Agenda

Monetization is often seen as a business necessity, but in this session, it is treated as a game design system. Drawing from over a decade leading monetization and live operations on The Elder Scrolls Online, and now as Co-Founder and CEO of Sackbird Studios, Lee Ridout shares a principle-driven approach to building revenue systems that scale without eroding player trust. The talk covers practical frameworks for pacing content, structuring store portfolios, using scarcity responsibly, and measuring success beyond short-term revenue — all while keeping the player experience at the center.

Takeaway

Attendees gain actionable strategies for pacing monetization content, managing product portfolios, and communicating across disciplines. Drawing from The Elder Scrolls Online, Lee Ridout shares tested frameworks for designing player-respectful stores, using scarcity without manipulation, and measuring success beyond revenue—tools developers can immediately apply to live service systems.

Intended Audience

This session is for game designers, product managers, live ops leads, and interested developers working on monetized games. Attendees should have a basic understanding of live service systems. Those seeking to align monetization with design values and improve collaboration across disciplines will find practical, immediately applicable insights.