Chris Hong

Chris Hong is a seasoned game developer and entrepreneur with 30 years of experience. His journey in game development commenced in 1995 as a server and backend programmer, leading to the successful launch of 12+ PC/console real-time multiplayer online games and 10+ mobile games. Throughout his career, he assumed pivotal roles such as tech lead/director, studio head, and production director at renowned companies, including Ubisoft, Metacore, Neowiz, Smilegate, and more. Over 15 years, he established and effectively managed three game companies as a CEO, honing a unique ability to balance technical expertise with a keen understanding of the business landscape.

His expertise spans all facets of the game industry, encompassing development, live service, business foundation and management, finance, investment, and valuable overseas experience. With a notable tenure of over 12 years as a professor and lecturer at universities and polytechnics, Chris has delivered numerous presentations and speeches at academic institutions and events.

Chris has recently embarked on a new venture, founding the studio "CosmoUniverse" in Helsinki, Finland. This studio specializes in providing consulting, design, and development for backend / real-time multiplayer and live service tech. We're also working on new game development projects.

Notable games:

• Merge Mansion, Metacore
• Crossfire, Smilegate
• Traials, Ubisoft
• Football Manager Online, KT Hite / Sports Interactive / SEGA
• Raycrash, Codinet

Real-time multiplayer is no longer the exclusive domain of AAA studios. With the right tools, architecture, and design mindset, small and indie teams can deliver seamless, scalable multiplayer experiences—without breaking the bank.

This session shows the architectural decisions, backend strategies, and development frameworks that enable lean teams to build and operate live multiplayer games. Backed by real-world implementations and technical insights, we’ll explore how to approach synchronization, authority models, backend infrastructure, and LiveOps with resource constraints in mind.

Whether you're planning your first multiplayer prototype or preparing to go live, this talk will equip you with actionable knowledge to architect robust multiplayer systems with agility and cost-efficiency.