Under the lights of the stage at Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco, Yong-yi Zhu, Head of Business Operations, Strategy, and Compliance at Level Infinite, joined PGC events content coordinator Charlie Scowen to discuss the evolving landscape of global gaming. Their conversation moved beyond the initial excitement of a game’s release to explore a more profound industry shift toward “evergreen” titles and the enduring partnerships required to sustain them.
For Level Infinite, the philosophy is simple yet ambitious. The goal is to move past the traditional model of seeking a one-hit wonder and instead focus on the sustained growth of both the games and the studios that create them.
Yong-yi Zhu, Head of Business Operations, Strategy, and Compliance at Level Infinite, with Charlie Scowen, events content coordinator for Pocket Gamer Connects
The marathon mindset: Redefining game launches
A central theme of the discussion was the “marathon mindset,” a concept that redefines how developers should view a game’s release. “In the past, for console developers and PC developers, it’s kind of like we’ve launched this game, we can take a deep breath. In reality, for games and services, this is the start of the marathon, not the end,” Yong-yi said.
Yong-yi cited Honor of Kings as a prime example of this longevity, noting that the title has thrived in the market for over a decade. “That team has a really good pulse on what is cool, what is interesting, what is fun,” he explained. By viewing the launch as just the first step in a long journey, Level Infinite helps its partners remain agile and adapt quickly to the shifting needs of their global community.
Building resonance through community heartbeat
Achieving global resonance requires a deep understanding of players across various geographies. Yong-yi emphasized that Level Infinite does not just target a single market but instead works to understand what players are looking for from a content, technology, and operational standpoint. “At the heart of it, no matter what, you have to build a great game that resonates,” he said.
This resonance is achieved by treating the community as the heartbeat of the development process. Level Infinite encourages a “fearless” approach to transparency, which often means showing the game to players at a very early stage to gather authentic feedback. This process involves running a series of small, medium, and large-scale beta tests to refine the experience over time.
“My boss, my boss’s boss, they’re already like, ‘What does the community think?’ That’s the No.1 question that they always ask,” Yong-yi revealed. By prioritizing active listening, the team can use data and community sentiment to pivot and adapt in real-time, ensuring the game is built alongside the people who will play it for years to come.
Investing in the craft of partner studios
Beyond individual titles, Level Infinite’s strategy is deeply rooted in the long-term success of its teams and partner studios themselves. Yong-yi elaborated on the importance of finding developers who are genuinely interested in honing their craft over generations of games. This commitment to craftsmanship means that Level Infinite is not looking for quick hits. “We’re not looking to partner with studios one time, make a big hit,” Yong-yi explained. “We’re looking to invest in the long-term success of these teams and studios.”
By providing global infrastructure and operational expertise, Level Infinite allows its partners to focus on their long-term passion for a genre or a specific audience. This collaborative approach ensures that the development teams have the support they need to iterate on their ideas and build sustainable, impactful IPs.
A vision for the future
As the session concluded, it was clear that Level Infinite is betting on the power of longevity and authenticity. By combining a global operational perspective with a deep respect for the developers’ craft, Level Infinite is helping to shape a future where games are not just products, but evolving services that grow alongside their communities. Through this marathon mindset, Level Infinite continues to ensure that the next generation of games will thrive on a global stage for many years to come.
Stay tuned to the Level Infinite blog for more updates and thought leadership from gaming’s top minds.
