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- 2023
- Working Paper
A Welfare Analysis of Gambling in Video Games
By: Tomomichi Amano and Andrey Simonov
In 2020, gamers worldwide spent more than $15 billion on loot boxes, a lottery of virtual items built into video games. Loot boxes are contentious, as regulators worry that they constitute gambling. In contrast, video game companies maintain that loot boxes are...
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Keywords:
Consumer Behavior;
Policy;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Product Design;
Video Game Industry
Amano, Tomomichi, and Andrey Simonov. "A Welfare Analysis of Gambling in Video Games." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 23-052, February 2023.
- February 2023
- Case
Roblox: Virtual Commerce in the Metaverse
By: Ayelet Israeli and Nicole Tempest Keller
In 2022, Roblox had 58.8 million daily active users, including over half of all children and teens under the age of 16 in the United States. Roblox, a free-to-use “co-experience platform”, allowed users to come together in immersive 3D experiences to socialize, work,...
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Keywords:
Entertainment;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Market Design;
Marketing;
Brands and Branding;
Marketing Channels;
Marketing Strategy;
Business Strategy;
Economics;
Economy;
Economic Systems;
Advertising;
Advertising Campaigns;
Digital Platforms;
Markets;
Price;
Innovation and Management;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
United States;
California;
North America;
South America;
Asia;
Europe
Israeli, Ayelet, and Nicole Tempest Keller. "Roblox: Virtual Commerce in the Metaverse." Harvard Business School Case 523-028, February 2023.
- July 2022 (Revised November 2022)
- Case
Call of Fiduciary Duty: Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard
By: Joseph Pacelli, Jonas Heese and James Barnett
In January 2022, Microsoft announces its acquisition of the video game company Activision Blizzard, in a deal valued at $68.7 billion, which would make Microsoft the world’s third largest video game company. The deal came as Activision Blizzard faced gender pay...
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Keywords:
Accounting;
Goodwill Accounting;
Analysis;
Decision Making;
Talent and Talent Management;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Ethics;
Leadership;
Risk and Uncertainty;
Mergers and Acquisitions;
Lawsuits and Litigation;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
North America;
California
Pacelli, Joseph, Jonas Heese, and James Barnett. "Call of Fiduciary Duty: Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard." Harvard Business School Case 123-011, July 2022. (Revised November 2022.)
- October 2021
- Article
Changing Gambling Behavior through Experiential Learning
By: Shawn A. Cole, Martin Abel and Bilal Zia
This paper tests experiential learning as a debiasing tool to reduce gambling in South Africa, through a randomized field experiment. The study implements a simple, interactive game that simulates the odds of winning the national lottery through dice rolling....
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Keywords:
Debiasing;
Experiential Learning;
Behavioral Economics;
Financial Education;
Learning;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Behavior;
Decision Making
Cole, Shawn A., Martin Abel, and Bilal Zia. "Changing Gambling Behavior through Experiential Learning." World Bank Economic Review 35, no. 3 (October 2021): 745–763.
- March 2021
- Case
Astralis Group: Determining a Brand Strategy
By: Benjamin C. Esty, Mette Fuglsang Hjortshoej and Emilie Billaud
After launching a Danish esports company in July 2019, and going public in December 2019 with multiple brands associated with different games, the Astralis leadership team was contemplating a shift to a single, corporate brand. While the original arguments for...
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Keywords:
Brand Strategy;
Esports;
Video Games;
Corporate Scope;
Positioning;
Ecosystem;
Brands and Branding;
Strategy;
Business Ventures;
Business Startups;
Entrepreneurship;
Ethics;
Sports;
Competitive Strategy;
Value Creation;
Diversification;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
Denmark;
Europe
Esty, Benjamin C., Mette Fuglsang Hjortshoej, and Emilie Billaud. "Astralis Group: Determining a Brand Strategy." Harvard Business School Case 721-382, March 2021.
- 2021
- Working Paper
Consuming Contests: Outcome Uncertainty and Spectator Demand for Contest-based Entertainment
By: Patrick J. Ferguson and Karim R. Lakhani
Contests that are designed to be consumed for entertainment by non-contestants are a fixture of economic, cultural and political life. In this paper, we examine whether individuals prefer to consume contests that have more uncertain outcomes. We look to...
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Keywords:
Contest Design;
Information Preferences;
Consumer Demand;
Sports;
Entertainment;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Demand and Consumers;
Outcome or Result
Ferguson, Patrick J., and Karim R. Lakhani. "Consuming Contests: Outcome Uncertainty and Spectator Demand for Contest-based Entertainment." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-087, February 2021.
