Agostino Simonetta
GSC Game World
Over 26 years in the industry, Agostino Simonetta has built solid expertise in game dev and publishing - with a focus on indie projects, publishing, and business development. Currently heads commercial ops at GSC Game World, previously held top roles at Xbox, PlayStation, and SEGA
Agostino Simonetta is speaking at the following session/s
Shipping S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Our Way: Self-Publishing, Game Pass, and 1 Million in 36 Hours
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl - a first-person open-world shooter built on Unreal Engine 5 - was released under the extraordinary circumstances of full-scale war in the developers’ home country. In this session, Agostino Simonetta, Chief Commercial Officer at GSC Game World, shares the real story behind launching this unique Ukrainian title: self-publishing without a traditional publisher, the pivotal Microsoft partnership, integration with Game Pass and cloud services, and the immense challenges of shipping a major game during wartime.
Session Takeaway
- How to successfully self-publish a major title without a traditional publisher, including key decisions on control, risk management, and partner selection
- Real strategies for building and maintaining an authentic indie-style marketing voice that resonates with fans, even under tight resources and high pressure
- Practical ways to keep development and release on track during extreme external disruptions like war, blackouts, and team relocation, while still delivering post-launch support and maintaining player trust
Session speakers
