2025 San Francisco Agenda
- Day 1Wednesday 22 October
- Day 2Thursday 23 October
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Select a Theme
- Morning Keynote Sessions
- User Acquisition
- Product Monetization
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08.00 - Badge Pickup & Welcome Coffee
08.55
Welcome to Gamesforum San Francsico 2025
09.00
Gamesforum Unfiltered: San Francisco Edition
Off the record, unrecorded, uncensored, join us as we kick off Gamesforum San Francisco with our Unfiltered panel.
The mobile game ecosystem remains turbulent, a series of rising costs, depreciating revenue and an increasingly competitive market leave growth managers innovating for incremental uplift.
Join our industry leaders as they dissect the state of the mobile games industry, providing their hot takes, annoyances and advice on how to locate pockets of growth.
Sponsored by
Xsolla is a global video game commerce company with a robust and powerful set of tools and services designed specifically for the industry. Since its founding in 2005, Xsolla has helped thousands of game developers and publishers of all sizes fund, market, launch and monetize their games globally and across multiple platforms. As an innovative leader in game commerce, Xsolla’s mission is to solve the inherent complexities of global distribution, marketing, and monetization to help our partners reach more geographies, generate more revenue, and create relationships with gamers worldwide. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, with offices in Berlin, Seoul, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Raleigh, Tokyo, and cities around the world, Xsolla supports major gaming titles like Valve, Twitch, Roblox, Epic Games, Take-Two, KRAFTON, Nexters, NetEase, Playstudios, Playrix, miHoYo, and more.
10.00
Sponsored Presentation by Xsolla
Check back for more information...
10.30
From Collapse to Comeback: How WildCard Engineered Its Best Year Ever
WildCard went from five years of profitability and a standout 2020 to near-total collapse in 2022. A 40% revenue drop, 25% CPM crash, and geopolitical crisis shattered the company’s growth loop. With UA slashed and yield down over 90%, survival seemed unlikely.
But instead of pivoting, WildCard rebuilt. Overhauling systems across product, monetization, and user acquisition. In this candid keynote, hear the full story of how WildCard turned extreme adversity into its most successful year to date, achieving record-breaking revenue and cash flow. This is a real-world case in point for navigating downturns, rebuilding growth engines, and leading through turbulence.
11.00 - Morning Networking Break -
11.00 - Morning Networking Break
11.30
Reimagining Creativity in the Age of AI
Exploring how AI is reshaping creative workflows in game marketing, drawing parallels to past innovations once met with scepticism. This session will address the unique challenges of user acquisition when working with major IPs, where creative testing is limited but real world value adds are scheduled.
This session invites discussion on how studios can balance originality, efficiency, and brand constraints while integrating AI into their creative and UA strategies.
Sponsored by
BLKBOX was built by a former Meta Ads auction expert as a unified platform where advertisers can Analyze, Ideate, Create, Test, and Scale.
Leverage AI and advanced automation to reduce your CPI by up to 30%, lower testing costs by 50%, increase production by 200%, and scale your ads profitably.
- Analyze and clone your competitors' top ads.
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- Omni-channel testing to highlight winning ads within 48 hours.
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A single platform for all your marketing needs!
Learn more at www.blkbox.ai
11.55
Sponsored Presentation by BLKBOX
More information coming soon...
12.20
The Last Lever of Control: Creative Successes in the Era of Automation
This panel reveals how innovative mobile game creatives lead to deep player connections and fuel sustained growth. Industry leaders share how storytelling, bold design, and data-driven messaging combine to penetrate an overcrowded market. Learn how to leverage emerging trends like UGC and influencer collaborations to produce creatives that not only convert but build vibrant, engaged communities in today’s privacy-conscious landscape.
13.00 - Networking Lunch14.00
Rewarded UA in a Crowded Market - Navigating Noise and Unlocking Value
Is the golden age of rewarded UA over? With the rewarded ad network approaching oversaturation, many studios are facing player fatigue and diminishing returns. This panel explores how leading teams are rethinking reward mechanics and engagement strategies to keep rewarded traffic effective, optimize campaign structure and drive strong LTV.
