Can a video game treat depression? Teach democracy? Help us remember history?
In this special MobileGroove episode, we meet the creators who believe games can do all this — and more. Recorded at the POSSIBLE conference, Play with Purpose brings together three powerful conversations with game changers working at the intersection of entertainment and impact.
🎮 Jukka from Soihtu shares how his team is designing a game to treat major depression — a title that’s already seen 1,000+ patients play for 46+ hours and is moving toward FDA approval.
🇩🇪 Felix from the German Federal Agency for Civic Education explains how their agency is supporting indie games that explore democracy, media literacy, and social justice.
🕹️ Luc from Of Light and Darkness tells the story behind his Holocaust education game, played by over 2 million people globally — and why it’s sparking conversations that outlast gameplay.
If you’re a developer, brand, educator, or someone who believes games can spark change, this episode will challenge and inspire you.
Jukka Laakso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juklaakso/
Soihtu DTX: https://soihtudtx.com/
Felix Zimmermann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-zimmermann-07694a1a5/ and https://felix-zimmermann.net/
Germany Federal Agency for Civic Education: https://www.bpb.de/die-bpb/ueber-uns/federal-agency-for-civic-education/
Luc Bernard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardluc/
Voices of the Forgotten: https://www.voicesoftheforgotten.com/
Other Mentions:
Media Circus: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3868010/Media_Circus/
Take Us North: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/takeusnorth/take-us-north/rewards
Compensation Not Guaranteed: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2795590/Compensation_Not_Guaranteed/
The Darkest Files: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2058730/The_Darkest_Files/
Glasshouse: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2244700/Glasshouse/
Tears of Libya: https://www.voicesoftheforgotten.com/tearsoflibya
What happens when your audience becomes your investors—and your co-creators?
In this episode of MobileGroove, recorded live at Gamescom, host Peggy Anne Salz talks with Dan Francis and Shem Selah of Fateless Games, the studio behind the upcoming game Godforge.
It’s a deep dive into a community-powered game development model that’s raised $14M, attracted 50,000+ alpha testers, and brought together Emmy-winning talent and game veterans—all without traditional VC funding.
They unpack:
🎮 How their content creator roots shaped a community-first approach
🧱 Why they designed the entire alpha as a tower-based competition
🔥 What it takes to build not just a game—but a living, breathing IP and brand
🎯 Why modern devs must master activations, narrative, and long-tail loyalty
If you’re building a game, brand, or fanbase from the ground up, this is a masterclass in turning early engagement into lasting momentum.
Gaming is no longer a niche — it’s where culture, identity, and consumer attention all converge. In this MobileGroove x Gamescom special, Peggy Anne Salz sits down with Bastian Bergmann (COO of Solsten and author of Press Play) and Erika Wykes-Sneyd (Adidas, PlayStation) to explore how brands can truly show up in games — not just as logos, but as immersive, strategic partners in play.From building a 24/7 virtual store in Roblox to selling NFT-based avatars, Erika shares how she led Adidas’ gaming evolution and aligned internal stakeholders along the way. Bastian explains how Solsten helps brands move from stereotype to strategy — and why it’s time to treat gaming like the channel it is, not just an experiment.Whether you’re in marketing, brand strategy, product, or innovation — this is your playbook for getting gaming right.
Rewarded ads are evolving—and return on ad spend is just the beginning.
In this episode of MobileGroove, host Peggy Anne Salz sits down with David Ruggiero from TyrAds to explore a more holistic approach to rewarded user acquisition—one that blends personalization, timing, and real user motivation.
With firsthand experience on the publisher side, David shares how TyrAds is:
Building a new SDK for level-based rewards and better segmentation
Applying rewarded strategies across verticals—from mobile games to FinTech apps
Using data and loyalty loops to increase engagement and retention
Helping developers understand what makes rewarded ads work (or fail)
Whether you’re launching a new app, optimizing monetization, or looking beyond ROAS, this episode is packed with strategies to help you grow smarter.
