# Cost optimization The cost optimization pillar includes the continual process of refinement and improvement of a system over its entire lifecycle. This process spans from the initial design of your first proof of concept to the ongoing operation of production workloads. By adopting the practices outlines in this paper, you can build and operate cost-aware systems that achieve desired business outcomes at a lowest price point. Implementing these cost optimization practices can allow your business to maximize the value of your cloud investment. Games are unique creative projects that must compete for player attention and playtime. Prior to launch, game developers often lack a clear understanding of how popular or long-lasting their game will become. Depending on the game's monetization strategy, business priorities, and lifecycle stage, developers will need to make tradeoffs when evaluating cost optimization decisions. For example, during the pre-launch phase of a highly anticipated new game, the focus is typically on speed-to-market, feature development, and performance. The priority is verifying the infrastructure can scale to meet peak player demand. Conversely, if a game is not successful or development is slowing down, the focus may shift to reducing costs as much as possible to continue operating the game for existing players. Many game developers also operate multiple games simultaneously, which requires additional considerations. Resources like infrastructure, software, and staff may be shared across multiple live games, allowing losses from one game to be offset by profits from another. In this scenario, a focus on cost optimization can improve the financials across the entire game portfolio. Given the unique business models, scale, and unpredictability of games, the following key questions can guide cost optimization decisions: + How can I measure the infrastructure cost per player, system, and game feature? + What is the right balance between cost optimization and player experience for my game's current lifecycle stage? + How can I maximize return on investment using the right pricing model for my AWS resources? Applying these best practices and asking the right questions can assist game developers build and operate cost-aware systems that achieve business outcomes while minimizing costs. **Topics** + [Design principles](design-principles-cost.md) + [Practice Cloud Financial Management](gamecost-cfm.md) + [Expenditure and usage awareness](gamecost01.md) + [Cost-effective resources](gamecost02.md) + [Data transfer costs](gamecost03.md) + [Managing demand and supply resources](gamecost-mdsr.md) + [Optimizing over time](gamecost-oot.md) + [Resources](resources-cost.md)