Sublime

"Prosocial Game Design

Three main pitfalls

Psychology: there are a lot of requirements to build friendships, like right sized groups of people, correct density, and engagement in mutually dependent reciprocal activities.

Logistics: rigid human limits on how many relationships they can maintain and how long it takes them to form new ones (see: group li... See more

The console video gaming industry operates a radically different business model from other software platform industries. Game manufacturers tightly integrate hardware and software systems; they offer consoles to consumers at less than manufacturing cost, and they earn profits by developing games and charging third-party game developers for access t

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Returning to the mystery story mentioned above, you can imagine each collaborator being compensated according to the extent, impact, and difficulty of their contribution, earning a percentage of the upside from book purchases or the sale of film rights. In time, multiplayer media projects will sustain opt-in contributors at and beyond the levels of... See more

Roblox commands the attention of America’s kids to the tune of 2.6 hours per day. And it does so with games that largely avoid the violence and dystopia of those $100 million blockbusters. Some of the most popular games on the Roblox platform are about adopting digital pets, building virtual communities, and running a pizza restaurant.

We are in the first wave of web3 games. Right now, we’re seeing many of them focused on play-to-earn. They’re mostly about the money instead of prioritizing fun and engaging gameplay. If web3 gaming remains tuned in this way – focused on those looking to earn rather than play – then we fear it will never be mainstream and many projects will fail.

Because it’s a hit-driven industry, toy companies that succeed can be immensely profitable for a while. The problem is that the difference between a cultural landmark and a fad is visible after a decade or so, while the decision of how much to order and how much to spend on marketing has to happen every year regardless. So toy companies with a hit ... See more

When you read the Wall Street Journal because someone throws it on your lawn every morning, a Journal writer can’t go independent. But when you see the same articles because they make it into your Facebook news feed, you may end up following the writer directly—they start to take control of their distribution.