From a decade of building tools for game creators to helping define the future of Opera Gaming, this conversation explores product leadership, evolving player expectations, and the opportunities shaping the next generation of gaming experiences.

Q: The gaming industry is evolving quickly. How have gamer expectations changed in recent years, and how does that influence the way you build products today?

A: One of the biggest changes is how much gamers expect from games today. It's no longer enough for a game to simply be fun. Players expect experiences that work seamlessly across devices, platforms, and environments, whether they're playing on desktop, mobile, or console.

Accessibility has also become increasingly important. Features that support different player needs, such as accessibility settings and inclusive design considerations, are no longer optional; they're part of delivering a great experience.

As product builders, we have to think more carefully about who we're building for and how different audiences will engage with our products. Today, developers need to consider far more than they did in the past.

Q: Opera Gaming has built products with a very distinct identity. How do you stay connected to what gamers actually want, and how does that shape product decisions?

A: Our community plays a central role in how we build products.

We stay connected through multiple channels, including Discord, Reddit, social media, livestreams, and direct community events. Every year we host Q&A sessions and product discussions where users can share feedback and ideas directly with the team.

We also invest in meeting our community in person. From Brazil to other countries across Latin America and beyond, these conversations help us understand how people use our products and what they want to see next.

The insights we gather from these interactions help shape product priorities and ensure we're building features that genuinely resonate with our audience.

Q: What makes building products for gamers different from creating products for broader audiences?

A: Gaming is ultimately about engagement and entertainment. Players always have choices, so products need to provide clear value and reasons for people to return.

Whether that's through community features, social experiences, creativity tools, or new ways to discover content, we're constantly looking for ways to strengthen that connection.

What makes Opera Gaming unique is that our ecosystem connects gamers, creators, and developers. Through products like Opera GX, GX.games, and GameMaker, we're able to create experiences where these communities can interact, share feedback, and help shape the future of gaming together.

Q: Can you share a recent project, feature, or launch that felt especially meaningful or exciting for the team?

A: One particularly memorable moment was the launch of Nintendo Switch 2. 

DELTARUNE, which was built using GameMaker, was selected as one of the console's launch titles, giving our team the opportunity to be part of a major industry milestone. The entire process involved a high level of confidentiality and coordination, which made it both challenging and exciting.

Seeing a GameMaker-created title become part of such a significant industry moment was a proud milestone for the team and a reminder of the impact our tools can have on developers around the world.

Q: In gaming, communities are incredibly vocal and engaged. How do you balance experimentation, player feedback, and long-term product vision when developing new ideas?

A: Community feedback is incredibly valuable, but it works best when balanced with a clear long-term vision.

We listen closely to what our users are telling us, look for patterns in their feedback, and use those insights to guide our decisions. But part of our responsibility as product builders is to look beyond what's being asked for today and identify opportunities that users may not yet see themselves.

Some of the most meaningful innovations don't come from responding to requests. They come from anticipating where technology, player behaviour, and creator needs are heading, and building for that future before it becomes obvious.

The challenge is finding the right balance: listening carefully to your community while having the conviction to invest in ideas that can shape what's next. The strongest products do both.

Q: What excites you most about the future of gaming, and the role Opera Gaming can play in shaping it?

A: What excites me most is how the boundaries between creating, playing, and sharing games continue to disappear.

New technologies are making game development more accessible, while advances in the web are creating entirely new ways for people to discover, experience, and engage with games. We're moving toward a future where creators can reach audiences more easily, communities can participate more directly, and great ideas can come to life faster than ever before.

That's what makes Opera Gaming such an exciting place to be. Through GameMaker, Opera GX, and GX.games, we're uniquely positioned at the intersection of creation, discovery, and play. We have the opportunity to connect developers with players, bring communities closer together, and help shape what the next generation of gaming experiences looks like.

Being part of that journey and helping build the tools, platforms, and experiences that enable it is what motivates me most.