Regulation, Retention, and the Future of LiveOps: A Conversation with Oscar Clark
Podcasts
•
October 14, 2025
The gaming industry has never been bigger, but with scale comes scrutiny. From EU proposals around virtual currency to ongoing debates about FOMO and monetization ethics, developers are navigating a landscape where player trust, business sustainability, and regulatory oversight collide.
In this episode of Player Driven, I sat down with industry veteran Oscar Clark to unpack the realities of LiveOps, monetization, and career development in gaming. With more than 30 years of experience, Oscar has seen the industry evolve from coin-operated arcades to complex free-to-play ecosystems, and his insights are as relevant for indie founders as they are for AAA studios.
Key Takeaways from the Conversation
1. Regulation is Coming… But Is It the Right Kind?
Supercell’s CEO recently raised alarms about new EU regulations around virtual currency and disclosure. On the surface, requiring clear real-money values seems reasonable. But as Oscar points out, it could create unintended consequences — especially for indie studios without the legal and financial resources to adapt. The risk? Stifling innovation while failing to address the real “bad actors” in the space.
2. The Nuance of FOMO and Scarcity
Is FOMO inherently predatory? Oscar argues no — not when used responsibly. Seasonal content (think Halloween skins) creates excitement and value, just like limited-edition products in other industries. The problem arises when mechanics are designed solely to drive spending without adding meaningful player value.
3. Lessons from Battlefront II
The infamous Battlefront II backlash remains a cautionary tale. A disconnect between monetization, design, and player experience led to revolt, and long-term reputational damage. The takeaway: exploitative mechanics may create short-term revenue, but they destroy retention and trust.
4. Skills Mapping: The Missing Piece in Career Development
The games industry is notoriously bad at training juniors into seniors and giving teams a shared language for skills. Initiatives like game badges (mapping bronze, silver, gold levels to common roles) could provide much-needed clarity, enabling career growth, government support, and better recruitment pipelines.
5. LiveOps and the Retention Loop
Oscar draws a parallel between LiveOps and soap operas, stories that never really end. Retention comes not just from gameplay, but from community, ongoing value, and player identity. As Oscar puts it, the best games succeed when they “focus on player value first — because engagement drives retention, and retention drives revenue.”
Why This Matters for Gaming Professionals
For studio leads, LiveOps managers, monetization strategists, and community builders, the message is clear:
Sustainable growth comes from putting player value at the core.
Regulation is inevitable, but industry-led self-regulation is critical if we want to avoid one-size-fits-all laws that hurt smaller studios.
Career pathways and skill frameworks are as important as monetization models, without them, we risk burning out the next generation of developers.
About Oscar Clark
Oscar Clark is co-founder of Arcanics, a newly funded LiveOps strategy platform helping studios manage events, retention, and monetization at scale. He is the author of Games as a Service and Playing with Balance (forthcoming), and a frequent GDC speaker known for bridging deep operational knowledge with industry-wide trends.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, successful games aren’t built on predatory monetization or shortsighted design. They’re built on fun, trust, and community. As Oscar reminds us: “Find the fun, but also ask — why will players come back tomorrow?”
For more insights, visit PlayerDriven.io and join the conversation in our Discord.
In this episode of Player Driven, I sat down with industry veteran Oscar Clark to unpack the realities of LiveOps, monetization, and career development in gaming. With more than 30 years of experience, Oscar has seen the industry evolve from coin-operated arcades to complex free-to-play ecosystems, and his insights are as relevant for indie founders as they are for AAA studios.
Key Takeaways from the Conversation
1. Regulation is Coming… But Is It the Right Kind?
Supercell’s CEO recently raised alarms about new EU regulations around virtual currency and disclosure. On the surface, requiring clear real-money values seems reasonable. But as Oscar points out, it could create unintended consequences — especially for indie studios without the legal and financial resources to adapt. The risk? Stifling innovation while failing to address the real “bad actors” in the space.
2. The Nuance of FOMO and Scarcity
Is FOMO inherently predatory? Oscar argues no — not when used responsibly. Seasonal content (think Halloween skins) creates excitement and value, just like limited-edition products in other industries. The problem arises when mechanics are designed solely to drive spending without adding meaningful player value.
3. Lessons from Battlefront II
The infamous Battlefront II backlash remains a cautionary tale. A disconnect between monetization, design, and player experience led to revolt, and long-term reputational damage. The takeaway: exploitative mechanics may create short-term revenue, but they destroy retention and trust.
