Skill-Based Game Experts Avia to Share Insights on the Rise of Real-Money Mobile Games at GDC Festival of Gaming

Avia to Deliver Panel Sessions on Player Engagement and Retention Strategy, Showcase Game Portfolio, Reveal Future Partnerships and More at 2026 Festival of Gaming

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At the 2026 GDC Festival of Gaming, AviaGames, the leader in casual, skill-based games, will share insights into its 10th anniversary milestone, vision for 2026, improvements in player payments, upcoming partnerships with leaders in the tech space and more.

Attendees will receive a deeper look into Avia’s competitive casual portfolio and platform experience that prioritizes trust and player confidence. Avia will have two panel sessions – one with PayPal on advancing secure, frictionless payments that strengthen player experience, and one with Meta on how brand and performance can work as one compound marketing system through partnership and creative co-building.

The panel with PayPal, “From Win to Wallet—Rethinking Player Experience in Skill-Based Gaming” taking place on March 11 from 2:50 pm - 3:20 pm PT in Room 2009 in West Hall, will explore how payments and payouts shape the player experience in skill-based gaming, where speed, reliability and transparency directly impact trust and retention. With speakers including Vickie Chen (CEO & Founder, AviaGames) and Justin Butler (Vice President, Digital Money & Commerce Solutions, PayPal), attendees will hear how PayPal and Avia work together to improve player experience through Express Checkout, fast payouts and reduced friction.

In collaboration with Meta, the “Building Growth Through Partnership: A Practical Avia Playbook for Brand + Performance on Meta” panel will take place on March 12 from 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm PT in Room 2024 in West Hall, featuring Ping Wang (Co-Founder & VP of Strategy and Business Development, AviaGames), Benny Chu (Director, Head of Apps & Games, Meta) and David Cheang (Creative Strategist, Meta). The panel will outline a practical playbook for partnership-led growth, including how teams co-define objectives, co-build creative and run a shared testing and learning cadence so brand storytelling and UA execution work as one system. Attendees will walk away with an actionable framework for aligning stakeholders, accelerating iteration and improving efficiency through a consistent measurement mindset.

Alongside the expert-led sessions, Avia’s booth will serve as a hub for business conversations and partnership exploration, as well as employer branding and recruiting discussions with talented candidates who want to build a future with the company. Meetings can be booked with Avia in the GDC app. The booth details can be found below:

• Booth Location: Festival Hall #656
• Booth Dates/Times:
  • March 11–12 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
  • March 13, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

For more information, please visit Avia on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.

About Aviagames

Avia is the go-to destination for casual mobile gaming entertainment and is the publisher of Pocket7Games, a unified gaming platform, and other individual top apps including "Solitaire Clash," "Bingo Tour'' and "8 Ball Strike." Quick to play and win, Avia mobile games are designed for players of all skill levels, from casual gamers to hardcore enthusiasts. Avia gaming offerings include 15+ unique, skill-based games linked to a single membership and joint account system, allowing players to seamlessly switch among casual puzzle, action, card and strategy games. Avia is committed to providing an inclusive platform for players to have fun playing their favorite titles.