Mobidictum Interviews – Amnon Calev / Playtika

Playtika, one of the leading companies in the mobile game industry, offers unique and personalized experiences to game enthusiasts. We talked to Amnon Calev, General Manager of Playtika’s Slotomania game. Calev explained Playtika’s success and growth strategy, how they create solutions for different game genres and audiences, their partnership with Turkish game company Ace Games, and more.

Let us introduce you and, of course, Playtika to our followers.

I am Amnon Calev, General Manager of Playtika’s Slotomania, the top social slots game in the world. I lead a team of passionate storytellers, strategists, creators, and operators who deliver immersive gameplay to Slotomania’s loyal community of players. Slotomania is part of Playtika’s award-winning, category-leading portfolio of Social Casino-themed and Casual games. With our mastery of LiveOps and our proprietary tech stack, including Digital Studio powered by AI, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, delighting players with engaging content.

Can you tell us about the areas Playtika focuses on?

Playtika is committed to delivering exceptional personalized player experiences through a combination of best-in-class operations, including game mechanics and LiveOps, underpinned by our proprietary tech stack called the Playtika Boost Platform. Through our intuitive gameplay mechanics, every aspect of our games is designed with one goal in mind – to provide our players with the best possible personalized experience. The foundation of our leadership position lies in our operational and technological capabilities, enabling us to pursue and capitalize on future opportunities.

Playtika already had over 35 million monthly active users. What are the main factors behind your success and growth in the mobile game market? How do you measure and improve user engagement and retention?

Playtika’s success is due to the dedication, commitment, and innovation of our 3,700 team members, who each day are laser-focused on delivering exceptional entertainment experiences to our users. Our secret sauce lies in our master of LiveOps and game operations and the proprietary tech stack fueling operational optimization.

Some of the factors behind success/ growth:

○ ? ? ? Innovation: We are always introducing new and innovative gameplay features, mechanics, and content to keep players interested and excited about the games.

○ ? ? ? Operational Excellence: Playtika’s LiveOps capabilities are some of the best in the business and help us attract and retain players.

○ ? ? ? Community Building: We foster a sense of community among our players to develop a loyal fan base that keeps coming back.

○ ? ? ? User Engagement: We measure and improve user engagement and retention through user feedback, A/B testing and data analysis.

You announced the acquisition of a minority stake in Turkish mobile gaming company Ace Games in 2022. How does this acquisition contribute to Playtika’s growth strategy? What are your collaborations with Ace Games?

Our strategy is to invest in high-growth potential game IP. Mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships have been and will continue to be, an important part of Playtika’s journey. By pairing our human talent with the transformative capabilities of our proprietary technology, we unleash the full potential of our titles and are well-equipped to enhance the value of acquired assets. We are also well-positioned with a strong balance sheet and cash flow generation to pursue accretive deals.?

Playtika has a diverse and constantly growing portfolio of games covering different genres and audiences. In recent years, you have acquired several studios, such as Jelly Button, Wooga, Seriously, Reworks, and JustPlay. How do you integrate these studios into your company culture and vision? And how do you balance between maintaining their creative autonomy and ensuring their alignment with your strategic goals?

We have recently formed a dedicated unit called Playtika Growth Ventures devoted to asset integration and optimization. At Playtika, we also recognize the value and importance of studio autonomy. The beauty of our model is we are able to leverage insights and innovation born from one studio across our other studios.

How do you manage such a large and diverse workforce? How do you foster collaboration and communication across different teams and regions?

We advance an inclusive culture making us more agile, creative, and engaging. Playtika reflects, nurtures, and embraces the unique ideas, perspectives, and experiences of our people and the communities across the globe where we play – inspiring connection and empowering potential.?

What are the current trends and innovations shaping the future of casual gaming? What are the biggest threats and opportunities for Playtika in this industry?

The dynamic mobile games industry continues to be an important part and the most significant contributor to the broader entertainment industry. The market is ripe for further consolidation, and as an industry leader with a strong balance sheet, Playtika is well-positioned to pursue accretive deals. Players value personalized gameplay, and with technological innovations such as AI, we are able to deliver fresh content at a scale and speed never before possible, creating more immersive and engaging experiences. Social and multiplayer gameplay, as well as culturalization and localization, are also important advancements in mobile gaming.?

How do you adapt your games to different markets and preferences, and how do you compete with local and global rivals in these markets?

At Playtika, our strong bond with our dedicated player community is paramount. We grasp their preferences and incentives, striving to provide gameplay tailored to their individual tastes. Whether introducing or adapting games for specific regions, as demonstrated by our recent Bingo Blitz launch in Germany, we recognize the significance of precision. We embrace the diversity of cultures, acknowledging that each carries distinctive subtleties essential for our success.

What do you think about Mobidictum Conference, and what are your expectations for this year’s conference?

The Playtika team is thrilled to be a premier sponsor of the Mobidictum conference. Our speakers are eager to exchange insights about the mobile gaming landscape and Turkey’s pivotal role in the global arena. We also invite attendees to stop by our booth for engaging discussion.

Thank you for this lovely interview. ??