This session took place at XP Game Summit 2026.
Art Direction Is Marketing (You’re Just Calling It the Wrong Thing)
Art direction is not visual polish—it’s conversion designCosmetics = identity = monetization = retentionDiversity isn’t moral fluff—it’s market expansion + player attachment
Cosmetics work from DBD-style thinkingWhy players buy skins (identity, aspiration, belonging)Where studios completely miss the mark