DevGAMM Lisbon 2025 took place on November 6 and 7, bringing together professionals from the AA and independent game sectors. Among the highlights was Michal Korek, a specialist in Product and Monetization, who presented the talk titled Monetization in Action: Data Backed Case Studies and Wins. In an interview with the Watermelo portal, he shared his impressions of the event and the key points of his participation.

When assessing the importance of the event for the industry, Korek highlighted its strategic role. According to him, "DevGAMM Lisbon does a great job bridging different segments of the industry - established companies, rising studios, and independent creators. It's intimate enough that real conversations happen, yet big enough to attract global talent." For the specialist, this dynamic fosters genuine connections and valuable exchanges among professionals from different backgrounds.

During his presentation, Korek emphasized the need for practical, data driven approaches to game monetization. He explained that he aimed to go beyond surface level theory, stating: "My goal was straightforward: focus on real, practical examples rather than high-level theory. I wanted to show proven strategies, real numbers, and concrete AB test results so teams can walk away with insights they can use immediately." For him, transparency in sharing data remains essential and still uncommon in the industry.

Regarding the impact of this content on small studios, the specialist reinforced that his intention was to provide more direct and accessible paths. He highlighted: "Independent studios rarely have large analytics teams or the resources to run dozens of experiments. I wanted to give them a shortcut: clear patterns, benchmarks, and practical do's and don'ts gathered from many tests across multiple genres." He believes that smaller teams can achieve meaningful improvements by understanding which elements truly make a difference.

Korek also discussed how factors such as pricing, economy, segmentation, and timing can deeply influence a game's results. For him, understanding these aspects is essential for small developers to make strategic decisions with greater confidence and adapt their projects to different audiences or business models.

When asked about young developers who attend events like DevGAMM, Korek delivered a message focused on creativity and authenticity. He stated: "Innovation doesn't come from copying what's already in the market, it comes from understanding your strengths and doubling down on them." He also highlighted that some of today’s most interesting games come from small teams willing to experiment and refine a single mechanic until it becomes exceptional.

Finally, the specialist reinforced that experimentation should be seen as a natural part of the creative process. As he mentioned, "Stay curious, keep prototyping, treat failures as data, and your voice will emerge naturally. And remember: creativity and business aren't opposites; together they make games more sustainable and more impactful." For Korek, combining creative vision with strategic thinking is the path to more expressive and sustainable games.