Product Management Event at #ProductCon London about Product Management in Games by Lead Product Manager at Zynga, Ponappa Somayanda

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Product Management in Games by
Zynga Lead Product Manager

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10. Speaker
Ponappa Somayanda
Zynga
Lead Product Manager

11. Product Management in
Games
Ponappa Somayanda

12. Why do video games need PMs?
Why video games are great products for PMs?

13. An Introduction
● Lead Product Manager at Zynga
● Currently @ NaturalMotion, London
● Ex-EA (Electronic Arts)
● ~5 years in the game industry
● Avid Gamer
● linkedin.com/in/ponappa

14. ‘These are personal views and opinions based on my experiences and the
experiences of my peers, and do not reflect the views of my current or
past employers.’
Caveat

15. Why video games are great
products for PMs?

16. Dominant & growing business
Source: Reuters/OppenheimerFunds

17. Games as Social Networks

18. Games as Social Networks
Communities
Emergent
Social
Behaviour
Co-Op // PvP
Image Source: https://www.reddit.com/user/th3l33k

19. Economies & Markets
● Supply and Demand
● Inflation (and control)
● Multiple Currencies
● Perceived value of virtual goods
● Auction Houses & Marketplaces
● Crafting & Trading

20. Creative Expression
Image Source: Forbes ; https://www.vibelearning.com.au/explore-game-development
Everyone on a game team is a Game Designer

21. Passion
A two-way multiplier, influencing game makers as well as players

22. Tech & Innovation
Communication
Security
AI
Accessibility

23. Pick and choose the
problems you want to solve

24. In a nutshell
● Industry primed for growth
● Innovation & Creativity
● Individual agency
● Diverse challenges and opportunities
● Influence & Gratification
● FUN!

25. Why do video games need PMs?

26. Conventional Game Development
Concept
● Pitch
● Ideation
● Prototype
Release
● Marketing
● Distribution
● Launch
● Maintenance
Design
● Gameplay
● Rulesets
● Narrative
● Interface
● Content
Production
● Programming
● Art
● Sound
● Design
● Implementatio
n
Testing
● Playtest
● Alpha & Beta
● Bugs
● Polish

27. Games as a Service (GaaS)
“In video gaming, games as a service (GaaS) represents providing video games or game
content on a continuing revenue model, similar to software as a service. Games as a
service are ways to monetize video games either after their initial sale, or to support a
free-to-play model.”

28. The GaaS Approach
Release
Concept
Design
Production
Testing
LIVE SERVICES
ANALYSIS & FEEDBACKEXPERIMENTS &
PROMOTIONS
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
& COMMUNITY
UPKEEP
CONTENT, EVENTS &
FEATURES
Tools, Backend &
Sustainability

29. Why does this make good great sense?
Recurring Revenue
Model
Extended Life Cycle More Player Focused
Measure Success
Better
Risk Mitigation

30. This is where PMs thrive
● Responsible for KPIs and Metrics
○ Acquisition, Engagement, Monetization
● Own/Manage the Roadmap
● Define Product Strategy
● Design Content and Features
● Measure-Analyse-Optimize-Iterate
● Be a Player Champion
● Know the market
Creative
BusinessTechnology
PM
Analysis
Planning &
Forecasting
Features Liveops
Experimentation Reporting

31. Integral part of the team
Product Manager
Art & UX
CS & Community
Marketing
Dev & QA
AnalyticsProduction
Studio Leadership
Game Design

32. Adding value across the lifecycle
Release
Concept
Design
Production
Testing
LIVE SERVICES
ANALYSIS & FEEDBACKEXPERIMENTS &
PROMOTIONS
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
& COMMUNITY
UPKEEP
CONTENT, EVENTS &
FEATURES
Tools, Backend &
Sustainability

33. Why do video games need PMs?
Why video games are great products for PMs?

34. END

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