Presented by Xsolla
Time might not feel real these days, but somehow it just keeps marching on: This May 22nd marks the fifteenth anniversary of GamesBeat Summit. Dean Takahashi and the incredible event team are staging the best event yet, with 138 speakers and more than 50 sessions at the Marina del Ray Marriott in LA. It’ll be live on the 22nd and 23rd, and then going virtual on the 24th. And it’s going to be a good one, with over 500 in-person attendees, and 3,000 total virtual registrants.
It’s an event designed to foster collaboration, deliver crucial learning and insight, and structured networking with, with executive roundtable discussions, question-and-answer sessions, a meet-and-greet cocktail hour (courtesy of Xsolla), VIP lunches and dinners, the always illuminating Women in Gaming and Diversity in Gaming Breakfasts, one-on-one meetings, awards and more.
Sessions you shouldn’t miss
To make good on GameBeat’s promise to deliver the industry knowledge, insights and strategies to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the video game industry, the event features long-time industry veteran and President of Xsolla, Chris Hewish.
Xsolla has long been at the center of the global video game industry, offering tools and services to solve the complexities of global distribution, marketing, funding and monetization for games across mobile, PC and the web. Hewish will bring his long-term expertise front and center in the first of two conversations about industry trends, DTC opportunities, and expansion possibilities.
The first, “Enjoy the Game: Industry statistics and trends“kicks off on Monday, May 22, 2023, 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM PT. Hewish will offer a comprehensive overview of industry performance and identify emerging trends, with insights gleaned from both proprietary and public data, industry partners and Xsolla’s extensive network of gaming professionals. It’s crucial intel for game developers who need to make critical data-informed decisions about their games in a crowded market – from which platforms to target to what genres are popular, and how to adapt to market dynamics in constant flux.
He’ll cover the way macroeconomic trends influence the decisions being made by game companies and the direct-to-consumer trend gaining momentum in response to these trends. He’ll also explore how generative AI impacts the video game industry, and emerging markets – all with the goal of inspiring developers to reach a wider audience by exploring new genres, technologies and platforms.
Next up, Ron Scott, Regional Director of the Americas from Xsolla, along with leading experts from Mastercard and Niantic, will do a deeper dive into the heart of a key new market opportunity, direct-to-consumer (DTC) – or bypassing traditional distribution channels to connect directly with your audience. The panel, “Navigating the emerging direct-to-consumer opportunity in video games” happens Tuesday, May 23, 2023 2:40 PM to 3:00 PM PT. They’ll talk about how these commerce and game giants are charting the DTC course and delivering innovative new ideas as this commerce segment evolves. Developers will learn why the video game industry is at the forefront of the market, and how to take advantage of opportunities that will appear as the space continues to grow. And they’ll learn how to tap into new markets and directly engage with consumers all over the world, without relying on traditional distribution models.
Cocktails and connections
Finally, don’t miss the Xsolla-sponsored cocktail hour on the first day of the conference, May 22, from 5:30-6:30 pm PT in the Bayview Ballroom at the Marriott, with both alcoholic and zero-proof options for all. This truly is, as they say, the room where it happens – year after year this is where we see the real deals made and important collaborations formed. Come network with folks from Xsolla, as well as fellow attendees from some of the most important tech, gaming and investment companies, and come away with new ideas, new connections, and maybe even new business.
Check out the entire agenda and register for GamesBeat Summit 2023 right here.
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