E40: The Best Web3 Arguments (w/Yat Siu, Cofounder of Animoca Brands)
Send us a textYat Siu, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands, steps cast to defend Web3 against @Eric and @Phil’s vigorous skepticism. @Chris just want to know why gamers don’t get it. Is Web2 fundamentally incapable of grasping the promise of open markets? What is and should be promised to token holders? We discuss:Laying down Web3’s steelman caseWhy the West still doesn't get Web3 like the EastExamining the original token sin, where did it all go wrong?Do digital property rights actually hold back economic growth?
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1:10:23
E39: Law & Economic Order, A Game Economist Investigation
Send us a textPokémon's patent of spherical objects throwing of cartoon creatures threatens Palword's lifeblood, while Tim Sweeney has lifted, at least a percentage point, in total gaming GDP with its injunction success.How does Apple's rent-seeking rate change in the face of this ruling? Should Apple lower its rate to 15%, like it did in subscriptions? Remember, it faced competition primarily from "webstores" too. We premier a new segment: SOLVE that for EQUILIBRIUM.We discuss the marginal *monetization* effects and debate the benefits of personalization opportunities (hint: there are none) with webstores.@Chris is intrigued by Joost's piece on rising game costs, while AI's effects on the industry are measured in the Solow model. @Phil insists rising game costs mean rising revenue and stable margins, while Eric has his own doubts.Eric's on IP Laws: https://substack.com/home/post/p-161276950Joost's On Gaming Costs: https://superjoost.substack.com/p/gamings-billion-dollar-gamble
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1:10:08
E38: Economics of Game Innovation & AI's Now Proof
Send us a textWhat is the GDP-maximizing set of copyright protections? 10 years? 5 years? None at all? Chris, Eric, and I debate the relevance of patents and copyright protections and the gains to network effects of knowledge. Does the "gentlemen's agreement" to avoid patent protections on game design help or hurt the industry? Chris talks about Monster Hunter's lineage and woeful service, while Eric introduces a novel use of AI in game design. Phil believes the Gini coefficient is underutilized for measuring live-ops-driven revenue.
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GEC BONUS EP: What's up at GDC 2025 (w/Charlie Hsu)
Send us a textPhillip & Eric navigate the strangely subdued landscape of GDC 2025, pondering if there really is such a thing as a free lunch. Chris dials in, wondering if his absence is secretly the key to Eric's roundtable success. They dissect the talks, the conference economics, the rise of mobile's respectability, and a guest in economy designer, Charlie Hsu.In this episode:Is the game industry actually shrinking, or just taking a nap? And if Web3 isn't the savior, what's left besides... sweeps? Is GDC just a cleverly disguised wealth transfer from sponsors to developersWhat's the latest "reasonable" pitch for Web3 in games?What's the economic model behind those San Francisco walk-up shops overflowing with candy bars right next to the register? High margins? A tourist trap? Something... else
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E37: Is Gaming Better Than Everyone at Experimentation? (w/Dr.Julian Runge)
Send us a textThe best tech firm experimentation seems to offer thousands of button color experiments. Dr.Runge has a better approach, which changes at every game development stage. We debate gaming's broken relationship with science, the proper experimentation framework, and how much you'd bet on yourself to complete Cousera assignments.Read Dr.Runge's new paper NOW! Showlinks:Julian RungeGaming Companies Run Thousands of Experiments a YearGame Data ProsHow to use games to build relationships with your customers
What does the new wave of open economies mean for monetization? Will negative externalities overcome cosmetics economies in the long run? What exactly does a game economist do? Game Economist Cast is a roundtable discussion of the latest developments in mobile, HD, and crypto games through a bunch of people figuring it out using the economic tool kit.
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