Crafting Player-Centric Experiences

First of all, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! To kick things off, could you introduce yourself to our audience and share a little about what got you started in the industry?

Danielle: Yeah, it’s my pleasure! So, I’m Danielle, and I’m the Head of Player Experience at Ilyon. My love for games started when I was 13 and first rolled a d20, discovering the magic of Dungeons & Dragons. Ever since, I’ve been immersed in tabletop RPGs, LARPs, and the occasional video game—though my heart will always belong to role-playing adventures.

Professionally, I’ve always been drawn to roles that focus on people. I’ve worked as a flight attendant, account manager, and customer success lead across various industries. Before joining Ilyon, I was at Eldritch Foundry, where I helped bring tabletop players’ imaginations to life by creating 3D custom miniatures. It’s been a wild, creative journey, and now I’m thrilled to channel that passion into crafting unforgettable experiences for players worldwide.

I’ll admit, when I hear ‘Head of Player Experience,’ I think of someone managing support tickets—but I’m sure it’s so much more than that. Could you give us a glimpse into what your role really involves and why it’s so pivotal to modern game development?

Danielle: Player experience is such a broad and evolving area in gaming. For me, it’s more than just replying to support tickets—it’s about building connections and communities across channels.

When creating a strategy for a new game, I always start with the player profile: who they are, where they’re from, their age, gender, gaming style, online hangouts, hobbies, and views. Knowing your players makes everything easier—approaching them, building communities, and improving the product to truly speak their language.

Feedback loops are also key. Listening to players and acting on their thoughts and experiences keeps the game evolving and relevant.

Another vital piece is user-generated content (UGC). Players love to create—fan art, streams, and in some cases, mods and levels. Encouraging and celebrating this not only keeps them engaged but also builds a vibrant community and spreads the word about the game organically.

Ultimately, my role is about making players feel seen, heard, and connected—to the game and to each other.

If a game studio came to you today and said, ‘We want to focus more on player experience,’ what’s the first thing you’d tell them to do?

Danielle: Start by defining who your players are. Understanding your audience—who they are, where they come from, and what they value—is the foundation for improving player experience. When you have a clear picture of your players, it becomes much easier to review the product with your game design and product teams. Dive into the data, analyze features, UX, UI, and balance, and ensure the game aligns with your players’ needs. Identify pain points and refine areas that need improvement.

Next, focus on improving your support flows. Evaluate how communication with players is handled, pinpoint any gaps, and address recurring player requests. Implement in-game support options and segment players by behavior to provide more personalized assistance. Use data not only to enhance support but also to gather actionable feedback directly from your players.

Once these fundamentals are in place, move on to building a stronger community and creating engaging off-game experiences. These can include exclusive events, forums, or social media activities that keep players connected and invested in the game. The goal is to create a seamless, player-centric ecosystem that evolves alongside your players’ needs and keeps them coming back for more.

You mentioned the importance of understanding players’ behavior. Coming from a data and performance background myself, I know there’s a wealth of data that can provide deeper insights into player behavior. How do you use that data to create a better experience?

Danielle: Understanding player behavior starts with having access to the right data. At a basic level, when a player contacts us, data helps us analyze their playstyle—what they purchase, which levels they struggle with, what boosters they use, and how often they engage. This insight allows us to create a more tailored and personalized experience for them.

This approach is often associated with VIP players, where companies invest significant resources in building personal connections. Dashboards can track engagement patterns, flagging when something is off, so we know when to reach out, offer a sale, or gift the right boosters or coins. However, it’s not just about using automated systems to send generic offers. The key is personal outreach—players know it’s not a bot behind the message but someone they trust and appreciate. That personal touch strengthens loyalty in a way that a simple popup never could.

Personally, I believe this level of attention shouldn’t be limited to VIPs. It’s equally important to engage with community leaders and highly active players who leave a lasting impact on the game. Building relationships with them fosters a deeper sense of community and trust. When players feel seen as individuals and not just statistics, they’re more likely to provide valuable feedback, report issues, and share ideas—helping to improve the game for everyone.

Ultimately, this personalized approach transforms players into loyal advocates. It builds organic community growth and drives long-term retention. More than just enhancing the game experience, it’s about creating emotional connections and trust that extend beyond the game itself.

