Reinventing Play: The New Frontier of Gaming Technology and Creation | Global Conference 2026

Industry Demographics and Scale

• The global gaming population is approximately 4 billion, representing half the world's 8 billion residents.
• Approximately 130 million babies are born annually, all of whom are identified as the next generation of gamers.
• Mobile gaming remains the largest platform with roughly 3 billion active users globally.
• The PC market is experiencing a significant resurgence, particularly in China and globally, driven by flexibility and accessibility.
• Emerging markets in Asia (specifically China and Korea) represent major growth opportunities requiring region-specific business and content models.

Structural Shifts and Inflection Points

• The industry is transitioning from episodic, "set-and-forget" product releases to continuous, daily live-service models where launch is the starting line, not the finish.
• Johanna Levinson (Blizzard) emphasizes a structural shift from vertical, homegrown development to global strategic partnerships to navigate regulatory and cultural nuances.
• Gregory Melkin (1AM Gaming) notes a democratization of development where AI and accessible tools (e.g., Unreal Engine) allow small teams (sometimes <20 people) to compete with AAA budgets.
• The industry is moving toward "transmedia" ecosystems where IP expands across film, TV, music, and theme parks to create a force multiplier for player engagement.
• Donald Mustard (Agbo Films) predicts the next generation of franchise-defining IPs (like Star Wars or Marvel) will originate as video games rather than traditional media.

Business Models and Pricing

• There is a strategic pivot away from a "one-size-fits-all" business model toward flexible pricing that aligns with the scope of the experience (e.g., $80 for a decade-long AAA title vs. $20 for a smaller indie experience).
• Johanna Levinson advocates for a return to upfront pricing for certain titles, citing the need for varied investment levels (e.g., $70–$80 per game) based on expected playtime and production value.
• Donald Mustard confirms that Free-to-Play (F2P) worked for Fortnite due to deliberate design but is not a universal model; different experiences require different monetization structures.
• EA's Laura Miele describes a "flywheel" approach where premium games, creative tools (e.g., Battlefield Portal), and F2P modes coexist to serve diverse player behaviors (social, creative, competitive).
• Cross-play is increasingly viewed as essential for social connectivity, with Donald Mustard noting that Fortnite's accidental enablement of cross-platform play broke down console walls and expanded the addressable market.

AI and Technology

• The industry is currently prioritizing AI as a productivity tool for developers and artists to accelerate creation and improve quality, rather than focusing on consumer-facing AI game generation immediately.
• Gregory Melkin warns that while AI lowers barriers to entry (increasing the volume of games released, e.g., 18,000 on Steam), discoverability and marketing remain critical challenges.
• Johanna Levinson states Blizzard is focused on vetting AI tools securely to empower staff while maintaining creative standards.
• The consensus among panelists is that while AI can generate content, human creativity remains the driver of emotional connection and long-term player engagement.
• Laura Miele cautions against overestimating the immediate growth potential of cloud gaming and VR, noting adoption will be slower than market expectations; the focus remains on "meeting players where they are."

Talent, Investment, and Market Dynamics

• Laura Miele highlights a shift in developer relationships, with major publishers actively seeking to acquire independent teams (e.g., the creators of Hades or Celeste) to scale their IPs.
• Donald Mustard argues that the "race to the easiest narrative" of AAA decline and indie ascendancy is false; the future requires a balanced portfolio of blockbuster and niche titles.
• Johanna Levinson notes Blizzard is adopting a "tiered" development strategy, supporting high-budget titles alongside indie-tier partnerships to deepen IP engagement.
• Gregory Melkin observes that investment in indie startups is driven by tangible tech demos and past shipping history rather than pitch decks, as barriers to prototyping have dropped significantly.
• The panelists agree that the "race to the bottom" on budgets is mitigated by the ability to monetize existing IP catalogs (e.g., World of Warcraft, Sims) which generate decades of revenue.

Player Engagement and Transmedia

• Gaming is evolving into a "social platform" where the primary value is often interaction (e.g., concerts, hangouts) rather than competitive gameplay alone.
• Donald Mustard describes the ideal consumer experience as returning to the "campfire," where the audience has agency and the creator can adapt storytelling in real-time based on player feedback.
• Johanna Levinson points to League of Legends and The Last of Us TV show as examples of how adjacent media formats effectively drive awareness and re-engagement with game IPs.
• Laura Miele states that EA views mobile as a complementary ecosystem that can enhance core console/PC experiences (e.g., Plants vs. Zombies as a native mobile brand, mobile integration in Battlefield).
• The panel emphasizes that "health" of a game is measured by long-term cultural relevance and player relationships, not just short-term monetization metrics.

Current Market Challenges and Responses

• Addressing hardware constraints (RAM shortages, rising console prices), Gregory Melkin asserts the impact is temporary ("a blip") as the majority of the global market remains accessible via mobile and lower-spec PC/browser gaming.
• Johanna Levinson identifies the need for "adaptive skill sets" within teams, as content creation models must differ significantly between titles like Overwatch (live ops) and Diablo (seasonal/content drops).
• Laura Miele confirms that EA and Blizzard are optimizing for long-term cultural relevance by balancing P&L responsibilities with the "art" of gaming, refusing to sacrifice creative integrity for short-term engagement spikes.
• The industry is moving away from the "packaged goods" model to a "continuous service" model where games are updated daily, weekly, and monthly based on live data.