What does underselling mean in economics

The Elephant in the Room I figure this morning I would cut with any sidebar discussions and get straight into the topic that was on everyones lips yesterday…  the Blizzard Q2 Earnings call.  If you remember during the Q1 2015 earnings call they announced a drop to 7.1 million subscribers after a peak of 10 million during the Warlords of Draenor launch bump.  I think we all knew that the numbers would be down, at least incidentally based on our own experiences from the game.  I have to say that I thought WoW token would be more of a game changer, and when they announced that World of Warcraft was down to 5.6 million subscribers I figured that the Token numbers would bolster this amount.  However based on further information it appears that this number does include token subscribers as well.  In truth this number likely does not fully account for the actual loss.  Personally I would consider myself no longer playing World of Warcraft, but my … [Read more...] about Blizzard Does Not Need WoW

Today's a huge day for Albion Online with its free to play launch. Veterans and the new generation of players will be able to enjoy all of the numerous updates made to Albion since launch, up to and including the recently released Oberon update. F2P doesn't mean that development stops either. Sandbox Interactive has big plans for large updates throughout 2019, so it's a great time to dive into the innovative game world.  advertisement  Of course, a milestone of such major importance must come with a brand new trailer, so without further ado, check this out:Phew...exciting, isn't it?So, What Does F2P mean?From today forward, players will no longer have to purchase the game but can play through without any restrictions. This means that all of Albion Online's celebrated features are available to everyone. Significant features include: a robust player-driven economy hardcore full-loot PvP no class restrictions on gear a single, massive server for all players … [Read more...] about It’s April 10th & That Means Albion Online is Free to Play! (SPONSORED)

MMO economies are notoriously hard to balance, so most MMO players have seen the effects of stagnation and hyperinflation in an MMO economy for themselves. MMO developers must put in a significant amount of effort to prevent this, otherwise they run the risk of trivialising the economy, its virtual currency, and the items players buy, craft, or otherwise encounter. Virtual economy balancing is complicated by the fact that there really is an infinite amount of currency that can be created alongside an infinite amount of goods that can be bought or sold, necessitating the need for a controlled inflow of money and also a way to drain money from the economy regularly. For most MMOs, this balancing act is a full-time job for a whole team of people, and some of the most complex economic systems, such as in EVE Online, require an economist’s help to maintain. In this edition of MMO Mechanics, I’m going to look at some of the ways MMO creators keep the circulating … [Read more...] about MMO Mechanics: Economic stagnation in MMO economies

The Ashes of Creation developers have a new blog today, focused on money. Though likes to talk about money all of the time (or so they say), there’s a very good reason why a guild might want to spend some time working with Economic Nodes. More info such as the building stats and levels can be found in the link below. All of the nodes are unique in their own ways, and if you want to play the game of “Supply and Demand”, Economic Nodes are where you want to put your focus. Whether you are trading goods, hoarding income, or purchasing items, Economic Nodes are just for you. They provide a variety of ways for players to build a fortune and reputation – as well as acquiring rare goods. During the Expedition stage of this Node, players will encounter merchants looking for the help of brave adventurers and curious artisans. If you choose to aid them, the once-small Expedition could grow into a sprawling Metropolis with rare items from lands. Each Node type, … [Read more...] about Ashes of Creation Reveals a New Dev Blog on Economic Nodes

It is possible that you are not the target audience for the EVE Online monthly economic report. If you aren’t looking forward to frowning with intense focus as you look at the overall curve for production vs. destruction, noting that destruction and production are both on a downward slope but the latter is sloping more aggressively, and prioritizing your mercantile offerings accordingly… well, yeah, this might not be your thing. We understand. Those who are immediately rushing to see what it means to see production continuing to slope downward, on the other hand, will be well-served by the latest set of data. As always, it tracks the regions with the largest economic impact by region, destruction totals in regions, as well as detailed breakdowns of mining and other economic activities as they have spread throughout the game. Go forth, economists specializing in internet spaceships! Your data has arrived for analysis. … [Read more...] about EVE Online releases its monthly economic report for April 2019