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Player Driven
──PLAYER DRIVEN · DESIGN DESK

Operators worth reading twice.

35 ESSAYS
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Showing 6 essays · Live OpsCLEAR ALL ✕
The Rise and Fall and Rise of Zach Letter, Co-Founder and CEO of Wonder Works
· POSTMORTEM· LIVE OPS

The Rise and Fall and Rise of Zach Letter, Co-Founder and CEO of Wonder Works

The former popular YouTube influencer leaped into risky Roblox development waters in 2019, and candidly reflects on his studio’s feast or famine saga

L03 LeadLIVE OPS +3
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
Lewis WardSEP 3, 2026
Under the Hood of Call of Duty’s Matchmaking System and MMR With Charlie Olson, Part 2
· TEARDOWN· LIVE OPS

Under the Hood of Call of Duty’s Matchmaking System and MMR With Charlie Olson, Part 2

Our extended conversation with Olson covers Marvel Rivals, Elo, and how Call of Duty (COD) Ranked Play works from a player skill standpoint

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
Lewis WardAUG 19, 2026
Thad Sasser Loves Learning, Smart Risk-taking, Fun, and MERICA, Part 2
· PROFILE· LIVE OPS

Thad Sasser Loves Learning, Smart Risk-taking, Fun, and MERICA, Part 2

The vet FPS studio exec and current creative director of COD Warzone talks vision, the ‘friendship hostage’ problem, shooter innovations, and American grit

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
Lewis WardJUL 1, 2026
ARCANIX’s Oscar Clark on the EU’s DFA, Lightning Lessons, and the Primacy of Player Value, Part 2
· PROFILE· LIVE OPS

ARCANIX’s Oscar Clark on the EU’s DFA, Lightning Lessons, and the Primacy of Player Value, Part 2

The industry vet talks Lightning Lessons, ARCANIX, and how studios can “find the fun” in a sustainable way

L01 FoundationsLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
Lewis WardJUN 16, 2026
Player Support at Schell Games with Laura Hall
MEMBERS
· PROFILE· LIVE OPS

Player Support at Schell Games with Laura Hall

Among other insights, Hall highlights why AI-based tools such as ToxMod add significant valuable in a Live Ops gaming context

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
Lewis WardMAR 17, 2026
How Focused Player Psychology, Design, and Post-launch Process Sets the Stage for Live Ops Success
MEMBERS
· PROFILE· LIVE OPS

How Focused Player Psychology, Design, and Post-launch Process Sets the Stage for Live Ops Success

ArenaNet’s Crystin Cox, a veteran Live Ops video game designer, director and publisher, warns that Games-as-a-Service overthinking can spell doom

L02 OperatorLIVE OPS +2
↳ 5 TAKEAWAYS
Lewis WardFEB 26, 2026