Inside Benjamin Gifford: The Evolving Gaming Landscape in 2025

As 2025 approaches, the gaming industry faces unprecedented levels of change and competition. Emerging technologies like cloud gaming, driven by companies such as Microsoft and NVIDIA, are reshaping the market. Meanwhile, AI’s potential in gaming continues to grow, offering innovative ways to enhance player experiences. For many independent developers, the focus is on updating successful games, refining gameplay, analyzing user preferences, and expanding into multiple game genres to meet player expectations. One such developer is Top Games, Inc., an independent global game studio founded in 2015. Specializing in mobile games, Top Games, Inc. continuously strives to develop games that cater to different player preferences. According to Vice President Benjamin Gifford, the company's sustainable growth is rooted in the dedication and effort of its team, which he considers their most valuable asset.

Adapting to Industry Trends

Benjamin Gifford emphasizes the importance of rapidly identifying and capitalizing on game industry and technology trends. His strategy centers on quick iterations to refine offerings based on real-world feedback. He believes that perfection is not the goal. Developers who spend too much time on perfecting their products tend to be overtaken by more agile competitors. Gifford’s approach focuses on releasing a great product quickly, gathering feedback, and iterating to improve. Unlike developers who fear change and competition, he embraces these challenges as opportunities to drive innovation and foster both individual and corporate growth within the team.

Bold Marketing Strategies

Benjamin has also played a pivotal role in pushing the company’s marketing strategies to new heights. In 2017, Top Games, Inc. made a bold move by investing heavily in a Super Bowl advertisement for its flagship game, Evony: The King's Return. This short, but impactful ad reached a broad audience, particularly those who enjoy both sports and strategy games. As a result, the game quickly gained traction in app stores, significantly increasing its rankings and downloads. To date, Evony: The King’s Return has surpassed 200 million downloads, with the game generating over $355 million in revenue in 2023.

Building a Collaborative Company Culture

At the heart of Top Games, Inc.’s success is its company culture. Benjamin Gifford has actively encouraged alignment between employees' personal goals and the company’s overall objectives. Using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), he ensures that team members stay focused and progress on key projects. The company’s culture is built on efficiency, data-driven decision-making, open-mindedness, and inclusivity. Gifford believes that a flat management structure boosts communication efficiency, which is why the company maintains no more than three levels of communication. This streamlined structure has helped foster collaboration, communication, and efficiency, making these three pillars the core competitive advantage of the company.

The Future of Mobile Gaming

The mobile gaming market has vast potential for growth in the coming years. As developers enter and exit the market, it is the studios that can adapt, innovate, and consistently produce high-quality games that will thrive. For Top Games, Inc., their years of experience and fearless approach to overcoming future obstacles position them well for continued success. By seizing opportunities, maintaining alignment across the company, and creating games that players trust and look forward to, Top Games, Inc. is poised to remain a key player in the industry for years to come.