The Party Is Full: Inside the Games Industry

The Hidden Data Behind WoW & RuneScape Communities | Rachit Moti

Rachit Moti is the founder and CEO of Accord, a platform helping game studios turn Discord conversations into actionable player insight. Over the last several years, he has worked closely with game developers and online communities to better understand how player sentiment, feedback, and behavior shape live service games. His work focuses on bridging the gap between fast-moving player communities and the slower decision-making processes inside studios, giving teams a clearer understanding of what players actually care about.Before founding Accord, Rachit was the founder and CEO of Layer, an IP licensing marketplace for the games industry that was used by over 1,500 game teams and later acquired in 2025. Across both companies, his work has centered around the intersection of games, community systems, and data-driven decision making.https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachitmoti/https://www.accord.gg/

Can MMORPGs Ever Return to Their Peak? | Scott Hartsman

Scott Hartsman is a veteran game developer and executive whose career spans nearly four decades of online worlds and MMORPGs. Beginning in the era of text-based MUDs in the 1980s, Scott went on to hold key leadership roles on landmark online games including EverQuest, EverQuest II, RIFT, Trove, and ArcheAge. He served as Technical Director on EverQuest and EverQuest II before becoming Executive Producer and later CEO at Trion Worlds, where he helped lead the launch and live operation of some of the most ambitious MMOs of the modern era. Beyond shipping large-scale online games, Scott has become one of the industry’s most respected voices on live service development, studio leadership, and the future of online worlds. Over the years he has advised and invested in multiple game studios and platforms, including Sony Interactive Entertainment, NCSOFT West, Playable Worlds, and a range of emerging MMO and live game startups. Known for his deep understanding of player communities, live operations, and MMO design philosophy, Scott continues to shape conversations around the evolution of massively multiplayer games and the future of virtual worlds.https://www.linkedin.com/in/hartsman/

Turtle WoW and the Power of Player-Led Worlds | David Fried

David Fried, also known as DesignerDave, is a veteran game and narrative designer best known for his work at Blizzard Entertainment during one of its most influential eras. Starting in quality assurance, he quickly moved into design, contributing to titles like Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition and Diablo II before stepping into level and campaign design on Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. There, he helped craft some of the franchise’s most iconic missions, including The Culling of Stratholme, while also contributing to world-building, character design, and gameplay systems. He later worked as a quest designer on World of Warcraft, helping shape the early player experience and bringing memorable characters and stories to life.Following his time at Blizzard, Fried expanded his career across global studios, contributing to titles such as Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath, Silent Hill: Homecoming, and The Da Vinci Code. Today, he works as an independent consultant based in Thailand, advising studios on game design, narrative, monetization, and world-building. With over two decades of experience, Fried is known for his player-first philosophy, emphasizing meaningful progression, strong community design, and sustainable development practices that prioritize both creative integrity and long-term success.https://designerdave.world/https://x.com/davidkfriedhttps://www.youtube.com/c/DesignerDave

TPIF Roundtable | Let's Talk Community Management

In this TPIF roundtable, three experienced leaders break down how the role has evolved beyond “just communication.” Evan Berman (Bungie, Destiny), Linda Carlson (Everquest, Trion Worlds), and Stephen Reid (BioWare, SWTOR, PlayStation, 2K) bring decades of experience running MMO and live service communities at scale.Together, they explore why community management today looks more like governance than messaging, shaping player behaviour, expectations, and the culture of entire game worlds. The conversation covers the shift from forums to Discord and streaming, the rise of creators as “super users,” and the challenge of balancing player sentiment with real data.They also dive into how communities are evolving, from the loss of in-game Game Masters to the rise of player-driven events, mods, and emergent gameplay. It’s a candid look at the realities, pressures, and decisions behind managing modern game communities—and why the role is more critical than ever.https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanberman/https://www.linkedin.com/in/brasse/https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenreid/

How Sound Design Shapes Player Experience | Leon Beilmann

Leon Beilmann, also known as LAxemann, is a senior sound designer and composer working with Bohemia Interactive, where he has spent the past several years shaping the audio experience of large-scale military sandbox games like Arma Reforger and the upcoming Arma 4. His work spans the full spectrum of game audio, from field recording and sound design to system implementation and scripting within the game engine. Leon brings a deeply technical and hands-on approach to building immersive soundscapes, owning entire sections of a game’s audio space and ensuring that every layer of sound contributes meaningfully to player experience. Originally coming from a background in music production, Leon’s path into the industry was driven by modding and community-led projects, eventually leading to professional work on titles like Arma 3’s Spearhead 1944 DLC. Alongside his development work, he shares insights into sound design through his YouTube channel, where he breaks down the craft behind game audio. His career reflects a blend of creativity and engineering, with a strong belief in passion, experimentation, and community as key drivers for breaking into and evolving within the games industry. https://www.linkedin.com/in/leon-beilmann-94903a114/