Welcome to The Business of Games podcast, brought to you by Xsolla.
In today’s episode, Xsolla’s Chris Hewish and Lia Ballentine take a closer look at the engine that keeps modern games alive long after launch: LiveOps.
Once dismissed as duct-taped events and last-minute patches, LiveOps has become one of the most powerful growth drivers in the industry, fueling player retention, personalization, and revenue. As acquisition costs climb and competition intensifies, studios are realizing that sustainable success depends on more than content drops. It requires orchestration, strategy, and systems that scale.
Joining us are two leaders shaping the future of LiveOps: Tim Kravchenko, Xsolla’s expert in monetization and campaign design, and Jenny Xu, CEO of Talofa Games, whose titles like Run Legends and Monster Walk turn real-world activity into in-game power. Together, they share lessons on balancing first-time players and power users, moving beyond spreadsheets, and building LiveOps that drive both outcomes and impact.
From AI-driven segmentation and churn prevention to the creative challenge of designing meaningful, player-first experiences, this episode explores what happens when LiveOps stops being reactive and starts being strategic.
Plus, gain quick insights into the metrics and tactics that prove how much the right LiveOps stack can drive results for modern studios.
Whether you’re a product lead, monetization strategist, or studio founder, this episode will give you real-world examples, insights, and tactical advice for turning LiveOps into a true growth engine.
Let’s get into it.

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