Unifying a game dev team requires balancing practicality and creativity ensuring all perspectives are heard. Here’s how the situation can be addressed: Open communication can be organized in the form of different workshops and seminars where anyone can raise their ideas and different innovations without any fear or stress. Different research based analysis can be performed based on games that thrive on innovation and games that are trend driven. This analysis will give an estimate on how the market reacts to different factors. Leveraging the idea of pursuing different projects one lead by innovation and one based on the market trends. Emphasizing teamwork rather than suppressing group ideas over any individual ideology.

Part of being a leader or leading a team is knowing where you are headed, having a plan. With that plan in mind you should be able to explain clearly to anyone regardless of their stance in a specific topic - why the team will be taking a specific posture. Leaders must earn their trust in teams through dialogue and good calls so that in these circumstances the team will understand and trust.

Trying to unite market trends with innovation seems counterintuitive. Gamers will notice blatant cash grabbing attepmts from the very first trailer. Innovation does not mean following trends, true innovation is the creation of trends.

Bridge the gap by combining strengths. Align trends with innovation, run "What If" sessions to explore bold ideas, and prototype fast to test concepts. Let data guide decisions, not opinions. Trends attract players; innovation keeps them hooked. Balance both for a winning strategy.

Its always a perfect balance between innovation and market trends. Take care of both and communicate to the team why both are important for making game fun and profitable.