Xsolla is a global video game commerce organisation with a strong and effective collection of services and technologies created especially for the gaming sector. They continue to address the inherent challenges of worldwide distribution, marketing, and monetization as an innovative leader in game commerce so that their partners may increase viewership, engagement, and revenue.

The Xsolla product suite is available in more than 200 countries and territories, 20+ languages, and 130 currencies. The company was established looking at the way technology and artistry comes together in gaming. Their belief that everyone gets a fair shot at playing hasn’t changed since their launch in 2005.

The following conversation with Konstantin Golubitsky, CEO, is about the industry’s current scenario, its future and Xsolla itself

Q. What is the current market scenario of gaming industry? What do you think will be the next big thing?

The global gaming industry is flourishing, with a market size surpassing $200 billion. This growth is fueled by increased smartphone adoption, faster internet connectivity, and the popularity of streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube. The pandemic has also contributed to this expansion, with more people seeking entertainment at home. Mobile gaming currently leads the market in revenue, followed by console and PC gaming. Cloud gaming services like Google Stadia, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and NVIDIA GeForce Now are making gaming more accessible.

Looking ahead, I believe the following trends will shape the future of gaming:

Metaverse: The metaverse concept is gaining traction, with companies like Meta investing in creating immersive, interconnected virtual worlds. These spaces allow players to socialize, work, complete, and play together, blurring the lines between reality and the virtual world.

Virtual and Augmented Reality: Advancements in VR and AR technologies promise to revolutionize gaming experiences. As hardware becomes more affordable and software improves, we’ll see a shift towards more immersive gaming experiences seamlessly integrated into our lives.

Blockchain and NFTs: The gaming industry increasingly adopts blockchain technology and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to create decentralized, player-driven economies. This enables unique digital assets, true ownership, and innovative monetization models, paving the way for new gaming experiences and opportunities.

Artificial Intelligence: AI will play a crucial role in shaping the future of gaming, from creating dynamic and realistic in-game worlds to providing adaptive learning experiences, redefining gaming at its core.

Q. Why did you choose this niche? What inspired you to address the game developers’ pain points?

The gaming industry is an ever-growing, dynamic space that has always fascinated me. However, we noticed that many minimal and independent developers faced numerous challenges in bringing their creative visions to life and achieving financial success. These challenges included complex monetization systems, payment processing, and marketing obstacles that can be daunting for developers primarily focused on creating exceptional games. We chose this niche because we saw an opportunity to empower game developers by providing them with the tools and resources to navigate these challenges successfully. Our goal at Xsolla is to bridge the gap between game developers’ creative expertise and the business and technical aspects of the gaming industry. By addressing these pain points, we can help developers focus on what they do best – creating unique gaming experiences. The inspiration for our mission comes from the incredible passion and dedication game developers exhibit in their work.

Q. Do need a dedicated and creative team to do what you do. How did you manage to form your dream team?

Having a dedicated and creative team is indeed crucial to achieving our goals. Forming the dream team involved a focused approach, emphasizing the importance of creativity alongside dedication. Here’s how we managed it:

Shared vision and values: Ensuring our team members share our passion for empowering game developers is vital. By aligning everyone with Xsolla’s vision and values, we foster a collaborative atmosphere where dedication and creativity can flourish.

Diversity in expertise: A creative team requires individuals with a diverse skill set, from technology to design, marketing, and business development. By assembling a team with varied backgrounds, we encourage the cross-pollination of ideas and innovative solutions that address developers’ pain points. Nurturing creativity: We actively nurture creativity in our team by creating a supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing ideas, experimenting, and learning from failures. Embracing a culture of innovation allows us to develop groundbreaking solutions for the gaming industry. Talent scouting and retention: Attracting creative individuals involves searching for talent in unconventional places and investing in their growth. By offering professional development opportunities and a positive work environment, we retain passionate team members who continually push the boundaries of what’s possible. Collaboration and communication: Encouraging open communication and collaboration across departments helps spark creative ideas and problem-solving. We foster a culture where team members can exchange thoughts and insights, leading to unique and effective solutions for our partners.

