Xsolla Sponsors First Playable Florence 2026 to Empower Indie Game Developers

Xsolla announced it will sponsor First Playable Florence (FPF) 2026 on June 11 in Florence, Italy. The global video game commerce company plans to host two developer-focused sessions led by Inês Ramalho to help independent PC game studios secure publishing deals and implement sustainable growth strategies, according to the company.

The sponsorship targets indie developers seeking publishing agreements, investments, and platform collaborations. Xsolla’s participation aims to provide studios with both commercial infrastructure and strategic knowledge to reach their target audiences.

How will Xsolla help indie developers at FPF 2026?

Inês Ramalho, Xsolla’s expert in publishing strategy and partner-based growth, will lead two specific initiatives on June 11. The first is a free roundtable at 11:00 AM titled “You have 5 minutes: how to capture a publisher.”

This session focuses on distilling a game’s primary appeal into effective language for short initial meetings with publishers. According to Xsolla, the roundtable will address common structural errors in pitches and how to position titles competitively regarding market diversification and commercial potential.

Did You Know? Xsolla is a commercial agent in more than 200 geographical areas and provides access to over 1,000 local payment methods globally.

The second event is a 45-to-60-minute presentation at 12:00 PM titled “The end of paid acquisition? How PC games are expanding through creators and collaborations.” This session examines the shift toward creator-led discovery over paid advertising.

Why is PC game marketing shifting away from paid acquisition?

Xsolla reports that user acquisition costs are rising while streaming content discovery has become harder to engineer through paid means alone. Berkley Egenes, Xsolla’s Director of Marketing and Growth, stated that reliance on paid acquisition is “dangerous” because returns are declining.

Egenes noted that growth now increases with trust rather than spending. The company argues that players are more likely to convert when they hear about a game from a trusted source, such as a YouTuber, streamer, or affiliate with a dedicated community.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter suggests that the shift from paid acquisition to trust-based networks represents a fundamental change in risk management for indie studios. By moving away from unpredictable ad spends and toward measurable creator partnerships, studios may be able to stabilize their growth economics.

To address this, Ramalho will demonstrate the Xsolla Partner Network. This system connects studios with a global network of media partners and creators, centralizing campaign management, performance dashboards, and automated payouts.

What could this mean for the future of indie publishing?

The emphasis on “trust-based” growth suggests that indie studios may increasingly rely on regional creators to enter international markets where paid campaigns often fail. This approach could allow smaller studios to compete more effectively by leveraging established community trust.

Studios that build the right infrastructure around creator collaborations may find their growth more repeatable and measurable. If the trend continues, the ability to manage affiliate networks could become as critical as the game’s actual development for securing a publishing deal.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is Xsolla hosting its FPF 2026 sessions?
Xsolla will host its sessions on June 11, 2026, in Florence, Italy.

What is the purpose of the Xsolla Partner Network?
It connects game studios with a global network of creators, affiliates, and media partners to manage campaigns, track performance via dashboards, and automate global payouts.

How many of the top 100 most profitable games trust Xsolla?
According to the company, Xsolla is trusted by over 60% of the top 100 most profitable games.

Do you believe creator-led growth is more sustainable for indie studios than traditional paid advertising?