INSIGHTS / STEVE FOWLER

Ideas for growing games.

Why game studios should audit their retention mechanics now—and prepare for platform changes that could reshape live-service roadmaps.

Flat revenue can hide a concentrating market. Why player fit, retention and reactivation deserve more attention than cheap installs.

Your IP is more than its mechanics. Define the emotional promise that can carry a franchise into new genres.

Give community and brand work measurable leading indicators before the budget review. Pick the numbers, then report against them.

Publishing a launch and operating a live world are different jobs. Ask what a partner brings to the community long after launch.

Your back catalog is a warm audience. Before acquiring someone new, ask what would bring an existing fan back.

Paid media amplifies demand. Lasting growth depends on building something players return to when the spending stops.

When financial pressure rises, distinguish cash-flow protection from brand-building—and keep funding the fandom.

Treat your Steam page like living performance creative. Change one element a week and learn what converts.