Monopolization and Control of Cartridges

Mitch and Blake debate the continuing relevance of dedicated gaming consoles to the video game business. They begin with a discussion of the economics of the console business, and how console manufacturers built defensible moats that have remained relevant for over 40 years. Mitch compares the current state of the console business to the theatrical feature film business -- and how both have become the domain of big budget blockbusters with cultural significance but dwindling market share. They discuss the history of Nintendo, how its often-contrarian business strategy has paid off over time. Mitch explains how a lawsuit with Nintendo got him into the video game business. They conclude with a look at Sony and Microsoft's different responses to cross-platform play, as powerful platform-based publishers like Epic challenge the traditional console model, and what it means to the future of the business.

Links & Show Notes:

Atari

Alex St. John

Xbox GDC Launch Video

Nintendo Playing Cards (1889)

Valve’s Hardware History

“Iwata chooses violence”

Pokemon GO / Niantic

Atari Games v. Nintendo

List of Cross-Platform Games (Q1 2023)