Less is More: Industry Experts at PGC Nordics Push Back Against AI Hype and Player Overload, While Game IPs Take Over Los Angeles with Live Concerts

When the modern video games industry faces a challenge, the traditional knee-jerk reaction is almost always to add more. Whether studios are grappling with slumping user engagement, shifting market economics, or the relentless pressure to adopt emerging technologies, the default playbook usually calls for an escalation in complexity. More live ops events, more gameplay features, more monetization channels, and, in recent years, an aggressive push into artificial intelligence have become the standard corporate response.

However, recent industry discussions suggest a growing fatigue with this "more is more" philosophy. At the recent Pocket Gamer Connects (PGC) Nordics conference, a series of diverse talks from industry veterans unexpectedly converged on a singular, unifying counter-narrative: it is time to do less, do it better, and strip away the noise. Across four distinct panels, experts from major gaming companies pushed back against the prevailing industry trends, advocating instead for streamlined live operations, strategic flexibility over superficial webshops, skepticism toward the AI productivity treadmill, and rigorous early clarity on intellectual property partnerships.

This minimalist shift in perspective arrives at a fascinating cultural moment for the games industry, where major entertainment franchises are increasingly bleeding out of digital screens and into the physical world. While industry leaders in Europe debate the merits of cutting back on player overload, game developers and publishers in cultural hubs like Los Angeles are expanding their horizons in a different way—bringing their intellectual properties to life through high-profile real-world music events, concerts, and immersive fan experiences.

The Live Ops Trap: Why Players Need a Reason to Care, Not More Events

The pressure to maintain active player counts in mature live-service titles has driven many studios into a relentless cycle of content creation. For anyone who has logged into a long-running mobile or PC game recently, the visual and psychological clutter is instantly recognizable. Players are routinely greeted by a barrage of competing notifications: five different limited-time events running simultaneously, three distinct premium and free-flow currencies, and a sprawl of ubiquitous red notification dots demanding attention across every menu.

Addressing this phenomenon during her session at PGC Nordics, Outfit7’s Urška Leskovar delivered a blunt assessment of modern live operations that resonated strongly with the audience. Leskovar argued that developers are frequently answering engagement dips by simply shoveling more content onto the pile, entirely missing the psychological core of what keeps players invested.

"Players don’t need more to do," Leskovar noted, pointing out the diminishing returns of over-scheduled update calendars. "They need a reason to care."

Her critique highlights a fundamental disconnect in modern game development. When live ops become an endless chore list defined by obligatory daily logins and repetitive grinding loops, the emotional connection between the player and the game world erodes. By scaling back the sheer volume of superficial events and focusing instead on meaningful, narrative-driven, or emotionally resonant updates, studios might find that players respond much better to quality over quantity.

Moving Beyond the Webshop: Crafting a Genuine D2C Strategy

The temptation to over-complicate operational strategies is not limited to live ops content. In the realm of business models and distribution, the macroeconomic landscape has shifted dramatically following landmark legal battles, most notably the high-profile Epic v. Apple antitrust ruling. That legal decision significantly loosened restrictions and opened the door for developers to implement direct-to-consumer (D2C) web payments, bypassing traditional app store monopolies and retaining a much larger share of revenue.

In the wake of that ruling, launching a webshop quickly became a mandatory checkbox for almost every major studio and mid-sized developer operating in the Western market. However, according to Xsolla’s Ola Dokun, many companies are confusing basic e-commerce infrastructure with a robust commercial strategy.

Speaking at the conference, Dokun cautioned against blindly following the D2C stampede without a deeper foundational plan. "Having a webshop is not the same as having a D2C strategy," she emphasized, warning studios against treating web-based sales as a mere afterthought or a quick fix for platform fee pressures.

Instead, Dokun advised developers to approach direct-to-consumer distribution with long-term agility in mind. Her core recommendation was to architect D2C systems designed specifically for flexibility—ensuring that businesses retain the structural capacity to change paths rapidly when global market economics, platform policies, and consumer spending habits inevitably shift once again.