David Ruggiero: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-ruggiero-810766100/
TyrAds: https://tyrads.com/
Offerwalls are back—and this time, they’re not just for whales. 🎯In this episode, recorded live at Gamescom, Travis Anderson, VP of Global Publisher Partnerships at Xsolla, breaks down why offerwalls are experiencing a resurgence—and how they’re evolving into something much bigger: a unified monetization layer that spans webshops, wallets, quests, and even cloud gaming.Travis shares how today’s offerwalls deliver real value across the full player base—not just spenders—by creating personalized, gamified incentives that feel native, not intrusive. He also explains how publishers can tie multiple monetization tools together into a cohesive reward system, reducing reliance on third parties and reclaiming control over the player relationship.💡 Whether you’re an indie team looking for scalable monetization, or a large studio exploring first-party platforms, this episode offers tactical insights and a clear look at how Xsolla is shaping the next era of game commerce.
Travis Anderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisandersonpro/
Xsolla: https://xsolla.com/
From toothpaste to purple hair dye, brands are showing up inside games—and players are loving it.In this live episode from Gamescom, Sarah Chafer, SVP of Global Ad Sales at Xsolla, joins Peggy Anne Salz to explain why brand-formance is the future, how offerwalls are leveling up, and what makes a great reward-driven experience for players and brands alike.🎮 What gaming gets right about user sentiment🏆 How to build win-win offers for brands, devs, and players💡 Why “everyone is a gamer” is more than a slogan📈 How Xsolla is helping brands track ROI—not just awareness🚀 Where G-Commerce is headed next (and how to stay ahead)If you’re building games, selling virtual goods, or helping brands connect with players, this one’s a must-listen.Sarah Chafer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahprescottchafer/Xsolla: https://xsolla.com/
Attribution is broken. Trust in the data is shaky. And most publishers are still leaning too hard on a single channel. But Geeklab is changing the game.
In this episode recorded live at Gamescom, we sit down with Jani Torppa and Jesse Lempiäinen, the minds behind Geeklab, to unpack what’s really going on in the world of mobile growth—and what studios can do to fix it.
They share how Geeklab helps developers rebuild confidence in their creative, rework campaigns that have stopped performing, and bring back value from platforms like Meta and TikTok (yes, even after ATT). They also discuss why most attribution models are still misleading, how to test smarter without overspending, and why diversifying UA spend is no longer optional.
🧠 The key insight? It’s not about throwing money at the problem—it’s about bravery, transparency, and making smarter creative decisions backed by real signals.
🎯 Whether you’re scaling up, stuck in a plateau, or questioning your media mix, this is the growth therapy session you didn’t know you needed.
Everyone’s talking about growth. Thomas Hopkins is diagnosing it.
In this episode, the Head of Growth at GrowthOps unpacks why attribution is broken, why your creative probably isn’t working, and how to rewire your funnel around perception—not just awareness.
🎯 The three types of awareness (and why it changes your messaging)
🧠 The real reason B2B and B2C campaigns underperform
🎤 The influencer-led playbook that works before people know your product
📊 Why GrowthOps surveys differently—and gets better insights
🚀 The “What Buzz Does” model for modern performance marketing
Whether you’re an operator, a founder, or just tired of marketing that doesn’t convert, this episode delivers the playbook.
What if your car could tell brands how to help you without giving up your privacy?Fred Dimesa, Head of Product for Marketing Solutions at Arity, joins host Peggy Anne Salz live at POSSIBLE in the Podcast Corner to show how mobility data has evolved from crude geofences and last-click coupons to predictive insights that anticipate needs, tailor messaging and guide retail foot traffic.Arity’s platform ingests over 2 trillion miles of driving data and adds 1.5 billion miles each day. By reading signals every one to 15 seconds, they can see the complete picture from work commutes to the Tuesday coffee run and use AI modeling to predict the “why” and “when” behind consumer movement. “We’re not selling data,” Fred says. “We’re delivering insights that marketers can activate without touching personal information.”From prompting Uber rides in Life360 to helping retailers target high-value customers in the right context, Arity is proving mobility data can be assistance, not intrusion. The future, Fred says, is about sharper prediction, richer context and keeping consumer trust through transparency.This is how smarter, privacy-forward data is reshaping marketing and why the next competitive advantage may be knowing not just where your customers are, but where they are going next.
