Breaking down Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, plus an interview with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer
Facebook Gaming, Facebook’s Innovation, Apple and Facebook
Facebook Gaming is perhaps the most innovative game streaming service; Apple should embrace it.
Apple’s Services Event
Apple’s Services Event generally made sense, even if most products weren’t ready to launch. It’s fair to wonder, though, if something important is being lost.
Antitrust, the App Store, and Apple
Apple’s case before the Supreme Court is about standing; Apple has a strong case. That, though, doesn’t mean the App Store isn’t a monopoly — and that Apple isn’t increasingly predicated on rent-seeking.
Drake on Twitch, Fortnite vs PUBG and Selling Feelings, The Returns to the Best
Drake was playing video games on Twitch, and it blew up: there is so much to unpack about games, new business models, Twitch, and asymmetrical returns on the Internet. (Plus, a brief note on that Siri article)
SendGrid IPOs, The Nintendo Marios
SendGrid’s IPO exemplifies a company that works: a SaaS offering that enables, and grows alongside, its customer. Then, the differing results for Super Mario Run and Super Mario Galaxy show the value in maximizing revenue amongst core customers.
Activision Blizzard Buys King Digital, EA and the Disruption Narrative, Apple TV Gaming
Activision Blizzard is buying King, the makers of Candy Crush Saga; the mobile games maker is probably worth more to a company like Activision Blizzard than they are by themselves. Plus, both EA and Activision Blizzard beat earnings expectations — does that mean the gaming disruption narrative is wrong?
Games and Good Enough
Two months ago I wrote How Apple TV Might Disrupt Microsoft and Sony. Then, about a month later, I went and bought a Wii U. And, a month after that, I bought a 3DS. And now I’m writing another article about gaming, and I think I’ve changed my mind. Still, it’s always dangerous to write […]
Additional Notes on Casual Games
This series of posts is about enabling sustainable businesses on the App Store. In Part 1, I discuss why Paper and other productivity apps may not be doing as well as you might think. Part 2 explores why casual games, in contrast, are a sustainable business, but not a differentiator for platforms (I added a […]
Casual Gaming is a Sustainable Business, but Not a Platform Differentiator
This series of posts is about enabling sustainable businesses on the App Store. In Part 1, I discuss why Paper and other productivity apps may not be doing as well as you might think. Part 2 explores why casual games, in contrast, are a sustainable business, but not a differentiator for platforms (I added a […]