15.3015.30
Publisher Case Study
Contact sophie@globalmgf.com for more information!
16.00 - Afternoon Networking Break16.30
Global UA Launches: Lessons From Korea, China & the West
What works in the West won’t always work in Korea or China. In this session, JJ Park unpacks how UA strategies must evolve across regions - from China’s complex platform ecosystem to Korea’s brand-driven player base. Learn how testing loops vary by region, why creative and messaging need to be hyper-localized, and how to tailor everything from soft launch strategies to audience development to match each market’s unique challenges and opportunities.
17.00
UA in 2026: The Next Evolution of Growth
As privacy restrictions tighten and AI tools evolve, growth teams are shifting from chasing cheap installs to building smarter, LTV-first systems. In this forward-looking panel, industry leaders explore how AI is changing the UA stack, why CPI is becoming irrelevant, and what it will take to scale games in 2026 and beyond. From predictive modeling to automated creative testing, this session dives into what’s next and how to future-proof your strategy before it’s too late.
18.00 - Networking Drinks -
11.00 - Morning Networking Break
11.30
Games Stores in Flux: 5 Years of Change and What Comes Next?
The mobile game store landscape is changing fast. Apple and Google no longer hold all the cards—new players like Epic, Huawei, and Amazon are offering real alternatives with better deals and more freedom for developers. But with greater choice comes greater complexity. Join this session for a look at the shifting store ecosystem, how developers can take control of discovery, and what it all means for monetization and growth in the years ahead.
12.20
Revenue, Retention & Trust with Out of Game Experiences: Unlocking D2C
There is a lot to be covered and learnt in adopting successful out of game experiences, from ensuring solid builds to player messaging, but under this lies great revenue and engagement potential.
Sharing their experience building and integrating webstores, our panellists will explore how to best communicate out of game experiences with players, how personalisation and value exchanges can improve both player experiences and your revenue streams and how to set about scaling your IAP share.
13.00 - Networking Lunch14.00
Content is King: LiveOps Designed for Revenue & Retention
With rising UA costs and shifting monetization models, effective LiveOps is more critical than ever. This panel explores how to build LiveOps strategies that drive long-term retention and revenue. Topics include cross-team collaboration, data-driven campaign timing, content personalization, and balancing monetization with player satisfaction to turn acquired users into lasting, paying players.
15.30
Personalized LiveOps: Designing Experiences That Keep Players Coming Back
As player expectations rise and competition intensifies, personalization in LiveOps has become essential for long-term engagement and retention. This session explores how to build scalable LiveOps frameworks tailored to individual player behaviours, preferences, and lifecycle stages.
Learn how to align internal structures and resources for personalized content delivery, and how to leverage IP and entertainment calendars, like major show releases or cultural events to create timely, relevant LiveOps campaigns. Packed with real-world use cases, this session will provide actionable insights to help your team drive deeper connections, stronger retention, and more consistent revenue through smarter personalization.
16.00 - Afternoon Networking Break16.30
Product Publisher Presentation Available
Contact josh@globalmgf.com for more information!
17.00
ARM up for 26: Building Sustainable Growth with Acquisition, Retention & Monetization
With rising costs, tighter margins, and a saturated market, user acquisition in mobile gaming is more challenging than ever. This session brings together experts from marketing and product to discuss how studios can shift focus from short-term DAU spikes to long-term retention and player LTV. Learn strategies for aligning UA with monetization models that support player longevity, and how closer collaboration between product and other teams can unlock sustainable, scalable growth.
18.00 - Networking Drinks
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Select a Theme
- Alternative Growth Track
- Ad Monetization Track
- Roundtables - To Be Announced Soon!
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11.00
The F2P Model: Retention is the New Acquisition
As the mobile game ecosystem evolves, rising UA costs, privacy changes, and market saturation are forcing a strategic shift. In today’s environment, growth doesn’t come from acquisition alone, it comes from keeping players engaged.
