When discussing the Asian market during Casual Connect Europe, Inna Zaichenko says, “It’s worth it, and actually, everything depends on your efforts and really how strong you feel about them, and how strong you want to be there.”
Inna Zaichenko, founder and CEO of Zenna Apps, has one overarching passion in life: games, games, games! Even when she is not working, she is constantly involved, playing games to analyze their mechanics, gameplay, and monetization and to measure their initial success. If she has a few free days, she finds traveling a source of inspiration.
Tough Platform Policies improve User Experience
Currently, Inna’s favorite platform is Kakao Game. She tells us they have tough policies and requirements for the games they publish. As a result, she says, “All their titles are really good games you definitely must play.” She particularly enjoys the fact that Kakao has such a deep approach in their user care policy. They have implemented instruments for socializing directly with developers, as well as with the users who are playing the game along with you. She emphasizes, “That makes me feel strong, that as a user, I will definitely be heard.”
Currently, the game she plays is PacoPang by Treenod, saying,”I love it!”
The First Big Contract
Inna claims the most satisfaction in her career has come from starting her own company. Although the work has been very intense and constant, she insists, “Nothing compares with the feeling you get from that first big contract, completing a project or making an investment proposal.” However, she emphasizes that running your business is not a comfortable thing; suddenly you are responsible for more than your own personal achievements. You also have a responsibility as a part of the success of clients, partners, and colleagues. Fortunately, working in the games industry is still something she calls fantastic.
Over the past six years, Inna’s career has been involved with internet marketing and startup development, where it was necessary for her to acquire expertise in product development, marketing and bringing out a live product. As CEO of Zenna Apps, she is also involved with managerial staff, business development, and sales and finds all of these factors important to the success of a startup.
Marketing is Now Critical
As Inna considers the challenges facing the games industry, she particularly emphasizes the importance of marketing. She believes messengers will take their place among game platforms, providing the means for viral marketing. She also sees the focus of game marketing changing from user performance to user acquisition activities. At Zenna Apps, they are concentrating on moving to the next level with marketing and promotion.
The greatest challenge in the games industry is to be constantly learning, but she points out that it is critical because of the speed of changes in the industry. As she says, “What worked a year ago just doesn’t move the needle anymore.”
She expects the Asian market to lead the industry with new trends and goals. Puzzle & Dragons, incorporating games as a service, is a prime example of their new trends and the direction she believes the industry should go.
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