Our Scopelean Spotlights this month highlight some of the brilliant gamemakers behind our newly-launched mobile game, “MONOPOLY GO!.”
Say “hi” to Itamar.
If you’re looking to better understand what “MONOPOLY GO!” players desire, then Itamar Peled is the Scopelean for you. Based in Tel Aviv, Itamar is dedicated to building a multi-platform community and day-to-day activities to satisfy every player’s need. Read on to learn more!
Tell us a little about yourself and your journey at Scopely.
I've been part of the gaming industry since 2010. I joined Scopely in August 2022 as the Head of Monetization, working on “MONOPOLY GO!” and helping build out the team from scratch.
My team is responsible for monetization strategies, day-to-day calendar planning, player-facing communications such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Community, and creating exciting seasonal promotional packages for our players.
What are you currently working on and how does your work impact the company?
Currently, I am working on adding more capabilities to “MONOPOLY GO!” — building our multi-platform community of players, developing multiple CRM channels such as push notifications, emails and a chatbot and also planning out our day-to-day activities for the rest of 2023.
We're also continuously striving to better understand players, either through data and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) performance or through community feedback and player interviews. Deeply understanding a player's needs, desires and motivations is key in creating an immersive experience for our players, within the game and outside of it. This in turn provides a different experience with every game session, boosts player engagement and increases retention.
What does diversity in gaming mean to you?
The ability to work with such a varied team of individuals working across three continents is truly an honor and a privilege. I consider it a blessing since it really not only broadened my horizons, but it is also a welcomed challenge — understanding different cultures and adapting to different needs and requirements presented by my colleagues.
Each team has their own approach to doing things and tackling issues — it's truly an exciting journey. I can safely say that I'm a better professional and also a better human being as a result.
Which Scopely culture tenet are you the most passionate about?
Though I can relate with all of the tenets, I think CARE DEEPLY is probably the one that resonates the most to me. I feel fortunate to be working on an awesome game that I love and enjoy with colleagues that I admire and appreciate as individuals and as professionals.
What advice would you give to someone working in your field?
I think the best piece of advice I'd give to someone starting out is “BE CURIOUS.” Know your players, know your product, know your colleagues and know your company. Take an interest in what's going on around you and don't focus solely on your individual tasks or specific field. Lift your head and look up, sideways and behind you. Open your ears and constantly listen. Gain a wide angle on the business you're a part of — having the widest perspective possible eventually makes us better employees and better managers.
What was the last good book you read?
In recent years I tend to read biographies during business trips, so the last one I read was "The Netanyahu Code" — a biography about our longstanding Israeli Prime Minister. Love him or hate him — he is a fascinating political and historical figure and his life's story is a great read.
Anything else to add?
I never thought I'd be this challenged and motivated after so many years in gaming, but working at Scopely, and especially on “MONOPOLY GO!,” has definitely delivered both. It's been a wild ride so far and we're just getting started!
Are you interested in becoming a Scopelean like Itamar? Apply for one of our open roles: scopely.com/join-us.