#246: How D2C is reshaping game monetization with Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla

Building a sustainable game business has never been more complex—or more full of opportunity. As platforms evolve and user acquisition costs rise, developers are rethinking how they monetize and engage their players directly.

In this episode, Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla, breaks down the rise of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) transactions and how Xsolla’s Web Shop is helping game studios reclaim ownership over their player relationships.

We explore how going D2C opens new revenue streams, what infrastructure developers need to support it, and why the Web Shop is becoming more than just a payment layer—it’s turning into a strategic channel for growth, loyalty, and long-term success.

Today’s topics include:

• Why D2C model's popularity grows among mobile game development studios
• What is Web Shop and how it works
• How Xsolla helps developers handle regulatory compliance, fraud prevention, global payments, and more
• Building stronger connections with game players via D2C presence
• What's next for the Web Shoo and D2C
• What Chris would like to change in mobile space

Links and Resources:

• Chris Hewish  on LinkedIn
• Xsolla website
• Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry

Quotes from Chris Hewish

“When you go direct-to-consumer, you get the full power of e-commerce, the full power of the web for discovery, and the full power of building community. It creates a better, healthier business environment for your games.”

“It’s not just putting your in-game store on the web. It’s about doing much more with it—rotating sales, personalized offers, regional pricing, loyalty programs, and having full control over your player data.”

“Going off-platform sounds great, but now you’re responsible for taxes, VAT, compliance, and customer support. That’s why you need a partner who can be your merchant of record—handling it all while you focus on making great games.”

Host

Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry since 2012