Short book · 28 pages · PDF
The Seven Ways Games Die
Every collapse is a decision. This short book names all seven, and the warning signs that show up before the next one.
Buy the book — A$19Instant PDF download. 14-day refund.
Why games really die
Cyberpunk 2077 was pulled from the PlayStation Store a week after launch. Concord was switched off in two weeks. Microsoft took a billion-dollar charge over three red lights.
The usual explanation is character: greedy publishers, lazy developers, bad luck. That explains nothing in advance.
Ask what was decided, by whom and when, and gaming's biggest failures sort into seven decisions that keep coming back.
What's inside
- Every Collapse Is a Decision
- Shipping It BrokenCyberpunk 2077, Anthem
- Locking Out the People Who PaidSimCity, Diablo III, Xbox One
- Arriving After the PartyConcord vs Marvel Rivals
- Getting the Price Wrong
- Buying a Studio, Then Forgetting Why
- The Flaw Built Into the BoxThe Xbox 360's red lights
- Breaking the Deal With PlayersHelldivers 2
- The Response DecidesNo Man's Sky, Final Fantasy XIV
Also inside: 9 diagrams, the three-question test for any troubled launch, and a full sources list.
Is it for you?
This is for you if
- You follow the industry, not just the games: Steam charts, earnings, launch weeks
- You want the reasons behind a failure, with the numbers
- You'd rather spot the next collapse than read about it afterwards
It's not for you if
- You want game reviews or walkthroughs
- You want investment advice. This is commentary, not financial advice.
- You want a 300-page history. This one reads in about an hour.
A$19One payment
Buy the book — A$19Instant download, PDF, read on any device.
Not happy? Email cameron@createix.io within 14 days for a refund.
From Peak Concurrent, the channel that makes long-form documentaries on how games, studios and consoles rise and fall.