Q. How is Xsolla different from an IT services company providing similar services to the gaming industry?

Xsolla is a global payment service provider that helps developers, publishers, and platform holders to monetize their gaming businesses. It offers a variety of secure payment solutions such as credit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, and more for over 200 countries. It also has proprietary fraud prevention technologies to help protect its customers from fraudulent payments. With an easy-to-use API integration process, Xsolla ensures quick setup times while maintaining the highest levels of security so users can focus on growing their businesses without worry. With offices worldwide and partners in more than 80 countries, Xsolla is a global leader in payment solutions for the gaming industry. We strive to provide an unparalleled customer experience and make it easier than ever for developers and publishers to monetize their games. Our streamlined API integration process lets game developers quickly set up payments without worrying about fraud or other security risks.

Q. How do you monitor the performance of the solution? What guidance and direction did you find most effective to train developers to use your solution effectively?

Monitoring the performance of our solution is a top priority. We use a combination of analytics tools and real-time data visualizations to ensure that we have complete visibility into our solution and its performance. Additionally, we have implemented automated alerting processes so that any potential issues can be identified quickly and addressed efficiently. To help developers get up to speed on using our solution effectively, we provide comprehensive documentation with easy-to-follow instructions, as well as tutorials and videos that guide users step-by-step through the product’s main features. We also offer one-on-one training sessions for developers needing more personalized support to maximize their usage of our platform. Finally, we host regular webinars and workshops and attend the world’s largest trade shows, such as GDC, to inform developers of any new features or updates.     

Q. Can you tell us in brief about the technology that powers Xsolla’s video game business engine?

Xsolla’s technology is the driving force behind its video game business engine. It provides a powerful infrastructure to help publishers, developers, and platform owners monetize their games quickly and securely. Xsolla’s unique approach combines an extensive suite of services, including payment processing, fraud prevention, analytics, customer support, marketing tools, and more. This allows partners to focus on growing their user base and increasing revenues without worrying about the complexities of running a successful gaming business. Xsolla’s deep integration with major platforms gives it the advantage of scalability across different regions so partners can easily expand into new markets. Together these features give developers, and publishers access to powerful tools that enable them to maximize profits from their video games globally. With Xsolla, game developers can quickly and easily monetize their games without sacrificing security or user experience.

Q. Cyber security is the top priority of any company. How do you secure your clients’ data without increasing the complexity of their operations?

At Xsolla, we understand that cyber security is paramount for any company. We use a combination of tools and practices to ensure our clients’ data remains secure without increasing its operational complexity. Firstly, all data passing through the Xsolla platform is securely encrypted in transit and at rest using the latest encryption algorithms. This ensures that any data stored or transferred through the platform is safe from unauthorized access or alteration. Furthermore, we employ two-factor authentication (2FA) on all registered user accounts to protect access to sensitive customer information further. Our team continually monitors the platform for any suspicious activity and can quickly mitigate potential threats before they arise. In addition to these measures taken within our systems, we also ensure our clients know the best security practices they should implement. This includes advice on strong password policies and limiting access to sensitive data only to those requiring it. By taking a comprehensive approach combining internal security measures and client education, we strive to ensure that all customer data remains secure while simultaneously reducing the complexity of their operations.

Short background of Konstantin Golubitsky

Konstantin Golubitsky (KG) attended some of the most prestigious business schools, such as UCLA Anderson School of Management, Stanford Business School, and Harvard Business School. KG not only received the same executive certifications from each of these schools but also in a timely and efficient manner. KG originally started at Xsolla as a system architect but eventually moved up to the position of CTO. At the end of November 2021, he officially announced that he would take over as Xsolla’s CEO.

His expertise was instrumental when Epic Games collaborated with Xsolla to expand their global payment methods for Fortnite. By integrating with Xsolla’s network of regional payment service providers and meticulously testing pricing and user experience for each new market, Golubitsky played a significant role in the rapid growth and expansion of the game.

“Today, Xsolla’s expertise in technological innovation and business operations has created multiple products and solutions that help video game publishers and developers succeed while putting their players first.”