Game Economist Cast

Phillip Black
  • 5.0 (7)
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Game Economist Cast

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.

  1. FEB 10

    E36: Pokémon Pocket's Gimped Trading and Matthew Ball's State of Gaming

    Send us a text Pokémon TCG Pocket is one of a handful of games to implement P2P trading on mobile. Yet it sucks. On purpose. As @Eric explains, their game economy needs high sinks to combat hourly sourcing of card packs. Without the nearly 80% trading tax, prices would tend toward $0. However, that's secondary to a UX that is so gimped it makes Friend Codes look seamless by comparison. We deconstruct Matthew Ball's new State of Gaming report slide by slide (or at least curated slides.) @Chris...

    1h 14m

  2. JAN 19

    E35: In Defense of Loot Boxes (w/Dr. Matthew McCaffrey)

    Send us a text Loot boxes have all the markings of a moral panic. Dr.McCaffrey reviewed the emerging literature, and like the research on video game violence, it's destined for methodological malfunction. We discuss why everything isn't a loot box, the apathetic interest of economists in games, what George R.R. Martin's economic equilibrium teaches us, and how to get more people interested in economics. Follow Dr.McCaffrey on Twitter [1], see him on video games [2], and read his loot box a...

    1h 23m

  3. 12/01/2024

    E34: A Theory of Optimal Economic Balance

    Send us a text Is game balance b******t? The crew goes toe-to-toe debating Sirland’s Don't Use Math in Balancing Games. Chris emerges from his Roblox hibernation, Eric tells us Street Fighter is more accessible than platform fighters, and Phil goes bonanza for All in Hole.

    1h 21m

  4. 11/04/2024

    E33: Halo's Economist & Player Price Experiment Complaints? (w/Dr.Jason Arentz)

    Send us a text Anti-cheat economics, web3 property rights, Deirdre McCloskey, institutional incentives, Halo UGC, and the if single player games have a natural advantage outside the West. Oh my. Dr.Jason Arentz finally guest stars, and he's bringing the econ juice, finally striking a 50/50 web3 split on the case. Zynga Car Price Experiment: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/zynga-apologizes-for-random-dlc-pricing-experiment

    1h 10m

  5. 10/20/2024

    E32: Should more firms be like Valve? (w/Dr. Peter Klein)

    Send us a text Economist Dr.Peter G. Klein joins the cast to discuss Why Managers Matter: The Perils of the Bossless Company. We debate Valve's organizational structure, the evidence for manager economic impact, and Sweden's success. Read more about Dr.Klein here and find his book below: https://hankamer.baylor.edu/person/peter-g-klein-0 https://www.amazon.com/Why-Managers-Matter-Bossless-Company/dp/1541751043/ 15:37 Why Managers Matter 22:29 CEOs 35:22 Valve

    56 min

  6. 10/06/2024

    E31: Potty Mouth & "That" Levitt-King Paper

    Send us a text Phil and Chris return from Asia, and it's gachupon from here in-out. Eric talks vertical progression in single player games, while Chris actually agree on the future of web 2.5. The economics of unions weigh heavily: within or between professions? The crew finally makes it to THE KING PAPER; Eric and Chris make surprising revalation. Quantity discounts on a virtual good: The results of a massive pricing experiment at King Digital Entertainment

    1h 11m

  7. 09/15/2024

    E30: The Economics of Game Development

    Send us a text Eric develops an economic model to explore or exploit game development decisions, while Phil wants a block-grant style gate process to align incentives. Chris is back at Marvel Snap, and boogies with some new social casino mechanics. The team reviews a new Call of Duty matchmaking paper with some surprising and revealing data...

    1h 1m

  8. 07/14/2024

    E29: Can a Stick of Butter Keep You Sober?

    Send us a text Can a stick of butter keep you sober during high-stakes diplomatic meetings? Eric is sure to tell us. Chris provides a compelling theory for the death of mods, while Phil undergoes a Supercell detox after analyzing Squad Buster's launch. The crew gets back in touch with their microeconomic selves and looks at one of the most interesting explanations for the gender pay gap. ONE COHORT AT A TIME: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE DECLINING GENDER PAY GAP

    1h 17m
See All (38)

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Phillip Black
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Game Economist Consulting
  • Show Website
    Game Economist Cast

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