The Future of Game Development & Monetization

Discussion with Miguel Tomás. Around 15 years in game development and engineering leadership at Activision, Zynga and Arkadium.

March 27, 2025

The gaming industry is evolving rapidly, bringing new challenges and demanding innovative solutions to bridge platforms, enhance multiplayer experiences, and harness emerging technologies. With 15 years of experience at companies like Activision, Zynga, and Arkadium, Miguel Tomas offers deep insights into the complexities of game development—from building and scaling engineering teams to launching and monetizing successful titles. In this article, he explores the key challenges and opportunities shaping the industry today, from cross-platform integration to emerging trends in game design.

Cross-Platform Gaming: The Technical and Product Challenges

As gaming transcends devices, ensuring seamless gameplay across mobile, PC, and console platforms presents a unique set of challenges. At its core, the issue is not merely technical but deeply rooted in product design. Players interact with games differently based on their device. Mobile gaming thrives on short, frequent sessions, often in unpredictable environments, whereas PC and console players seek longer, immersive experiences that also make a call to competitiveness. "Designing and building a product that fulfills both audiences on mobile, PC, and console is a Herculean task" says Tomas,"Very few have succeeded—think Fortnite's success versus Apex Legends' struggle to gain traction".

From a technical perspective, developers must navigate the lack of universal third-party tools that cater to all platforms equally. While engines like Unity and Unreal offer cross-platform support, most SDKs and networking solutions are platform-specific. Additionally, mobile networks' instability requires asynchronous mechanisms to ensure smooth gameplay. "When designing for mobile, you have to account for unstable connections—players in transit, underground, or on poor networks. A game must be able to function with intermittent connectivity while maintaining a seamless user experience", Tomas explains. 

Developers also have to consider the economic and engagement models that vary by platform. Mobile games are predominantly free-to-play (F2P) with microtransactions, while PC and console games rely more on premium sales or hybrid monetization strategies. "You need to design an experience that makes sense for each audience while keeping them connected - It's not just about making the same game work on different platforms—it’s about ensuring the experience feels native to each one".

Despite these hurdles, successful cross-platform games find ways to create tailored yet unified experiences, leveraging cloud technology, intelligent matchmaking, and adaptive UI design. While the dream of truly universal gaming remains elusive, developers who balance platform-specific engagement with cross-device accessibility are more likely to succeed.

The Hidden Pitfalls of Multiplayer Game Design

Multiplayer gaming amplifies engagement but also brings significant challenges, ranging from latency issues to player toxicity. Beyond ensuring technical precision, developers must design experiences that foster fair competition and community building. "Competitive multiplayer games require low-latency infrastructure," Tomas emphasizes. "If you're playing Call of Duty or Fortnite, every millisecond matters. Lag can ruin the experience, making server stability and optimization a top priority."

One of the biggest hurdles in multiplayer game design is network reliability. Unlike single-player experiences where latency is less critical, multiplayer games require real-time communication between players. "If you're designing a game where timing is everything, like a first-person shooter or a competitive strategy game, your network infrastructure must be flawless", Tomas says. This means investing in dedicated servers, optimizing packet transmission, and implementing rollback netcode to compensate for lag spikes.

Security is another major concern, as hacking and cheating threaten competitive integrity. "Game balance is everything. If one player finds an exploit—say, rendering buildings transparent in a shooter—they have an unfair advantage, leading to frustration and churn", Tomas explains. Developers must implement robust anti-cheat measures, from server-side validation to real-time monitoring to avoid any type of hacking.

Beyond technical concerns, toxicity in online gaming remains an ongoing battle. "Multiplayer games bring out the best and worst in people", Tomas notes. "Games like League of Legends have struggled with toxic communities despite implementing reporting systems and behavior incentives". The challenge lies in designing mechanics that promote positive interactions, such as rewarding teamwork over individual dominance and providing effective moderation tools.

Balancing a multiplayer game requires constant iteration and deep player insights. Games that fail to address these challenges risk losing their player base, while those that build fair, engaging ecosystems can thrive for years.

Choosing the Right Technology and Talent for Development

The debate over game engines often centers on technical capabilities, but Tomas argues that the real deciding factor is talent availability. "Most engines today can build almost any game”, he states. "The question isn't what an engine can do, but rather where the talent and ecosystem are strongest”.

For mobile and AR development, Unity dominates due to its extensive developer base and third-party support. Meanwhile, AAA PC and console titles typically leverage Unreal Engine, which offers superior graphical fidelity and toolsets. "If you're making AAA games, Unreal is a safer bet because the talent pool is there" Tomas explains. "For mobile, Unity is the clear choice. VR is still split 50/50, and web-based gaming lacks a dominant engine, opening opportunities for custom-built solutions".

