One of the most memorable classes I took in my final semester of the USC MBA program wasn’t even from the Marshall School, but the Annenberg School of Communication — CMGT-537: The Industry, Science, and Culture of Video Games, taught by Professor Steve Fowler II, a marketing veteran with 25 years of experience in the gaming industry.

For our final project, we stepped into the shoes of a game development team pitching a new title to potential investors or publishers. Our pick was Split Fiction, the successor to Hazelight’s successful co-op hit It Takes Two. We weren’t just thinking about gameplay; we had to build a full business case: identifying competitors, selecting marketing channels, and projecting financial performance. We leverage approaches like Guantic Foundry’s player motivation model, Raw Fury’s financial projection, etc. All these learning have deepened my understanding of both the art and the business of games.

One key lesson I took away is that GTM strategy isn’t just about throwing a budget at every possible channel. It’s about what makes sense for the game. What makes it unique, and how can we amplify those strengths while addressing its weaknesses?

Brainstorming the game idea with my teammates was incredibly fun. I'm excited to share what we’ve been working on and how this class changed my view of games.

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