About Elena Grigorian
Elena Grigorian, CEO of MY.GAMES, has spoken publicly about the company’s approach to branding and user acquisition. In a March 2024 presentation, she described the company’s shift toward branding campaigns for mobile games, noting that the gaming industry has historically been performance-oriented and that adapting to less predictable branding models required new metrics and expertise. She stated that the company saw a significant revenue impact from its first branding campaign, but cautioned that such campaigns require careful target audience selection and that drastic changes to existing user acquisition campaigns should be avoided.
Grigorian has also commented on the broader industry downturn. In a November 2023 podcast, she attributed the industry’s struggles to the rise of cheaper entertainment options such as short video, and argued that companies should focus on attracting and monetizing a mass, non-targeted audience rather than relying solely on high-spending players. She cited MY.GAMES’ diversification strategy and focus on existing revenue-generating products as key to maintaining stable growth. Additionally, she noted that the company has a 45% share of women in leadership roles, and described finding work-life balance as a personal challenge.
Source: AI-verified profile updated from Elena Grigorian's recent appearances.
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Transcript (1 segments)
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Elena Grigorian0:28
Good afternoon. I'm Elena Grigorian, CEO of My.Games. I've spent over 24 years in gaming, including leading Disney's gaming division, before joining My.Games as CMO and later becoming CEO. Today I'll share our branding experiments for mobile games. My.Games was founded 17 years ago and rebranded in 2019. We operate 10 internal studios, publish over 50 games across mobile, PC, and consoles, and invest in independent studios through our venture arm. Our flagship title, Rush Royale, is the top tower defense strategy game with about 1 million daily active users. Over time, the cost per paying user (CPPU) rises faster than LTV, making growth unsustainable. To counter this, we have two options: mimic the game to attract a broader audience or prepare that audience through branding. We chose branding. Our first campaign targeted the US on YouTube with celebrity Jake Paul, aiming for 80% reach and three-plus impressions per unique user. Downloads and CPI improved during the campaign, but the effect faded once it ended. Crucially, the new users showed poorer engagement and monetization because our onboarding was built for experienced players. We then simplified the game's economy and onboarding. For a second campaign, we focused specifically on payers, using an older, more targeted celebrity. Early data shows this campaign is driving higher retention and monetization. Key takeaways: be careful when selecting your target audience; adapt your product for that audience; analyze results comprehensively; avoid drastic changes to your existing UA campaigns; stay open to experimentation; and bring branding expertise into your team. Thank you.
