My.Video games has had an attention-grabbing few years, after persistently being one of the crucial profitable recreation firms in Russia and Europe, the Ukraine battle threw it and plenty of different firms into disarray. Nevertheless, My.Video games gained a brand new lease on life when unique house owners, Russian social-media large VK, offered the corporate to new house owners in 2022 which marked a interval of serious restructuring and a brand new course for the corporate.
My.Video games all the time had a robust footing within the European market, with workers and studios all throughout the continent. This has allowed the corporate to divest completely from any Russian operations and give attention to a vivid new future with a world; focus. The transfer has paid off, with the corporate noting key milestones for his or her video games resembling Hustle Fortress and Rush Royale in 2023.
We received the prospect to speak with CSO of My.Video games, Elena Grigoryan about a number of the difficulties that the corporate has confronted, how they overcame them and what’s subsequent for My.Video games.
PocketGamer.biz: After divesting from the Russian market, My.Video games has sought to broaden into each Europe and the broader world. How has that been going for you?
Elena Grigoryan: We’ve been targeted on worldwide progress and creating merchandise that gamers all all over the world will love since day one. The change in possession has solely bolstered this technique.
Most of our workforce work remotely, so it’s essential for us to have the fitting infrastructure and sources in place for our workforce. We have now two most important workplaces, in Amsterdam and Limassol, Cyprus, and because the buyout we now have opened co-working areas in Turkey, Armenia and Georgia.This 12 months, we plan to open new workplaces and hubs in areas the place we plan to spice up our presence, such because the Center East, the place we see huge potential.
Our workforce loves the distributed workplace method we adopted across the time of the pandemic. We’ve discovered the fitting setup that gives alternatives for our employees to develop, whereas creating enjoyable locations the place workers can meet and collaborate. This has been a driver in attracting new expertise from everywhere in the world.
What’s the most important problem My.Video games confronted, and the way did you overcome it?
Throughout our restructuring, a very powerful factor was to create the infrastructure, processes and stability to make sure the transition was as seamless as doable for each our gamers and our workers. Contemplating that greater than 90% of our workers work remotely, it was a tall order to ensure they didn’t face any interruptions of their each day work. It concerned lots of work and energy on the backend – most of which went unseen – and I feel our entire workforce did a tremendous job.
Does My.Video games have any huge plans within the near-future?
I’m excited to share that we now have some bold plans within the works. We have now a wealthy improvement pipeline with a number of tasks to be launched this 12 months. A few of them are model new IPs, and a few associated to our current franchises resembling Warfare Robots: Frontiers, a PC and console third-person multiplayer mech shooter that’s an growth of the unique Warfare Robots cellular recreation. The sport was launched on the finish of 2022 and runs on Unreal Engine 5, which allowed us to introduce new thrilling options, and is an energetic improvement in the meanwhile delivering common updates with the complete launch on PC and consoles scheduled for later in 2023.
The opposite focus level for us is increasing our international presence, coming into new markets, enabling gamers entry high quality entertaining content material and supporting gifted recreation builders throughout the globe. We have now fashioned a number of partnerships with gaming associations in Europe on this respect to create extra alternatives for native builders and we may also launch the third season of the Sport Drive program in partnership with key trade leaders to proceed supporting gifted groups.
What developments are you most excited to see within the cellular recreation trade in 2023?
The final couple years had been fairly difficult for the cellular recreation trade, and one factor we’ve realized at My.Video games is how vital it’s to have a diversified portfolio. With a purpose to keep aggressive and provide customers compelling content material, it is important for gaming firms to supply a various vary of video games throughout a number of platforms, genres, and monetization fashions.
In 2023, gaming firms will probably be in search of methods to convey new merchandise to market and entice new audiences to current ones. The established UA mechanisms are not working as successfully as they used to, and everyone seems to be in search of new alternatives – and creating a robust recreation model will probably be certainly one of them.
Cross-platform video games will allow gamers throughout completely different platforms to play collectively extra seamlessly. Corporations that create a fantastic cross-platform person expertise may have a robust aggressive benefit and better attain.
As competitors for person consideration intensifies, recreation firms are going through new challenges resembling adjustments in person acquisition methods and decreased buying energy amongst purchase gamers, all of which may have a major influence on their backside line. With a purpose to navigate this panorama, it is changing into more and more vital to make data-driven choices that prioritise optimization in each advertising and operations. With the applying of AI, recreation firms can leverage superior algorithms to streamline artistic content material manufacturing and cut back prices, whereas nonetheless offering participating experiences for his or her customers. Moreover, centralization of companies and unification of platform options might help cut back prices, streamline operations, and enhance general effectivity, offering additional alternatives for firms to optimise their operations and enhance profitability.