$100M+
D2C Channel Revenue
routed through direct-to-consumer web channels
40%+
Channel Shift to Web
of total revenue migrated to web store
~25%
Platform Fee Recovery
margin recaptured from App Store / Google Play
6
Storefronts Designed
with 3 launched publicly during tenure
![[Major Publisher]](/_next/image?url=%2Flogos%2Fanonymous.svg&w=256&q=75)
A major publisher operates a portfolio of live mobile titles across franchise RPG IPs, generating eight-figure monthly IAP revenue across iOS and Android. With 30% of every transaction paid to platform infrastructure, the studio needed a direct-to-consumer purchase channel that could recapture that margin at scale.
Building web commerce infrastructure for major entertainment IPs requires coordinating legal, localization, offshore engineering, payment partners, and LiveOps, all simultaneously on live games with real revenue at stake. The design system had to scale across 6 distinct IP identities while the underlying commerce engine stayed consistent.
The platform fee problem
30% of every App Store or Google Play IAP transaction goes to the platform. For a live mobile title generating $10M in monthly IAP revenue, that's $3M per month that doesn't get reinvested in the game.
The thesis: build a direct web purchase channel with compelling incentives (exclusive bundles, bonus currency, loyalty mechanics) that migrates a meaningful share of high-value purchases off platform. Even partial migration creates significant margin recapture at scale. The portfolio had the audience and the content to make it work. The gap was execution infrastructure. The result exceeded expectations: 40%+ of total revenue shifted to the web store.
Platform fee on App Store or Google Play: 30%. Revenue recaptured via the web channel: approximately 25%. Target range for high-value payer migration: 20-30%.
The experiment engine
A static web store isn't the goal. An experiment machine is. We ran 1–2 live A/B tests at a time across live storefronts, never more, so each test had a clean baseline. The first year's roadmap mapped 12+ experiments across pricing anchors, bundle compositions, first-purchase messaging, bonus structures, and time-limited offer mechanics.
Each experiment was designed to answer a specific monetization question: Does a 3-tier pricing presentation outperform a single featured offer? What's the optimal bundle count before choice paralysis reduces ARPPU? Does a first-purchase bonus communicated on the store landing page increase conversion versus communicating it only in-app?
Every experiment was fed by a monthly competitive audit: top 50 grossing mobile games, 50+ data points per title. Patterns from market leaders were tested against a live player base before becoming standard practice. That competitive intelligence framework evolved into the 14-dimension audit system used by LootRate today.
Live experiments run at a time (controlled): 1-2. Competitive audit cadence: monthly, across 50+ top-grossing titles at 50+ data points per game.
The design architecture
Six storefronts, designed and prepared across franchise RPG IPs with distinct visual identities (three launched publicly during tenure), required a componentized approach: a base commerce layer (checkout, cart, payment UI, offer cards) wrapped in IP-specific theming. The engine stayed constant. The presentation adapted.
A shared component library meant faster IP launches, consistent A/B test infrastructure, and unified analytics. Each new storefront was an incremental build, not a greenfield project.
Enterprise coordination
Shipping live web commerce for major entertainment IPs required coordinating legal, localization, payment partners, offshore engineering, and LiveOps simultaneously. The solution: a structured review and handoff system that maintained design integrity without slipping launch dates.
The Player Network identity, which reached 10M+ MAU, emerged from this challenge. A shared design language made IP-specific implementations legible to non-design stakeholders and reduced cross-departmental sign-off friction.
The outcome
- Measured outcome: $100M+ in direct-to-consumer revenue through the web channel
- Measured outcome: 40%+ of total revenue shifted to the web store
- Measured outcome: ~25% platform fee recovery on migrated transactions
- 6 storefronts designed and prepared across a live mobile portfolio, 3 launched publicly during tenure
- 12+ monetization experiments roadmapped; 1–2 run concurrently with controls
- Competitive audit intelligence institutionalized portfolio-wide
“Mario worked on our Webstore initiative, where he contributed to defining and refining the overall design direction. He worked closely with product and engineering partners to ensure consistency across touchpoints and helped translate strategic goals into a cohesive player experience. Mario's thoughtful approach and willingness to engage across teams supported the Webstore's progress from concept to launch and helped establish a solid design foundation for future iterations.”