Why are more brands and agencies giving gaming a bigger seat at the table, and why might the next wave of premium advertising just be inside your favorite game?
These are the questions Itamar Benedy, CEO and co-founder of Anzu, and host Peggy Anne Salz explore in a conversation recorded live at POSSIBLE in the Podcast Corner that zero in on how in-game advertising has reached a true tipping point.Anzu’s approach, known as intrinsic in-game advertising, blends branded content seamlessly into gameplay. Think billboards in Call of Duty, team jerseys in sports titles or posters on in-game walls. The result is a more realistic environment for players and a new revenue stream for publishers who have never accepted ads before. “We’re giving brands incremental reach into audiences who don’t watch cable or scroll social,” Itamar explains, “and we’re doing it in a way that feels native to the game.”
With campaigns now running across multiple cross-platform premium titles, Anzu is showing how to make ads part of the culture, not an interruption. And when the gaming community embraces an activation, it sparks conversations on Reddit, TikTok and Twitch that far outlast the in-game moment.
Can you create binge-worthy IP in 90 seconds or less?
Michael Vito Valentino, Editor-In-Chief at NowThis, says yes. And the proof is in the numbers. In just three months, Are You OK? attracted 500,000 net new followers and now averages up to 1.5 million views per episode. The secret? A formula powered by comedy, consistency and a mission that’s as clear as it is catchy: “Make it into the group chat.”
Recorded live at POSSIBLE in the Podcast Corner with host Peggy Anne Salz, this episode explores how NowThis is rewriting the rules of reach and resonance. Michael breaks down how “snackable” doesn’t mean shallow. Each episode delivers a full story arc in 90 seconds, building loyal fandom through emotional beats, authenticity and repeatable IP.
“We’re not just integrating brands,” he explains. “We’re elevating the viewing experience.” That approach has made NowThis a magnet for Gen Z and for major advertisers who see the value in content that’s real, relatable and relentlessly shareable.
If you're looking to understand what works now in short-form storytelling and why Gen Z doesn’t just accept ads but cheers them on, this conversation is your playbook.
Creative fatigue, rising UA costs, AI hype—it’s a lot for today’s app marketing team. But Misha Syrotiuk, Head of Growth at Playvalve, cuts through it with a clear playbook.
Recorded at the MobileGroove Podcast Suite @MAU, powered by Bigabid, this episode dives into why ad-driven studios need tighter creative strategies, how Playvalve balances monetization with player experience, and how AI is helping scale smarter.
No buzzwords. No silver bullets. Just the direction you need to succeed in 2H 2025.
Some careers are planned. Others are built one brave “yes” at a time. Faith Price, Director of UA at DoubleDown Interactive, shares how she spotted the gaps, pitched her own role, and now uses that same mindset to lead teams, test AI tools and explore new growth channels. Recorded at the MobileGroove Podcast Suite @MAU, powered by Bigabid, this episode also dives into Faith’s nonprofit work with Open Arms Giving Network and the deeper meaning behind long-term growth.
What if leading growth wasn’t about doing more—but about doing what actually works?
At Fetch, Abby Patton leads UA as part of a lean, two-person team. But she’s not scaling by stretching thin. She’s scaling by building trust—on her team and with her users.
Abby doesn’t push harder. She listens deeper. She meets people where they are and brings them into the conversation. Whether it’s optimizing performance or tackling tough feedback, her approach is grounded, clear and intentional.
In our Women in Leader(sip) x MobileGroove episode (powered by Xsolla), we talked about value, strategy, and the shift from acquisition-at-all-costs to quality that lasts.
