Xsolla Launches State of Play and Xsolla Conversations to Spark New Industry Dialogue through Podcast Storytelling

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, announced the launch of a new podcast content ecosystem designed to inform, inspire, and connect the global games industry. Anchored by the flagship series State of Play and supported by the fast-paced companion show Xsolla Conversations, the company’s new audio strategy seeks to surface meaningful stories, emerging trends, and practical insights from the people building the future of games.

At a time when platform policies are shifting, monetization models are evolving, and developers are facing increasingly complex challenges, these podcasts provide a timely and much-needed forum for dialogue. Each show plays a distinct role in Xsolla’s mission to foster transparency, education, and thought leadership within the industry.

State of Play is the centerpiece of this strategy. It’s a narrative podcast created for decision-makers in the games business, combining long-form interviews, editorial storytelling, and immersive sound design. Hosted and narrated by Chris Hewish, Xsolla’s Chief Strategy Officer, along with co-host Lia Ballentine and Joe Pierpont, the show offers a documentary-style look at what’s impacting the business of games, from high-profile platform battles and regulatory shifts to breakthrough trends in direct-to-consumer strategies. Episodes are carefully structured to walk listeners through a multi-perspective journey, weaving in the voices of founders, economists, product leads, and policy experts. With rich production and a journalist’s curiosity, State of Play delivers context and clarity in a world where change is constant.

In contrast, Xsolla Conversations provides a more nimble, informal listening experience. These short-form episodes, typically under 20 minutes, are designed to surface key insights in real time. They feature candid interviews with Xsolla partners, internal experts, and developers worldwide who are experimenting, adapting, and finding success in today’s market.

The first slate of episodes from Xsolla Conversations highlights the diversity of voices shaping the industry. In “Rethinking Mobile Game Finance,” Niantic CFO Jeff Shouger joins Chris Hewish for an honest conversation about Niantic’s move into web shops. Shouger details what it took to shift from platform-restricted monetization to a more direct, data-rich model. Shouger shares hard-won lessons about the importance of agility, the internal decision-making process behind going DTC, and what other developers can learn from Niantic’s experience.

In another episode, “Where Mobile Monetization Is Headed,” Xsolla’s own Artem Liubutov sits down with Hewish to unpack what makes a webshop succeed. The conversation explores both the technical considerations and the behavioral factors at play, offering grounded advice for developers who want to take more control over their revenue streams in an era of platform uncertainty.

“The Power of Player Communities” brings another critical perspective, as AJ Sath of Xsolla speaks with Stephen Lee of Deca Games. Their conversation focuses on long-term player retention and the cultural architecture behind thriving game communities. Lee discusses how Deca Games approaches live ops and community-driven design not just to extend the life of a title, but to create environments that players want to invest in over time.

According to Hewish, these conversations reflect Xsolla’s core philosophy: that the best ideas come from practitioners. “We created State of Play and Xsolla Conversations to elevate real stories from the people doing the work,” said Hewish. “Whether you’re a developer launching your first game or an executive navigating global business decisions, you deserve content that doesn’t just inform, but connects. These shows are about substance, not soundbites. And they’re part of our broader effort to make the business of games more transparent, collaborative, and resilient.”

Both podcasts are part of a strategic content engine that feeds Xsolla’s broader communications platform. Episodes are shared via major podcast platforms and repurposed into blog posts, LinkedIn articles, conference narratives, and social media content, ensuring that the insights don’t stop at audio but travel across the formats and channels where developers already live and learn.