Rovio executive discusses why Nordic studios must build audiences rather than rely on platform discovery
Rovio's marketing leader Wille Miljas argues that making quality games is no longer sufficient in today's competitive landscape and that Nordic developers must actively create demand through influencers and creators rather than depending solely on platform featuring. He emphasizes that the region possesses strong talent and education infrastructure but must innovate in audience-building strategies to maintain its position globally. Miljas is speaking at the PGC Nordics conference about the industry's evolving approach to marketing and product development.
The gaming industry's discovery mechanisms have fundamentally shifted, according to perspectives shared at the PGC Nordics conference. Traditional reliance on platform algorithms and featuring—once a primary path to player discovery—is increasingly insufficient for developers seeking commercial success. Instead, studios are turning toward direct audience cultivation through partnerships with content creators and influencers, recognizing that player attention itself has become the scarce resource requiring strategic investment.
Nordic game developers operate within a region offering significant competitive advantages, including established educational institutions and a concentrated talent pool. However, these structural assets alone cannot guarantee market visibility without accompanying changes to how studios approach audience engagement and demand generation.
This perspective could reshape how independent and mid-sized studios allocate development resources and budgets. If audience-building through creator partnerships becomes essential rather than supplementary, smaller studios with limited marketing budgets may face increased barriers to entry, while those able to invest in influencer relationships could gain disproportionate advantages. The shift may also alter the relationship between platforms and developers, potentially reducing platforms' role in determining which games reach audiences, though this could increase overall industry fragmentation.