Scepticism on the AI Treadmill and the Need for IP Clarity

No contemporary discussion of industry trends is complete without addressing artificial intelligence, but the discourse at PGC Nordics offered a refreshing dose of pragmatism. Luke Dicken, the former head of AI at Take-Two Interactive, voiced deep scepticism regarding the gold-rush mentality currently dominating corporate boardrooms. Dicken warned developers that viewing generative tools merely as a shortcut to aggressive scaling and output volume is ultimately a self-defeating exercise.

"People that are chasing the productivity conversation are just running on a treadmill," Dicken remarked, highlighting the risk that hastily adopted AI tools often lead to a homogenised output and an endless cycle of chasing marginal efficiency gains at the expense of genuine creative differentiation.

On the legal and collaborative front, Katharina Schmidt offered equally grounded advice for studios looking to cross-pollinate their brands through intellectual property partnerships. In an industry where cross-overs and brand collaborations have become ubiquitous marketing strategies, deals frequently fall apart or run into creative bottlenecks due to poor logistical planning.

Schmidt’s advice for successful IP integration was refreshingly practical: hammer out the fine print long before production ramps up. By establishing absolute clarity early on regarding the precise duration of the partnership, the geographical territories involved, and the exact visual and mechanical manner in which the external IP will manifest within the game code, developers can avoid costly delays. "Agree on IP usage rights and approvals early," Schmidt stated. "Clarity is key."

Game IPs Take the Center Stage in Los Angeles

While European conference halls echoed with calls for moderation, streamlining, and structural clarity, the transmedia footprint of the games industry was simultaneously expanding outward in Southern California. Traditionally, discussions surrounding transmedia strategies in gaming have been dominated by Hollywood adaptations—translating interactive software into blockbuster cinematic universes, streaming television series, and animated features. Yet, over the past week, Los Angeles has played host to a different kind of transmedia expression, proving that music and live performance are equally vital pillars of modern gaming culture.

On October 17th, Kuro Games brought its globally popular action role-playing game Wuthering Waves directly to its fan base in LA. The event offered local players a chance to congregate in a physical space, immersing themselves in live orchestral and electronic renditions of the game’s official soundtrack. Beyond the musical performances, attendees were treated to dedicated photo-opportunity zones featuring professional cosplayers, exclusive merchandise booths, and pop-up rewards designed to bridge the gap between the digital aesthetic of Solaris-3 and the physical reality of a live venue.

Just a few days later, Cygames was set to bring its massive multimedia phenomenon Umamusume: Pretty Derby to Los Angeles for a high-profile two-night musical showcase scheduled for October 22nd and 23rd. The event was poised to translate the game’s unique blend of horse-girl idol culture and high-energy J-pop performances from digital screens directly onto an American stage. However, the fragile nature of international live events was underscored when organizers announced a last-minute cancellation. Persistent and unforeseen US visa issues prevented the core Japanese voice cast from securing entry into the country, effectively halting the production and leaving fans without the anticipated live vocal performances.

Rounding out a packed week of gaming-adjacent nightlife in the city, The Pokémon Company is preparing to host a massive electronic dance music event on October 24th. Billed as "Pokémon Night Out" and staged at the striking Intuit Dome venue, the concert leans heavily into a modern nightlife aesthetic, blending beloved audio-visual motifs from the legendary franchise with a club-culture atmosphere. Adding a functional in-game element to the physical gathering, Pokémon Go players attending the venue will also have access to exclusive Timed Research tasks, alongside opportunities to encounter and capture musically-themed variants like Toxtricity.

From the streamlined philosophy of industry veterans at PGC Nordics urging developers to cut through the noise, to the vibrant real-world music celebrations lighting up Los Angeles, the modern games industry continues to recalibrate its relationship with its audience. Whether it is paring down bloated live ops event schedules, rethinking webshop economics, or taking digital soundtracks into live concert halls, the underlying message across the board is clear: sustainable growth comes from focusing on what truly matters.