Loyalty is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a business strategy.

In this episode of The Business of Games: Extended Cut, Lia Ballentine sits down with Sarah Chafer, Xsolla’s Global Head of Ad Sales, and Travis Anderson, Head of Developer Partnerships, to explore how loyalty and rewards are evolving into a core growth engine for the games industry.

From early experiments with Farmville and K-pop voting apps to modern systems that blend gamification, personalization, and brand integration, Sarah and Travis offer a behind-the-scenes look at what makes loyalty systems work and why they often don’t. Whether you’re trying to drive retention, increase lifetime value, or monetize non-spenders, this conversation is packed with tactical insights from two leaders who’ve been in the trenches for over a decade.

You’ll hear about:

• How loyalty programs shape player behavior and emotional investment
• The role of segmentation, personalization, and “value exchange” in smart reward design
• Why studios must overcome the fear of cannibalization
• Real-world examples from Genshin Impact, Duolingo, Monopoly Go, and more
• How Xsolla’s Offerwall and Social Questing tools support loyalty at scale

If you're looking to turn your players into superfans and your game into a long-term success, this episode breaks down the strategy behind loyalty that lasts.

For more insights and resources, visit xsolla.com/podcast. Want to join the conversation? Use the contact form on our website to share your feedback and questions. Plus, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share the podcast with friends who want to learn more about the business of games.