Gamers are less willing to subsidize inefficiency in game production than they have been in the past. This is a product of independent gaming's success which has resulted in more developers being supported while simultaneously introducing more competition. This more competitive environment has been characterized through the discoverability problem, where games struggle to get attention … Continue reading Discoverability as a Productivity Problem
Tag: Gaming
A Note on That Twitter Thread
There is a thread going around about game budgeting that is getting some traction and, while I wish I could leave my thoughts to one tweet, there is a lot to get through. The thread concerns why large developers are not able to delay projects, and takes a frustrating reddit comment responding to an article … Continue reading A Note on That Twitter Thread
Deals and Devils
Quote tweeters have been amusing themselves with the Wall Street Journal writing that Diablo IV is “shaping up to be a surprise hit”. Or should I say that the entire internet OWNED the out of touch IDIOTS at the MURDOCH OWNED Wall Street Journal who thinks it’s SURPRISING the series that sells TENS OF MILLIONS … Continue reading Deals and Devils
Two Perspectives on Fairness in Game Pricing
Game pricing does not make a lot of sense. Most of us should be paying more for games, and at least some of them should get more expensive over time. The fact this doesn't happen may be strange, but the causes are not mysterious. Steam runs frequent sales events, and the practice of heavy discounting … Continue reading Two Perspectives on Fairness in Game Pricing
Bringing Your Whole Self to Patch Notes
On March 8th the developer of Domina (bignic) decided to moonlight as a health authority/life coach and suffered backlash as a result. The opinion expressed is stupid and uninteresting, but for reference, the note that sparked the response was: TAKE OFF THE FCKN MASKS - Next time you're at the grocery store, try showing a … Continue reading Bringing Your Whole Self to Patch Notes
Should companies be allowed to buy games?
Drake Star Partners, an investment banking firm, published a report on deals in gaming made in the first three quarters of 2021. The report states that the total dollar value of acquisitions (announced or closed) is already twice that of 2020 in its entirety. The comparison to 2020 is even more striking considering that 2020 … Continue reading Should companies be allowed to buy games?