News and Analysis

A Few SOPA Updates

by

It looks like things will NOT resume on the 21st.  My guess is that Lamar and company have seen the writing on the wall and it's not pretty – but I suspect this'll be back.

At the bottom of this article, you'll see a research paper promoted by the MPAA notes "success" in high-censorship countries, and the irony that many anti-censorship tools . . . are promoted by the US.

– Steven Savage

Must Read: An Examination of GameStop’s Present And Future

by

We wonder how GameStop is going to survive in the digital economy. We wish someone would examine that.

Oh, wait, someone has.

The article's definitely worth reading as it goes into the value provided to companies, gamers, and more by the GameStop model. It also shows how GameStop is really "partnered" with big names.

There's also a few suprises (like hardware is the least profitable sector of the GameStop world), and some warnings (it looks like no matter what, GameStop is going to take some hit in the future).

Worth your time.

My takes? Well hey, don't these always come up?

  • As noted at some point, I think Game Stop has to take a hit – DLC is going to cut into their profit margins at some points. They might even be delaying the inevitable for now, but it's coming.
  • Frankly they're the only game in town that can manage to be a "game store" which gives them powerful mindshare and pull. I think they'll survive.
  • To survive they will, at some point, have to keep diversifying or scale back. This may provide you an opportunity career-wise (or a reason to leave).
  • I would consider it possible, if unlikely, some big name may just buy GameStop and incorporate it into a larger effort – that's a mighty big footprint to get.
  • A partnership of some kind could pay off for GameStop. It may sound crazy, but what could they do working with Steam, OnLive, etc.?

– Steven Savage

And the AT&T/T-Mobile deal is off

by

Link is here.

It probably didn't seem worth it at all.  A few takeaways

  • Right now I think employment at T-Mobile and AT&T may be a bit unsure as they're trying to figure what to do next.
  • I don't think mobile companies are ones people trust or think well of, so they didn't have many defenders.  This may or may not be fair, but it seems to me that people's attitude towards mobile is "find the least worst."  That can't have helped.
  • Mobile is not "sexy" anymore – devices are.  No one was going to go to bat and say this whole deal was amazing and wonderful.

– Steven Savage