Why DTC Web Stores are Gaining Popularity in the Games Industry

The video games industry is going through a massive evolution in how companies can directly service their players’ purchasing needs. Ever since legal action was taken against two of the major app store platforms challenging the fairness and legality of the 30% commissions charged on in-app purchases, game publishers are exploring new ways to sell directly to customers via Direct to Consumer (DTC) web stores. This shift has the potential to redefine how game publishers manage and enhance their customer relationships.

Owning and operating a DTC web store empowers your Customer Experience (CX) team to take a more proactive role in engaging one-on-one with players, improving the customer journey, and ultimately boosting in-store conversions. While game support has traditionally been seen as a reactive function—waiting for users to contact them with issues—and still often perceived as a cost center, progressive brands are now realizing that CX and support can be leveraged proactively to initiate engagement with players. Providing players with instant access to support via web chat is a great way to transform support teams into revenue-generating assets.

However, this new era of DTC web stores poses a few unique challenges and costs. Video games companies must be agile and strategic to successfully market and optimize their DTC stores while ensuring compliance with existing agreements to keep their games listed on major app store platforms. Despite these hurdles, the opportunity is clear: Game Publishers are increasingly focused on making their DTC the primary purchasing platform for their player base.

Let’s explore a few ways that your games company can maximize the potential of a DTC web store. 

Why Explore DTC Web Stores for Games? No more 30% “High Store Commission Rates” 

The biggest top-of-mind benefit of opening a DTC web store for your games company is that, for every sale you make directly to customers, you can avoid the longstanding 30% margin. Instead of forgoing the standard 30% commission from app stores, your company should be focused on lowering that rate by creating an in-house solution.

In addition to financial benefits, DTC stores provide real-time issue resolution, enabling game publishers to address purchasing issues directly, rather than redirecting players back to the app store for assistance. Furthermore, game publishers have the flexibility to create custom package sizes to meet the demands of their player for higher value packages that can be blocked by the app stores.

Even with the ongoing costs of maintaining a DTC web store, these costs are likely to be lower than the 30% cut taken by app stores. Publishers that have not yet explored DTC sales risk falling behind. Now is the time for Game publishers to seize the opportunity, engage with customers directly and drive revenue through their own DTC store. 

Optimize Your DTC Store Experience for Deeper Customer Relationships 

Games companies deserve to own their customer relationships, just like any other business. You should have the ability to understand your audience, gather insights, and build long-term engagement strategies.

With the traditional big platform/app store model, video games companies have been left in the dark. Not just losing 30% of revenue but also valuable player data and direct communication opportunities. When Apple retired the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), games publishers lost yet another key method of tracking and engaging with players on the App Store. 

Launching your own DTC web store can fix the biggest problems with the “old” model of selling your games via the big platforms.  However, simply launching a store isn’t enough – you need to optimize it for success. For example, when a player is browsing your web store and wants to reach out with a question, offering web chat support provides a seamless way to connect in real time. Embedding a frictionless and customizable web chat - integrated with your CRM – creates a proactive support systes beyond basic customer service. Besides serving as the first line of player contact, your company’s CX team and customer support resources can help you proactively uncover feedback and create new opportunities for deeper engagement, cross-selling, and long-term customer loyalty and lifetime value.  

Maximize Your CX and Customer Support to Drive Your DTC Web Store Success

When your games could only be sold through big platforms and app stores, the customer experience of that sale process was largely out of your hands. Now with DTC web stores, CX leaders in games companies have an opportunity to reshape the player experience and drive higher conversions within their own digital storefronts.

This is an exciting, transformative moment for player experience teams! Video game publishers already have customer support teams in place, but they must now optimize these teams and tools to capture traffic, convert browsers into buyers, and drive long-term customer retention.

A DTC store is a new arena for CX teams to create an exceptional experience. Consider implementing pro-active support tools to assist with purchases, particularly for high-value VIP customers. This could involve using proactive support functionality to reach out to a player within the DTC store to offer support with their shopping experience. Instead of relying on a simple abandoned cart notification, CX support agents could offer a personalized concierge experience—guiding VIP players through the purchase process, answering concerns in real time, and helping close sales.

This proactive approach allows CX teams to shift from being a cost center to a profit driver—contributing directly to monetization, engagement, retention, and growth.

Cart abandonment is a major revenue leak for game developers, but it’s also a huge opportunity. Players abandon purchases for many reasons—friction in the checkout process, lack of support, or even trust concerns. At Keywords Studios and Helpshift, we’re passionate about helping game developers turn those lost transactions into conversions by delivering seamless, player-first experiences. By combining smart automation, real-time support, and data-driven insights, we help studios reduce friction, build stronger player relationships, and maximize revenue.

Jason Dauenhauer - Head of VIP Services - Keywords Studios

DTC Web Stores: A Game-Changer for the Industry

The rise of DTC stores marks a pivotal moment for the video games industry - and it’s long overdue. Video game companies deserve the ability to connect directly with their players, control their own destinies, and sell directly to players without being beholden to big tech platforms. 

For CX teams, this shift represents a new era of opportunity. Instead of being passive support agents, they should become “DTC store concierges,” leading the charge, proactively engaging with players, optimizing their shopping experience, and driving revenue growth.

As more publishers invest in DTC strategies, the video games industry will continue to see new innovations in customer engagement, seamless player experiences, and data-driven monetization strategies. The future of gaming commerce is here—are you ready to embrace it?

About the Authors

Samantha Pang is the VP of Customer Success and Growth at Helpshift, an established leader in AI-driven, consumer-first support for modern brands. 

Gemma Doyle is the Senior Vice President Customer Experience at Deriv, an award-winning online trading platform, serving over 2.5 million customers globally.