For years, mobile gaming operated under one unspoken rule: give up ~30% of your revenue to platform holders like Apple and Google.
That model is starting to break.
In this episode of Player Driven, Greg sits down with Gil Tov-ly, CMO of Appcharge, to unpack one of the biggest structural shifts happening in gaming right now: the move toward direct-to-consumer (DTC).
Gil brings a unique perspective, having worked across adtech, UGC platforms, and now fintech infrastructure for game studios. He shares how rising user acquisition costs, platform restrictions, and regulatory pressure have pushed studios to rethink how they monetize and engage players.
What used to be an experiment is quickly becoming the backbone of the industry.
🔑 What We Cover
- Why the “30% platform tax” is no longer sustainable How DTC web shops are unlocking 20–25% more margin for studios The real reason DTC is about more than revenue — it’s about owning the player relationship How top studios are already driving 30–40% of revenue through web stores What actually happens to player behavior when you introduce off-platform payments Why trust (not tech) is the biggest barrier to adoption The rise of new roles like DTC managers and web shop leads inside studios How AI is reshaping marketing, product design, and creative workflows in gaming
🎯 Key Takeaway
The biggest shift isn’t just saving money.
It’s control.
Studios are moving from renting their players through platforms… to owning the relationship, the data, and the monetization strategy end-to-end.
And once that happens, everything changes.
🚀 Why This Matters
We’re entering an era where:
- Growth is coming from efficiency, not just more playtime Margins are being reinvested into UA, LiveOps, and AI Direct player relationships are becoming a competitive advantage
DTC isn’t a side channel anymore.
It’s becoming core infrastructure for modern game studios.
Links
- Appcharge - Payments Built for Mobile GamesPlayer Driven Discord: https://discord.gg/zdwAqvgvfyPlayer Driven