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Wukong may not be China’s first global “AAA” hit game, nor the biggest. It's also not the country's innovative, highest acclaimed, or most global hit. But the success of such a title is incredibly important, instructive, and unsurprising.
With 380MM MAUs, Roblox probably counts more players than the entire AAA gaming ecosystem, is more played than Disney+ is watched, and is starting to rival smaller social networks in scale. But Roblox has yet to profit. How can it become a business comparable to its operating scale?
Lessons on unexpected inspiration, UGC video games, and a four-decade quest to build the Metaverse.
If you’re a player or casual observer, the video game industry seems to have it all. Yet growth is now illusory, layoffs abundant, and game/studio shutdowns common. Why? And how might things change?
Thirteen years after XR devices became a big tech obsession, VR/AR devices are not just behind schedule, they still seem far away. Why?
Why does Netflix want to enter gaming (beyond the money)? Why now? Can it succeed? What makes the category so uniquely challenging for the streaming giant?
A nine-part series on the Metaverse, what it is, how much of it is already here, what it needs to thrive, and more
An essay on platforms, power, prosperity, principles, and profits.
Patrick and I went deep into topics including the Metaverse (its technical challenges, opportunities, and philosophy), IP and the role of business model and technical innovation in storytelling, the Unreal Engine, Cloud Gaming, Fortnite as a competitor to Spotify, and more.
An essay on what Nintendo does and doesn’t want to be, why, and what this means for its future
A walk through of one of the most important, but least understood companies of the future.
Cloud gaming is just one part of the future of games, but just as TV wasn’t a visual form of radio, the games built for cloud will look very different from the games of today. Introducing the MILE.
The Travis Scott x Fortnite event is commonly understood in comparison to prior Fortnite events, but instead it needs to be viewed as part of Fortnite’s testing and experimentation process/journey. It is technically less impressive than prior events, but creatively much bigger. Both points matter
We are years and hundreds of millions of dollars into the rise of esports, but most esports teams and start-ups are struggling (if still operational). And bad luck is rarely to blame.
How esports, cross-play, the Metaverse and more will forever be affected by an ‘IRL’ virus
Covid-19 has drawn renewed attention to an under-appreciated industry.
An essay on theme parks, platforms, and the importance of hugs.
After decades of fan petitions and dreams, it’s clear that video game publishers, Hollywood, and general audiences are finally ready for gaming IP to be adapted to film and TV. Why now and what does this mean?
There’s a reason every Big Tech CEO has a well-worn copy of “Snow Crash” in their office.
It’s replicating the most lucrative entertainment businesses on earth… and then adding a lot more.
As Hollywood empties its bank accounts for more TV and film assets, it continues to ignore the most ascendant media category. And it can’t afford to do so much longer.
What did Epic need to do v. decide to do for the Fortnite Season X Finale / Fortnite Chapter 2 Reboot - and why?
Cloud game delivery and 'Netflix of Gaming' are the big new 'things' in media today. But they're unlikely to deliver the player or playtime growth that many expect.
Welcome to the Metaverse.
What's exciting about OTT video isn't the way it's delivered, but how it will change content itself.
Much has been said about Fortnite’s revenue, users, business model, origin and availability. But these narratives are overhyped. What matters most is instead how these achievements will enable Epic Games and Fortnite to create something truly revolutionary.
The debate about the validity of eSports as sports misses the point. Like it or not, eSports have millions of passionate viewers and their momentum can no longer be ignored. Given its unique economics, a network looking to build a sports empire need look no further.
“It’s hard to talk about gaming in 2021 and not come across references to the Metaverse. Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft can all lay claim to be building it (in their own way) with many others trying to get in on the action. Who will be the first to successfully build The Metaverse is a question ripe for discussion and few have spent more time thinking about it than Matthew Ball.”