Xsolla joins industry leaders at the Gamescom Dev Leadership Summit to foster innovation, strategic partnerships, and the future of game development in Lisbon.
Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company dedicated to helping developers publish, distribute, and monetize their games, is expanding its presence in Europe as a co-sponsor of the Gamescom Dev Leadership Summit Lisbon. The prestigious industry gathering is taking place from February 24–26 at SUD Lisboa in Lisbon, Portugal, bringing together senior executives, studio founders, publishers, and strategic business leaders from across the gaming ecosystem.
The Gamescom Dev Leadership Summit is widely regarded as a high-level forum designed specifically for decision-makers within the game development community. Unlike traditional large-scale expos focused on product showcases, this summit emphasizes strategic dialogue, collaboration, and long-term industry transformation. By co-sponsoring the event, Xsolla reinforces its commitment to supporting developers not only with tools and infrastructure but also with thought leadership and meaningful industry engagement.
Strengthening Industry Leadership Through Sponsorship
As part of its sponsorship role, Xsolla will host the summit’s exclusive networking dinner on Wednesday evening, creating a relaxed yet strategically valuable setting for industry leaders to connect. These curated networking moments often serve as catalysts for partnerships, cross-border collaborations, and new commercial initiatives.
In addition to hosting the dinner, Xsolla will co-moderate a strategic roundtable discussion centered on business models and sustainable growth in the gaming industry. This roundtable will address one of the most pressing topics facing studios today: how to build resilient, scalable revenue structures in an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving market.
The gaming industry has undergone dramatic transformation over the past decade. From premium boxed titles to digital distribution, from subscription ecosystems to free-to-play and live-service models, developers must continuously adapt to changing player expectations and economic realities. Xsolla’s participation in these strategic conversations reflects its deep involvement in shaping how studios monetize, expand globally, and maintain long-term financial sustainability.
A Platform for Europe’s Growing Innovation Ecosystem
Europe has become a powerful hub for gaming innovation. Across the continent, independent studios and established publishers alike are redefining how games are developed, marketed, and monetized. Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at Xsolla, highlighted this dynamic environment in his remarks surrounding the summit.
According to Egenes, studios across Europe are increasingly building direct relationships with their player communities. By leveraging digital commerce infrastructure, direct-to-consumer channels, and community-driven engagement strategies, developers are discovering new paths to growth that bypass traditional gatekeepers. These innovations are not only transforming revenue streams but also empowering studios with greater ownership over their intellectual property and audience data.
The Gamescom Dev Leadership Summit provides a focused environment where such forward-thinking strategies can be explored in depth. By participating in discussions alongside industry pioneers, Xsolla aims to share insights gained from working with studios operating under diverse business models across multiple global markets.
Exploring the Future of Game Development
The summit agenda addresses a range of high-impact topics shaping the future of the industry. These areas reflect both the operational challenges and growth opportunities studios face today:
Leadership Strategies and Organizational Excellence
As game development teams grow more distributed and globalized, effective leadership becomes increasingly complex. Studios must balance creative innovation with operational discipline, talent retention, and cross-cultural collaboration. Sessions focused on leadership strategies aim to provide executives with tools to foster organizational excellence while maintaining agility in a rapidly shifting marketplace.
Production Innovation and Quality Improvement
Technological advancements, new engines, AI-driven workflows, and improved project management tools are reshaping how games are produced. The summit examines how studios can streamline development cycles, reduce inefficiencies, and elevate quality standards without inflating budgets.
Next-Generation Business Models and Revenue Optimization
Perhaps the most critical topic for many studios is monetization. With player acquisition costs rising and platform fees impacting margins, developers are exploring alternative distribution methods, direct sales channels, subscription models, hybrid monetization systems, and cross-platform commerce strategies. Xsolla’s expertise in e-commerce enablement and global payment optimization makes it a valuable contributor to this dialogue.
Strategic Technology and Platform Decisions
Studios today face crucial decisions about engine selection, distribution platforms, payment processing systems, and live-service infrastructure. Choosing the right technology stack can determine long-term scalability and profitability. Discussions at the summit will explore how studios can future-proof their operations through smart platform partnerships and infrastructure investments.
Creative Excellence and Player Experience
Even amid business strategy discussions, creativity remains central to the industry. Developers are continually pushing boundaries in storytelling, immersive design, and interactive engagement. The summit emphasizes balancing commercial strategy with artistic vision to deliver compelling experiences that resonate with players worldwide.
