pass + subscription combo every midcore game should explore
How AI is reshaping LiveOps, A/B testing & offer personalization
Why casual games are struggling and how offerwalls may be the solution
How to launch a localized, conversion-optimized web shop in minutes
The right UA mindset for 2025 (hint: it’s not CPI chasing anymore)
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🔗 Want more revenue, more retention, and more control?
Xsolla’s Instant Web Shop might be your best-kept growth secret.
www.xsolla.com
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This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Special Guest: David Stelzer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidstelzer/
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Ab6muq76UGo
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipg
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Exola and David Stelzer
03:16 Evolution of the Gaming Industry
06:30 Monetization Strategies for Game Developers
10:27 Direct-to-Consumer Sales and Web Shops
12:51 Trends in Mobile Gaming and IAPs
15:01 Challenges for Casual Games in Monetization
17:24 The Role of Subscriptions and Battle Passes
20:00 Expanding into APAC and LATAM Markets
22:53 Localization and Compliance in Global Sales
25:04 The Impact of 5G and Cloud Gaming
26:27 The Rise of AI in Gaming
27:56 AI's Role in Game Development and Monetization
28:27 Data-Driven Decision Making in Game Studios
30:22 Building Effective Web Shops for Games
32:37 Optimizing Web Shops for Better Revenue
34:26 Leveraging AI for Enhanced User Experience
36:37 Understanding Player Behavior for Monetization
38:06 Actionable Strategies for 2025
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
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Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!
Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
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If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
Latest article - https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/match-3d-ua-playbook-real-data-inside?r=7qqaf&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Do you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai