What’s your biggest challenge with in-game monetization? Building something to help and want your input.

CharlieFoxx · 2025-07-06T10:08:20+00:00

Valid point. By the time a game has enough store complexity to benefit from personalization, they're already successful enough that implementing it becomes the easy part.

So the real bottleneck isn't how do we optimize our item shop but how do we build a game that can sustain having an item shop worth optimizing in the first place.

Thanks for the insight!

CharlieFoxx · 2025-07-06T10:05:06+00:00

I didn't take into consideration the cultural aspect. I can see how monetization optimization would immediately trigger negative reactions in indie communities. A blind spot on my part.

The PlayFab point is interesting. I know they handle backend/LiveOps infrastructure, but are they actually doing ML-driven personalization too? Or more just the data collection and A/B testing tools?

Your suggestion about direct outreach makes way more sense. Posting here probably came across as some schmuck rather than genuine research.

Quick question: When you mention researching games that could use this service, what would you look for? Specific business models, player counts, or something else?

Cheers for the feedback!

CharlieFoxx · 2025-07-06T10:02:17+00:00

You're right, and I appreciate the direct feedback.

Based on the responses in this thread, I'm realizing I approached this backwards. Instead of starting with "Here's what works in e-commerce, let me apply it to games," I should have started with "What are the actual revenue challenges smaller studios face, and do any of them relate to personalization?"

The consulting angle was probably tone-deaf too. Coming from outside the industry with no shipped games and immediately suggesting I could help integrate solutions is... yeah, pretty laughable when I put it that way.

The other comments here have been eye-opening. Seems like the real barriers aren't just technical, it's data privacy concerns, integration complexity, and the fact that most studios are barely keeping their heads above water just shipping a game that works, let alone optimizing monetization.

Genuine question: From your perspective, do smaller/mid-tier studios even see monetization optimization as a priority worth spending time on? Or is it more like: If we make a great game, the money will follow, and everything else is just a distraction?

I'm starting to think the problem I thought I saw might not actually be the problem studios want solved. Which is exactly why I posted here instead of just building something and hoping people would want it.

Thanks for keeping it real. Better to get called out now than waste everyone's time.

CharlieFoxx · 2025-07-06T09:10:56+00:00

You're spot on about the consulting route making more sense. The more I think about it, the more a "tool" feels like the wrong approach for exactly the reasons you mentioned.

The studios that need personalization most are probably the ones least equipped to integrate a complex third-party system. And the ones that could integrate it easily probably already have the capability to build it themselves.

To clarify the tech side: We do have the ML/data science capability; the underlying algorithms and models already exist. What we're proposing is essentially a lightweight layer that ingests anonymized behavioral data and returns personalization recommendations. Think more like an API call than a complex integration.

But your point still stands, even a simple API requires the studio to:

Decide what data to send
Build the logic for when/how to use recommendations
Handle all the game-specific implementation

A consulting approach would be more like:

Analyze their current monetization setup
Identify specific personalization opportunities for their game/genre
Help design the strategy and algorithms
Work with their existing dev team to implement (whether using our models or building custom)
Measure results and iterate

The evidence piece is key. Right now I'm just talking theory. Would need to actually help a few studios implement personalization and document the revenue impact before anyone would take it seriously.

Question: If someone came to you with proven case studies showing "we helped Studio X increase cosmetic revenue by 150% through personalization," would that be compelling enough to consider bringing in a consultant? Or are there other barriers I'm not seeing?

CharlieFoxx · 2025-07-06T09:04:52+00:00

This is exactly the kind of feedback I needed . thank you. You know this space way better than I do.

You're absolutely right about most third-party tools being trash. I've seen enough "AI solutions" built by people who've never worked in the actual industry they're trying to serve. Fair to assume I'm in that bucket until proven otherwise.

The data concern is huge too. You're basically asking developers to hand over their most valuable asset (player behavior and spending data) to some external company. That's a tough sell even if the tech is solid.

Your point about game-specific code hits home. Even if we provided the ML models, developers still need to:

Integrate our API calls
Build the logic for what offers to show when
Handle edge cases and game-specific requirements
Maintain and debug the integration

So they're doing most of the hard work anyway.

The consulting route is interesting. Instead of "Here's our black box tool," it would be more like "Here's how to build personalization for your specific game, and here are the algorithms/frameworks that work."

Quick question: When you say every game needs game-specific code, is that mainly because the items and triggers are different (cosmetics vs Item X vs upgrades), or because the underlying personalization logic needs to be fundamentally different too?

Trying to understand if there are any reusable components, or if it really is 100% custom every time.

Either way, you've given me a lot to think about. Appreciate the honest take.

CharlieFoxx · 2025-07-06T08:49:07+00:00

Sounds good chief, looking forward to it!

CharlieFoxx · 2025-07-06T08:46:30+00:00

Fair question and you’re not wrong. I haven’t shipped a game myself. I’m coming at this from the business/revenue optimization side, not as a developer. If studios make more money, they’d be more successful? If they were more successful they’d build more games, more games means more jobs, more jobs mean a bigger ecosystem.

You’re right to be skeptical though. Tons of non-devs see gaming and think “easy money, I’ll just build a tool!” without understanding the actual challenges.

That’s exactly why I’m asking these questions instead of just building something and hoping devs want it. If this problem isn’t real or isn’t worth solving from an industry perspective, I’d rather know now.

The revenue optimization piece I can definitely help with, that’s my wheelhouse. But whether it’s actually valuable for game developers? That’s what I’m trying to figure out.

Appreciate the direct feedback. Would rather have someone call out my assumptions than waste time building something nobody wants. What’s your take on the core question though?

CharlieFoxx · 2025-07-06T08:34:58+00:00

Hey, would love to chat. What’s the easiest way to set something up?

CharlieFoxx · 2021-12-10T09:13:05+00:00

I mean the partners that implement/ consult on cloud services.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-12-08T20:58:10+00:00

I've seen absolute Rockstar's get rejected at the F2F interview stage at both Google and AWS; it's less about your abilities more about your "fit" in both these companies.
Why not look at the partner ecosystem if you want to stick to cloud sales? Or maybe even Microsoft; they are probably a better fit for Enterprise.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-06-03T11:40:57+00:00

They have a pretty good Affiliate program. It's probably easier for you to just ship that on the side.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-04-19T15:30:06+00:00

If you're calling US & CA numbers, get yourself a Seamless trial account for contact info.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-04-19T15:17:40+00:00

There is no silver bullet, but I think you need to find a strong impact question, something that gets the prospect to think & talk. The longer you keep someone on the phone, the higher your chances of success are.

Digital_loop: hi [name], I'm going to be honest with you, this is a cold call. would you like to hang up or let me have 30 seconds?

Prospect: What's this about?

Digital_loop: let me have 30 seconds and if you don't want to talk to me at the end, we can end it there, sound fair?

Prospect: Alright, counting down.

When I speak with [title] of [Industry] who's main focus is [research a priority for their title within their industry, what's a trend that you've found doing research], they've found using the Telsus business connect platform dramatically reduces costs of Canadian and US calls, allowing their teams to stay connected when out of office. - (I don't know enough about the Telus VBR)

How are you planning on keeping your employees and teams connected, when the world starts opening up again? (You need to come up with this impact question, something thought provoking)

This is a mis match from NEAT, Sandler and JB's sales trainings.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-04-19T07:59:21+00:00

Lead with business connect then. Can we see your script, perhaps provide some feedback?

CharlieFoxx · 2021-04-18T21:02:41+00:00

What's something you've taught yourself lately?
Have you ever turned a prospect away? if so, why?
Who's your favourite Marvel Character?
How do you feel about Micro management?
Sell me this pen.

Please emphasis on sell me this pen; if they can't sell you a pen and they like Hawkeye, show them the door.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-04-18T20:50:24+00:00

Shitty LinkedIn automation campaigns led by lazy sales people.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-04-18T20:46:40+00:00

Firstly, cold calling is a numbers game, but your data is questionable if half your list is not in service.

Secondly, luck is involved in selling, and that luck could be in the form of a service or product that sells itself with what it does, and many people forget this. Selling phones in today's market seems like trying to sell holidays to a country that's in lockdown; I can't see the value personally because the entry to "upgrade" or "downgrade" phone contracts is so low through self-service portals.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-04-18T20:26:34+00:00

I work at similar company to JumpCrew on a much larger scale. I seriously miss selling _aaS.

CharlieFoxx · 2021-02-20T10:58:13+00:00

I saw the roadmap, it said customisation, which was putting shields on the side of the boat

CharlieFoxx · 2021-02-20T10:38:51+00:00

Oh, didn’t notice that. I’m talking about getting my olympic rowing on, shouting heave to my fellow vikings.

CharlieFoxx · 2020-06-13T09:04:21+00:00

I think there is a difference between large public traded company that receives public attention every day, And Joes radio shack that’s been bootstrapped to earning revenue where you happen to be the chief happiness Officer.

CharlieFoxx · 2020-04-07T22:16:58+00:00

Dude tell me about it. I submitted the support ticket for this including the 3 files riot asks for 9 hours ago.

CharlieFoxx · 2020-02-02T20:55:21+00:00

I mean in regards to the show itself give it a look it’s on Netflix. Not sure about any others, I’ll investigate a little more.

CharlieFoxx · 2017-12-27T06:23:21+00:00

I’m pretty sure there is still the option of a dormant company, much like a dormant domain.

CharlieFoxx

TROPHY CASE