4. Skills Mapping: The Missing Piece in Career Development
The games industry is notoriously bad at training juniors into seniors and giving teams a shared language for skills. Initiatives like game badges (mapping bronze, silver, gold levels to common roles) could provide much-needed clarity, enabling career growth, government support, and better recruitment pipelines.
5. LiveOps and the Retention Loop
Oscar draws a parallel between LiveOps and soap operas, stories that never really end. Retention comes not just from gameplay, but from community, ongoing value, and player identity. As Oscar puts it, the best games succeed when they “focus on player value first — because engagement drives retention, and retention drives revenue.”
Why This Matters for Gaming Professionals
For studio leads, LiveOps managers, monetization strategists, and community builders, the message is clear:
Sustainable growth comes from putting player value at the core.
Regulation is inevitable, but industry-led self-regulation is critical if we want to avoid one-size-fits-all laws that hurt smaller studios.
Career pathways and skill frameworks are as important as monetization models, without them, we risk burning out the next generation of developers.
About Oscar Clark
Oscar Clark is co-founder of Arcanics, a newly funded LiveOps strategy platform helping studios manage events, retention, and monetization at scale. He is the author of Games as a Service and Playing with Balance (forthcoming), and a frequent GDC speaker known for bridging deep operational knowledge with industry-wide trends.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, successful games aren’t built on predatory monetization or shortsighted design. They’re built on fun, trust, and community. As Oscar reminds us: “Find the fun, but also ask — why will players come back tomorrow?”
For more insights, visit PlayerDriven.io and join the conversation in our Discord.
In this episode of Player Driven, I sat down with industry veteran Oscar Clark to unpack the realities of LiveOps, monetization, and career development in gaming. With more than 30 years of experience, Oscar has seen the industry evolve from coin-operated arcades to complex free-to-play ecosystems, and his insights are as relevant for indie founders as they are for AAA studios.
Key Takeaways from the Conversation
1. Regulation is Coming… But Is It the Right Kind?
Supercell’s CEO recently raised alarms about new EU regulations around virtual currency and disclosure. On the surface, requiring clear real-money values seems reasonable. But as Oscar points out, it could create unintended consequences — especially for indie studios without the legal and financial resources to adapt. The risk? Stifling innovation while failing to address the real “bad actors” in the space.
2. The Nuance of FOMO and Scarcity
Is FOMO inherently predatory? Oscar argues no — not when used responsibly. Seasonal content (think Halloween skins) creates excitement and value, just like limited-edition products in other industries. The problem arises when mechanics are designed solely to drive spending without adding meaningful player value.
3. Lessons from Battlefront II
The infamous Battlefront II backlash remains a cautionary tale. A disconnect between monetization, design, and player experience led to revolt, and long-term reputational damage. The takeaway: exploitative mechanics may create short-term revenue, but they destroy retention and trust.
4. Skills Mapping: The Missing Piece in Career Development
The games industry is notoriously bad at training juniors into seniors and giving teams a shared language for skills. Initiatives like game badges (mapping bronze, silver, gold levels to common roles) could provide much-needed clarity, enabling career growth, government support, and better recruitment pipelines.
5. LiveOps and the Retention Loop
Oscar draws a parallel between LiveOps and soap operas, stories that never really end. Retention comes not just from gameplay, but from community, ongoing value, and player identity. As Oscar puts it, the best games succeed when they “focus on player value first — because engagement drives retention, and retention drives revenue.”
Why This Matters for Gaming Professionals
For studio leads, LiveOps managers, monetization strategists, and community builders, the message is clear:
Sustainable growth comes from putting player value at the core.
Regulation is inevitable, but industry-led self-regulation is critical if we want to avoid one-size-fits-all laws that hurt smaller studios.
Career pathways and skill frameworks are as important as monetization models, without them, we risk burning out the next generation of developers.
About Oscar Clark
Oscar Clark is co-founder of Arcanics, a newly funded LiveOps strategy platform helping studios manage events, retention, and monetization at scale. He is the author of Games as a Service and Playing with Balance (forthcoming), and a frequent GDC speaker known for bridging deep operational knowledge with industry-wide trends.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, successful games aren’t built on predatory monetization or shortsighted design. They’re built on fun, trust, and community. As Oscar reminds us: “Find the fun, but also ask — why will players come back tomorrow?”
For more insights, visit PlayerDriven.io and join the conversation in our Discord.
Share
Copy link
Share
Copy link
Share
Copy link
