Two perspectives on sales and luck

Jake Birkett, as is his way, posted a tweet that prompted some reflection. Here it is: https://twitter.com/GreyAlien/status/1600913617372811276?s=20&t=SmvkeShC7Ziacz6o2DqHiw He may be responding to this thread by Momiji studios, though if he intended to make the association he would have done so. I am sympathetic to some parts of the thread, particularly the idea that data on … Continue reading Two perspectives on sales and luck

The Ultimate Guide to Steam Wishlists in 2023

Steam wishlists are a leading indicator of a game's success and a significant area of focus for developers. They are used to forecast a game's sales and to break into the coveted Steam front page. Despite the significant attention they recieve, there are a lot of mysteries as to how wishlists work. The number requried … Continue reading The Ultimate Guide to Steam Wishlists in 2023

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

Why do I need to know which Activision Blizzard executives worked in the Trump administration?

Activision Blizzard's executives have been criticized for a series of progressively tone deaf responses to the lawsuit brought by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the resulting labour action. The company has done nothing to earn any sympathy, and the most charitable reading of the executive response would be 'failed to rise … Continue reading Why do I need to know which Activision Blizzard executives worked in the Trump administration?

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?

Store Wars: Imperfect views of imperfect markets

Economics has something of an edge when it comes to respectability among the social sciences, but it is often squandered by talking heads acting like everyone else is an idiot on TV. The benefit of taking an introductory economics class is not prestige or a set of talking points but rather a set of tools … Continue reading Store Wars: Imperfect views of imperfect markets