This ecosystem-driven approach reflects a broader pattern, although it does not mean large publishers are abandoning their own technology. EA still builds many flagship titles on its proprietary Frostbite engine, and Activision's Call of Duty runs on its in-house IW engine. Both publishers have, however, shipped games on Unreal Engine when talent and tooling made it the more efficient option, such as Respawn's Star Wars Jedi series for EA and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 for Activision. "At the end of the day, it's about efficiency," Tomás notes. "You want an engine that your team can leverage without reinventing the wheel."

Another consideration is the longevity of the technology. Proprietary engines can offer greater control and customization but require dedicated internal teams for maintenance. Public engines, on the other hand, benefit from continuous updates and industry-wide support. "Unless you have the resources to maintain your own engine long-term, leveraging established technology is the smarter choice", Tomas advises.

Web3 and Blockchain: Hype vs. Reality in Gaming

The rise of blockchain and Web3 gaming has been met with both excitement and skepticism. While the technology offers unique monetization opportunities, the industry has been plagued by speculation-driven projects rather than genuine innovation. The problem with Web3 gaming isn't the technology, it's the audience it attracts," Tomás explains. In his estimate, the large majority of current Web3 players, which he puts at around 90%, are speculators looking for quick returns rather than players looking for a good game. That, in his view, makes the current ecosystem hard to sustain.

Despite this, Tomas sees long-term potential in blockchain’s ability to introduce new economic models. "Tokenization allows developers to monetize assets beyond the initial sale. If a player resells a skin, the developer earns a cut of each transaction, creating ongoing revenue rather than one-time purchases".

Additionally, Web3 offers opportunities for emerging markets. "Traditional gaming focuses on high-income regions like the US, Japan, and Europe. Blockchain enables monetization strategies that cater to tier-2 and tier-3 countries, providing economic incentives for sustained engagement."

While mainstream adoption remains distant, blockchain’s ability to enhance network effects and player-driven economies suggests it may still play a role in gaming’s future—if developers can navigate its current pitfalls.

Where Tomás Expected Gaming to Go by 2030

The outlook below is Tomás's own, shared in early 2025. These are an operator's bets, not market projections.

The browser makes a comeback

Tomás expects web-based gaming to return as a serious distribution channel. Players are becoming platform-agnostic and want instant access, with no downloads or installs. "The web is becoming an increasingly viable platform due to advancements in browser-based game engines and the rise of cloud gaming services, which will remove the traditional barriers of downloading and installing games," he says.

H3: Every player gets a different game

In his view, AI-driven personalization will change how games are built, with content adapting to each player's preferences and behavior. He points to Chinese studios as early movers. "Chinese developers are already experimenting with AI-generated content that adapts to player behavior in real time," Tomás says, "creating a 'TikTok-style' gaming experience where every session feels fresh and highly individualized."

Levels that write themselves

Tomás sees the same technology extending to the content itself. He expects AI to generate missions, levels and storylines on the fly, adjusted to how each person plays. According to him, studios are already testing this in strategy and role-playing games, where:

• Players with different styles receive different in-game experiences
• Sessions stay varied, which supports engagement and replayability

AR and VR get a second chance

He sees AR and VR hardware improving enough to reach a wider audience within five years, with AR more likely than VR to open new ways of blending digital and physical play. "The challenge with AR and VR has always been hardware limitations and lack of mass-market penetration. But as companies continue to push advancements in headsets and accessibility, these platforms could see a major shift within the next five years."‍

Blockchain earns its place, or it doesn't

Tomás is the most cautious here. He sees potential in giving players real ownership of in-game assets and in secondary markets that benefit both players and developers, but not in the current wave of projects. "Many early attempts have been speculative cash-grabs rather than genuine innovations that enhance the gaming experience," he says. In his view, blockchain will matter only when it disappears into the gameplay instead of standing out as a financial mechanism.

His broader read: studios that plan for these shifts now will hold an advantage, and those that wait will struggle to catch up.

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What Tomás Would Tell Industry Leaders

For executives in gaming, Tomás distills his experience into three priorities:

1. Invest in high-performing teams: In his experience, the team is the foundation of any successful studio. The best teams combine technical depth, industry knowledge and the flexibility to adapt when the market moves.
2. Build for cross-platform and social play: Games that let players move between devices and play with friends tend to last longer and hold engagement better.
3. Track emerging technology, then integrate it on purpose: AI, blockchain and AR/VR will shape the next wave, but only studios that adopt them where they improve the game will gain from them.

Whether through AI-driven personalization, player-owned economies or seamless cross-platform play, his view is that the studios that win will be the ones that build experiences players want across every screen.

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Disclosure

Miguel Tomás previously worked at Activision, which is mentioned in this article. Views are his own.

Sources

• EA Frostbite engine: ea.com/frostbite
• Unreal Engine game showcases for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2: unrealengine.com

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