Building in motion: Jenny Xu on Gen Z, LiveOps, and fitness as play

Welcome to The Business of Games Podcast, brought to you by Xsolla.In this extended cut, host Lia Ballentine sits down with Jenny Xu, founder and CEO of Talofa Games, for a wide-ranging conversation about designing for Gen Z, turning fitness into fun, and why building in public matters more than chasing polish.Jenny’s story is one of creativity, resilience, and rethinking the rules. From drawing Neopets fan art on DeviantArt as a kid, to pitching VCs after teaching a virtual fitness class, to launching Run Legends and Monster Walk, Jenny has forged her own path in games. Along the way, she’s had to navigate skepticism, imposter syndrome, and investor pressure, while staying true to her vision of games as systems that improve lives.We dive into:Jenny’s journey from anime fan and Pokémon collector to Forbes 30 Under 30 game founderHow Talofa prototyped five different fitness games then let community feedback decide which to buildThe balance between delighting “power users” and welcoming new playersWhy Gen Z values authenticity, scrappy iteration, and community-first designHow success is measured not just in revenue, but in steps walked, habits formed, and lives changedThe role of LiveOps in keeping Monster Walk fresh, from simulated Discord events to real-time tuningWhether you’re a founder, a product lead, or simply curious about where the next generation of games is headed, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of how Gen Z thinks about play and how Jenny Xu is building games that move both hearts and bodies.Let’s get into it.For more insights and resources, visit xsolla.com/podcast. Want to join the conversation? Follow and comment on our LinkedIn page at The Business of Games Podcast. That’s where we’ll be sharing updates, highlights, and continuing the discussion. And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share the podcast with friends who want to learn more about the business of games.