This session explores why retention now rivals acquisition in importance and how successful studios are refocusing on long-term player experience, personalized engagement, and LiveOps strategies. Learn how to drive sustainable growth by optimizing for lifetime value, not just installs.
12.00
Evolution of Mobile Gaming: Consolidation, Entertainment & The Streaming Model
The mobile game publishing landscape is rapidly evolving with further consolidation and major entertainment players like Netflix expand into gaming.
This session explores how studios are reshaping industry dynamics, offering new models for distribution, funding, and cross-platform integration. Learn what this shift means for developers, from partnership opportunities to changes in audience expectations and how to navigate a future where streaming platforms and media brands are becoming serious forces in mobile gaming.
12.30
Brand Isn’t Just Marketing: Why Every Studio Needs a Brand Strategy (Even Pre-Launch)
In today’s saturated market, brand is more than visuals; it’s your identity, your message, and your competitive edge. This session explores how brand influences product success from day one, and why it’s critical for both studios and individual games. Learn practical strategies for positioning, tone, and visual identity, plus how strong branding boosts user acquisition, retention, and even hiring. Includes real-world examples from mobile, PC, and hybrid studios.
13.00 - Networking Lunch Break14.00
Discoverability in a Crowded Market Space
Despite a number of incredible successful launches in recent years, evergreen titles still top the charts and reap the rewards of organic traffic. So, how can marketing teams find organic growth in 2026?
Exploring ASO and organics to boost growth potential, the importance of narrative and working with games teams, platform relationships and featuring best practices. This panel will share their advice on developing successful organic growth strategies for 2026 and how to optimize your discoverability for 2026.
15.30
New Stores, Algorithms & Discoverability
Having ran ASO for the largest studios, Eric will join the stage to take a look at the latest algorithm changes for ASO and discoverability, what to expect from discoverability on the new Game Store and the importance of organics in 2026.
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11.00
Hybrid Monetization & Revenue Diversification
Kicking off our ad monetization track, building the bridge between IAPs and Ad Monetization this will look more to the changing nature of mobile game monetization.
Exploring how teams are blending their monetization models, creating a cohesive game economy that maximizes player revenue potential. As well as advice on exploring diverse revenue streams in the interest of scalable growth for 2026.
12.00
From the Windows to the (Offer) Walls
Offerwalls have been around for two decades, but developers still have misconceptions about the role they play in the in-game economy. In this session, RevU CEO Tanner Hanson will dispel the many myths about offer wall and share the ways that it can complement and enhance your existing advertising and purchase-based monetization systems. Even if you already have an offer wall installed, this session will make you reconsider if you're getting the most out of your existing implementations.
12.30
Balancing Act: Avoiding Revenue Cannibalization in the Game Economy
How do you maximize both ad revenue and in-app purchases without one undermining the other? This case study explores strategies used by leading mobile studios to avoid cannibalization between monetization streams.
Learn how to segment players, personalize monetization paths, and use data to optimize ad placements without disrupting IAP potential. Discover actionable insights to build a balanced, sustainable revenue model that supports long-term growth.
13.00 - Networking Lunch Break14.00
Smarter Ad Monetization: User Segmentation & Ad Personalization
As mobile monetization matures, one-size-fits-all strategies no longer cut it. This panel explores how leading studios are using advanced user segmentation and personalized ad experiences to boost revenue without sacrificing player satisfaction. Learn how to identify high-value cohorts, tailor ad frequency and formats, and strike the right balance between engagement and monetization. Discover best practices for delivering the right ad to the right player at the right time.
15.30
Case Study: Scaling Ad Personalization in Top-Grossing Games
Discover how one team developed, tested, and scaled a personalized ad strategy across some of the world’s biggest mobile games. This session dives into the tools, frameworks, and data-driven decisions that powered smarter segmentation, improved player experience, and unlocked new revenue. Learn practical lessons on balancing performance and personalization at scale, without compromising retention or monetization goals.
Home of the Gamesforum events series, Mobilize & Monetize podcast, leading mobile game analysis and more about the world of mobile games marketing and monetization.