Operations Catalyst · opscat.com

You make great games.
I help make your game company great.

22 years building games and the businesses behind them. Games advisory and fractional operational leadership for studios, tools companies, serious games, and services companies, anywhere across the industry.

Games Advisory → Fractional COO →

Lucien Parsons · Principal

Background
22+ years in the games industry
Currently
COO · Dragon Snacks Games
COO · Zombie Bonsai
Co-founder/GM
ZeniMax Online Studios
Engage
Advisory · Retainer · Fractional COO
Entry point
$3,000/mo
Background includes
ZeniMax Online Studios · Co-Founder AWS · Games Partner Leader IGDA · Chair MAVRIC · Founder Wharton · MBA
Next Speaking Event

DICE Europe →

Previous Talks DICE (US) Summit → GDC 2026 → XP Games Summit →

01

Games Advisory

Studios · Tools · Serious Games · Co-dev & Services

For companies in the games industry at any stage. Investment readiness, product/market fit, business model, and go-to-market strategy from an advisor who has built, funded, and shipped games, and worked directly with 300+ companies across the ecosystem.

Full games advisory →

02

Fractional COO

For companies that need an operator, not just an advisor

Senior operational leadership embedded in your team. P&L ownership, systems build-out, team structure, board operations. For founders who are operationally overwhelmed, or companies preparing for a round, a scale, or an exit.

Fractional COO details →
Lucien Parsons, Operations Catalyst

About

Lucien Parsons

Principal, Operations Catalyst · Fractional COO & Games Advisor

I co-founded ZeniMax Online Studios and led the $300M+ development project from 3 staff to over 150; that studio became the creator of Elder Scrolls Online, which has passed $2B+ in lifetime product revenue. I built AWS's global games partner ecosystem from zero to 300 companies in two years, enabling $750M+ in AWS revenue impact. I've served as IGDA Chair, founded the MAVRIC XR accelerator at the University of Maryland, and advised or worked directly with more than 300 game companies on funding, operations, product, and go-to-market strategy.

OpsCat is how I work with companies that need more than a report.

COO
Dragon Snacks Games
Co-founder · VP Production · GM
ZeniMax Online Studios · Elder Scrolls Online
Global Games Partner Leader
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Chair, Board of Directors
IGDA · Int'l Game Developers Association
Founder
MAVRIC · UMD XR Innovation Center
MBA
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Investment
Angel, Advisor, and VC LP
22+
Years in the games industry
500+
Game companies advised or partnered
$40M+
Raised across client investment rounds
$2.5B+
In lifetime product revenue

03 · Engagement Models

How OpsCat engagements work.

Three ways, sized to the problem. Starting with a direct conversation about what you're trying to solve.

Entry point

Doc & Pitch Review

$3,500
5 hours included · additional at $500/hr

Annotated feedback on your pitch deck, business plan, or funding narrative. Covers business, fundraising, and operational dimensions.

  • Written priority summary and annotated feedback
  • 1-hour video call walking through specifics
  • Follow-up review of revised materials
  • Company Audit and Pre-Mortem available as extensions

Ongoing advisory

Advisor / Board Member

Retainer
$3,000 minimum · monthly terms negotiated

Up to 1 hour/week of strategy, coaching, and advisory, structured around a specific goal; typically investment readiness or a major operational milestone.

  • Deck and document reviews
  • Investor and partner introductions
  • On-call availability for priority questions
  • Deferred retainer available for pre-funding companies

Embedded leadership

Fractional COO

Negotiated
Minimum 1 day/week · 3 to 12 months

Senior operational leadership embedded in your team. Scope, hours, and rate negotiated to the engagement. For companies where a real operator, not just an advisor, is what the situation requires.

  • P&L ownership and accountability
  • Operational systems build-out
  • Team structure and management development
  • Board and investor reporting
GDC 2026 Talk

Why Good Games Fail: The Startup Audit Every Studio Needs

A diagnostic framework for identifying the operational and go-to-market failures that sink games before launch, built on patterns from 20+ years working across studios large and small. If you work at or run a studio, the frameworks here will help you spot potential issues before they become big problems.

Slides free on GDC Vault. Full recorded talk requires a Vault login.

Slides on GDC Vault (free) → Full recorded talk (signin required) →
Why Good Games Fail: The Startup Audit Every Studio Needs

Tell me what you're
working on.

If you're building something in games, or trying to build the company around what you're building, I'd like to hear about it.

Start a conversation →