Angela Humphrey started as a junior account manager. Now she leads Growth, Sales and Client Success at YouAppi.
She climbed without code-switching. Pivoted without apology. And brought her Elle Woods energy to every room—owning her value while making space for others to rise.
In our Women in Leader(sip) x MobileGroove series (powered by Xsolla), we talk about what it means to lead without fitting in, give back while you're still growing, and turn being underestimated into your edge.
Angela’s take: “Do it your way—and make space for someone coming up behind you.”
Jess Jackson isn’t just VP of People Ops at CRAFTSMAN+ — she’s the culture architect, coach and “sidekick” who makes sure the team has the space (and support) to do their best work.
She leads with empathy, honesty and accountability—but she’s crystal clear: kindness isn’t avoiding the hard conversations. It’s having them.
In our Women in Leader(sip) x MobileGroove series (powered by Xsolla), Jess shares the leadership lessons that shaped her—and the one truth she stands by:
“You’re not helping someone by holding back. If the world’s going to hit them hard, you owe them honesty.”
That’s Sarah Chafer, who’s lived mobile’s M&A wave from the inside.
Tapjoy. IronSource. Unity. Now Xsolla.
Three acquisitions, four companies, and one powerful truth: you can’t control the chaos, but you can lead through it.
In our latest conversation (part of the Women in Leader(sip) x MobileGroove series powered by Xsolla), we go beyond buzzwords to talk about what it really means to lead through seismic change.
From navigating acquisitions to avoiding stock-option traps, Sarah breaks down what most women don’t get told about leadership, value and showing up when the rules change.
The equity advice every woman needs.
The confidence to walk into the room without apology.
And the strategy to make sure your options are opportunity—not handcuffs.
Fragmented marketing in a privacy-first world demands a full funnel approach. In this episode, Peggy Anne Salz reconnects with Avi Das, CRO at Aarki, for an “encore” conversation recorded live at MAU. One year after unveiling Aarki 2.0, the spotlight is where it should be. Marketers are rethinking how UA and retargeting work together, and this episode offers a blueprint for building a new kind of growth engine.
Avi walks through the evolution of Aarki’s Encore platform and how deep neural networks, trained on more than 5 million queries per second, equip marketers to find “invisible needles” in a privacy-constrained haystack and reach high-value users even when identifiers are missing.
From Rovio case studies to SKAN 4 wins, this episode shows why doing it right matters more than doing it fast.
Move beyond buzzwords and get real about how agentic AI and infrastructure-first thinking are changing the rules of modern marketing. In this episode, Peggy Anne Salz reconnects with Aman Sareen, CEO of Aarki, to unpack how owning your tech stack (not renting it)reshapes everything from performance to privacy compliance.
Aman shares why building your own data centers pays off, how marketers should rethink retention vs. acquisition, and what it really means to give users meaningful choice. From AI orchestration to “precision blast” campaigns that outperform SMS with 3x ROI, this episode is packed with examples, strategic vision and sharp insight into the tech quietly redefining performance marketing. 👉 If you care about cost efficiency, user privacy, and future-proofing your tech stack, this is a must-hear.
Aman Sareen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asareen/
Aarki: https://www.aarki.com
AI isn’t replacing marketers; it’s becoming their greatest creative ally. In this episode, Peggy Anne Salz sits down with Wangxin Li, VP of Decision Science and Global Operations at Aarki, to explore how she’s not just building AI, but reimagining the way marketers collaborate with it. At the heart of this transformation is Encore, Aarki’s full-funnel platform powered by real-time decisioning, deep neural networks and custom generative AI. Wangxin breaks down how Encore slashes creative testing cycles from weeks to just days, boosts campaign performance across UA and retargeting, and functions like an “Iron Man suit for marketers.” It’s all about empowering teams with smarter, real-time decisions and effortless scalability. Tune in to discover how Wangxin and Encore not only improve performance; together they create full-funnel campaigns that truly resonate.
Wangxin Li LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wangxin-li/
Aarki: https://www.aarki.com