What do you think studios can do better when it comes to building stronger, more meaningful connections with their communities?

Danielle: Listen to your experience team! We’re on the front lines—we know what’s going on with the game, we’re lurking on social media, and we’re talking to players. When we give you feedback, check your data and fix it. If players hate a certain feature or live op, we know exactly why, even if they can’t articulate it themselves. We get them; we understand them.

Companies that have a strong bond between product, BI, and player experience teams create better games. Period.

But studios can also do better by creating real two-way communication with their communities. Don’t just push updates—actually engage with your players, ask for their opinions, and respond. Be transparent. When players see their feedback actually making a difference, it builds trust and loyalty.

Encourage community-driven content too. Let players make the game their own through UGC, fan art, streams, or even in-game events. It makes them feel like they’re part of the game’s evolution and not just spectators.

At the end of the day, it’s all about listening, acting on feedback, and involving your players in the process. When they feel heard and valued, they’re not going anywhere.

Speaking of feedback, has there been a moment when player input led to a big change in one of your games? What was that experience like?

Danielle: Definitely, there have been multiple moments when player feedback led to major changes in our games. It’s not just about tweaking a feature here and there—it’s often whole features being added or removed based on what players are telling us. Sometimes, it’s the way we word things, the timing of events, or even a complete overhaul of a feature.

We don’t only collect feedback through support channels; we’re constantly communicating with fan groups and receiving ongoing requests from them. This continuous interaction helps us redesign items, tweak live ops mechanics, and improve the game in real-time. For example, we recently added a milestone feature because players had been asking for it for a while.

It’s an ongoing cycle of listening, testing, and evolving. I once asked ChatGPT why players love our leading game so much, and the response was spot on—two main reasons: 1) addictive gameplay, and 2) the customer experience team. That’s a huge part of what keeps our players coming back: the constant engagement and responsiveness we offer, making them feel heard and valued. The feedback isn’t just an afterthought—it shapes everything we do.

Speaking of building a community, do you have any practical tips for managing large groups? I know that you and your team manage over 200,000 active members in the Facebook groups for Triple Match 3D, which is quite an audience to maintain. Some games also have massive communities on Discord or similar platforms. How do you even begin to manage such large communities effectively?

Danielle: So, there are a couple of key things to keep in mind when it comes to managing large communities effectively. Here’s how we approach it:

• Empower Fan Group Admins We collaborate with passionate fan group admins who are the heart and voice of their communities. By giving them sneak peeks, exclusive updates, and gift links to share, we help keep their groups engaged and excited about the game.
• Leverage Technology We use chatbots on social media to handle repetitive questions and are always improving our AI tools across support and social platforms. This helps us respond quickly while freeing up time for more meaningful, personalized interactions.
• Segment the Community Not all players are the same, so we segment groups based on their activity, interests, or playstyle. This way, we can create targeted events, content, and communications that feel personal and relevant to each group.
• Support Team Leaders We work closely with team leaders, providing them with regular updates, team-specific gifts, and quick solutions for any issues their members face. They’re key touchpoints in ensuring their teams feel supported and connected.
• Create Feedback Loops We actively gather feedback through polls, surveys, and direct conversations. Acting on that feedback not only improves the game but also shows players that their voices matter, building trust and strengthening loyalty.

Lastly can you maybe share a memorable interaction you’ve had with a player? How did it influence your approach to player experience?

Danielle: One of the most memorable interactions I’ve had with a player was over a year and a half ago. She often complained about levels and gameplay, but after a while, I realized she wasn’t just giving feedback—she was looking for a human connection. So, I started chatting with her about life, just checking in and getting to know her.

It turned out she was an elderly woman who had been through a serious accident and now uses voice-to-text to communicate. Her life story is incredible—she rescues animals for her farm and has experienced so many inspiring things. Honestly, she’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever talked to.

We now chat at least once a week, and I even had the chance to send her personalized swag boxes. I really care about her, and our connection has turned into a genuine friendship that I know will last a long time.

This experience taught me the importance of seeing players as people first, not just gamers. Sometimes, the connections we make go far beyond the game itself, and that’s what makes player experience so special.

Danielle, this has been such a great conversation. Hearing about your journey, your approach to player experience, and the amazing stories you’ve shared has been truly inspiring. Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us—we’ve learned so much, and I’m sure our audience will too!