Retail, rewired: gift cards, payments, and the business of access

Welcome to The Business of Games Podcast, powered by Xsolla.Game commerce isn’t just about platforms and storefronts. It’s about who can actually pay. In this episode, Lia Ballentine speaks with Michael Jedrzejczak, Program Manager and Gift Card Consultant at Xsolla, about how payment methods, gift cards, and retail access continue to shape who can buy and play games.Michael brings over 15 years of experience building and scaling game commerce, from early digital key stores to large-scale gift card programs that connect physical retail with digital games. He explains why digital keys, vouchers, and gift cards aren’t interchangeable and how each one influences buying behavior in different ways.Most digital purchases are made for yourself. Most gift cards are bought for someone else. That simple distinction helps explain why physical retail still matters, especially during the holiday season. Michael shares how Q4 continues to drive 2–3x sales spikes, why October is a hard deadline for gift card launches, and what studios often underestimate about fraud, compliance, and global payments.The takeaway is straightforward: expanding how players can pay often matters as much as where games are sold. For studios looking to grow, access isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a competitive advantage.What you’ll learn:Why digital keys, vouchers, and gift cards play different rolesHow physical retail still drives gifting and impulse buyingWhy October matters more than December for holiday commerceWhat teams underestimate about payments, fraud, and complianceWhen outsourcing commerce makes more sense than building itLet’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.