FTC licks its wounds. Google embraces blockchain gaming
What the regulator's loss means for competition in the games industry, and an early read of Google embracing digital currency. [s03e02]
UNBOXING is your weekly dose of insight into play and profit for the gaming curious, hosted by NYU professors Laine Nooney and Joost van Dreunen.
This week’s episode finds Laine on the beaches of Fire Island and Joost in a Brooklyn closet.
The American antitrust watchdog lost its case against Microsoft. But where does the risk of monopolistic behavior actually reside? Following this week’s ruling by District Judge Corley refusing the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction, we review the longer-term implications of a trillion-dollar company winning its case and how it changes the structural makeup of the games industry.
We also dissect the quiet resurgence of crypto gaming, spurred by Google Play's policy changes to permit apps with blockchain capabilities. The dialogue dives into the efforts by companies like Mythical Games to simplify blockchain systems, allowing in-game asset trade via crypto, and Google's strategic move to seize a market opportunity overlooked by competitors such as Apple and Steam. Tune in for our discussion on the possible merits and risks of corporations capitalizing on cryptocurrency and the impact this trend might have on the future of digital currencies.
“When a multibillion-dollar company asks you to spend money on a thing, I don’t think we’re engaging in ritualistic behavior. Corporations love to position themselves as supporters of the valorization of our small-time loves and romances.”
Not for the faint of heart. And to close out, Laine introduces Joost to the horrors of Skibidi Toilet.
Listen in!