What is the right balance between fun and monetizing?
Fun should be the most important factor when developing games, but we also need to survive as a company ...
My thoughts
Games are a form of entertainment, and entertainment is supposed to enrich our lives, bring us joy, make us feel, and make us think. Money should never be the primary goal. Money is what allows creators to keep creating.
I believe in natural selection. I think there are too many game studios and too many games, and the reason for that is that too many people have joined the gaming industry because they believe they can become rich.
It's like saying I want to learn the guitar because I want to be rich and famous. Well, first, good luck with that! And second, this misses the point entirely. You should be learning the guitar because you love music and maybe have something to say musically.
Ultimately, great content will always find its fans. And that should be our focus. Making great content.
Of course, we work for publishers, so our say in the matter is limited, but where we put focus and energy is up to us, and if we believe that fun and experience are the most important things to us, that should become our signature as a game studio.