AI Integration for Competitive Advantage
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a transformative force in gaming—from procedural generation and NPC behavior to predictive analytics and marketing optimization. Sessions focused on AI implementation strategies will help studios understand how to leverage emerging technologies responsibly while maintaining creative integrity and operational efficiency.
Xsolla’s Expanding Global Infrastructure
Xsolla’s involvement in the summit reflects its broader mission to empower developers with scalable, global commerce solutions. The company currently supports more than 1,500 game developers worldwide and enables access to over 1,000 payment methods across more than 200 countries.
This expansive infrastructure allows developers to overcome one of the most complex challenges in global gaming: payment fragmentation. Different regions rely on different payment preferences—credit cards, digital wallets, mobile payments, local bank transfers, and alternative methods. By integrating a wide range of localized payment options, Xsolla enables studios to reach players wherever they are, reducing friction and improving conversion rates.
In addition to payment optimization, Xsolla provides tools for building custom e-commerce storefronts. These direct-to-consumer solutions allow developers to maintain greater control over pricing, promotions, and customer relationships. Instead of relying solely on third-party marketplaces, studios can establish branded commerce platforms that enhance margins and strengthen community engagement.
Furthermore, Xsolla offers funding and monetization services tailored to the gaming industry. From pre-launch financing to post-launch revenue optimization strategies, the company positions itself as a long-term partner rather than a simple payment processor.
Empowering Studios with Sustainable Scaling
Berkley Egenes emphasized that today’s studios have more opportunities than ever to take control of their monetization strategies. Modern digital infrastructure empowers developers to experiment with direct sales, regional expansion, subscription integrations, downloadable content strategies, and live-service monetization frameworks.
The concept of sustainable scaling has become central to industry discourse. Rapid growth without infrastructure alignment can lead to operational strain, cash flow challenges, and player dissatisfaction. By contrast, sustainable scaling involves building adaptable systems that support steady expansion while preserving player trust and product quality.
Xsolla’s approach focuses on flexibility. Studios may choose to maximize revenue through direct web shops, expand into underserved regional markets, optimize pricing strategies, or integrate advanced analytics to better understand purchasing behavior. By offering modular tools and global compliance support, Xsolla aims to reduce the complexity traditionally associated with international growth.
The Role of Gamescom Dev in Developer-Focused Innovation
The Gamescom Dev Leadership Summit is organized by Gamescom Dev, the developer-centric division of Gamescom. While Gamescom itself is one of the largest gaming trade fairs in the world, Gamescom Dev focuses specifically on the needs of creators, studio executives, and technical leaders.
By hosting the summit at SUD Lisboa Hall, the organizers provide an intimate and strategic setting conducive to in-depth dialogue. Rather than crowded exhibition floors, attendees experience focused discussions, curated networking sessions, and executive-level roundtables designed to generate actionable insights.
For executives attending the summit—including representatives from studios, publishers, and business development teams—Xsolla offers opportunities to schedule personalized meetings. These sessions will explore commerce infrastructure, payment optimization strategies, and scalable growth frameworks tailored to individual studio objectives.
A Broader Vision for the Gaming Industry
Xsolla’s presence at the Gamescom Dev Leadership Summit Lisbon reflects a broader vision: empowering developers to thrive in an increasingly complex and opportunity-rich industry. As gaming continues to expand across platforms—including PC, console, mobile, and cloud—developers must navigate evolving monetization models, regulatory landscapes, and player expectations.
By combining financial tools, global payment solutions, and strategic industry engagement, Xsolla positions itself as a facilitator of innovation and growth. Its mission is rooted in the belief that the future of gaming is bright—and that creators deserve accessible pathways to success.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and operating globally as a Merchant of Record, Xsolla has built its reputation by helping developers overcome structural challenges. From indie studios launching their first title to AAA publishers expanding global franchises, the company’s infrastructure supports diverse needs across the development spectrum.
The Gamescom Dev Leadership Summit Lisbon serves as a microcosm of the broader industry conversation—where leadership, technology, creativity, and commerce intersect. Through its sponsorship, thought leadership, and networking initiatives, Xsolla demonstrates its ongoing dedication to fostering a more connected, innovative, and sustainable gaming ecosystem.
As the summit unfolds in Lisbon, industry leaders will gather not only to discuss current challenges but also to shape the next chapter of game development. With commerce infrastructure evolving alongside creative ambition, companies like Xsolla are playing an increasingly central role in enabling studios to transform ideas into thriving global businesses.