- 2020
- Working Paper
The Twofold Effect of Customer Retention in Freemium Settings
By: Eva Ascarza, Oded Netzer and Julian Runge
The main tradeoff in designing freemium services is how much of the product to offer for free. At the heart of such a tradeoff is the balancing act of providing a valuable free product in order to acquire and engage consumers, while making the free product limited...
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Keywords:
Freemium;
Retention/churn;
Field Experiment;
Field Experiments;
Gaming;
Gaming Industry;
Mobile App;
Mobile App Industry;
Monetization;
Monetization Strategy;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Mobile Technology;
Customers;
Retention;
Product Design;
Strategy
Ascarza, Eva, Oded Netzer, and Julian Runge. "The Twofold Effect of Customer Retention in Freemium Settings." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-062, November 2020.
- October 2020 (Revised August 2022)
- Case
Epic Games: Nineteen Eighty-Fortnight
By: Andy Wu, Miaomiao Zhang and Christopher Zhang
In the midst of intensifying public and political attention towards the market power of big technology, Epic Games in 2020 challenged the status quo that has existed for years in the Apple iOS and Google Android mobile application marketplaces and payment systems....
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Keywords:
Mobile Platforms;
Mobile App Industry;
Mobile Payment Systems;
Antitrust;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Mobile and Wireless Technology;
Lawsuits and Litigation;
Entrepreneurship;
Competitive Strategy;
Digital Platforms;
United States
Wu, Andy, Miaomiao Zhang, and Christopher Zhang. "Epic Games: Nineteen Eighty-Fortnight." Harvard Business School Case 721-395, October 2020. (Revised August 2022.)
- August 2020 (Revised June 2021)
- Case
Skillz: Esports and Skill-Based Mobile Gaming
By: Andy Wu, David B. Yoffie and George Gonzalez
Founded in 2012, Skillz offered a platform for mobile app developers to monetize skill-based games via prized tournaments. Skillz had over 20,000 registered developers that had created thousands of Skillz-powered games played by over 30 million registered users...
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Keywords:
Video Games;
Mobile;
Esports;
Applications and Software;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Mobile and Wireless Technology;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Information Technology;
Digital Platforms;
United States
Wu, Andy, David B. Yoffie, and George Gonzalez. "Skillz: Esports and Skill-Based Mobile Gaming." Harvard Business School Case 721-358, August 2020. (Revised June 2021.)
- January 2020
- Case
Ninja: Which Platform Wins Esports' Biggest Star?
By: Anita Elberse and Michal T. Leszczynski
It is July 2019, and the business of esports and gaming is booming. Tyler Blevins—better known as Ninja—has risen to stardom playing the immensely popular shooter game Fortnite. He has become the most followed streamer in the world and, helped by his management company...
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Keywords:
Esports;
Platforms;
Superstar;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Internet and the Web;
Personal Development and Career;
Decision Making;
Digital Platforms;
Video Game Industry;
Technology Industry
Elberse, Anita, and Michal T. Leszczynski. "Ninja: Which Platform Wins Esports' Biggest Star?" Harvard Business School Case 520-036, January 2020.
- October 2019 (Revised October 2019)
- Case
Epic Games
By: Andy Wu and Christopher Zhang
Epic Games entered a stagnant market with its PC-games digital storefront in 2018, in the context of incumbent competitors such as Steam, its meteoric rise via Fortnite, and imminent industry shifts in gaming distribution. On the surface, Epic Games Store’s competitive...
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Keywords:
Industry Analysis;
Video Games;
Platforms;
Comparative Advantage;
Growth Strategy;
Innovation Focused Strategy;
Pricing Strategy;
Strategy;
Competition;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Innovation Strategy;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Digital Platforms;
Technology Industry
Wu, Andy, and Christopher Zhang. "Epic Games." Harvard Business School Case 720-380, October 2019. (Revised October 2019.)
- September 2019 (Revised June 2020)
- Case
Othellonia: Growing a Mobile Game
In the summer of 2019, Yu Sasaki, Head of the Game Division of DeNA, a Japanese mobile gaming company, is evaluating various growth strategies for its recent game Othellonia. Sasaki needs to decide if he should focus on customer acquisition, retention, or monetization.
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Keywords:
Targeting;
Retention/churn;
Freemium;
Monetization;
Customer Relationship Management;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Mobile and Wireless Technology;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Marketing;
Customers;
Marketing Strategy;
Retention;
Acquisition;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
Japan
Ascarza, Eva, Tomomichi Amano, and Sunil Gupta. "Othellonia: Growing a Mobile Game." Harvard Business School Case 520-016, September 2019. (Revised June 2020.)
- November 2018
- Case
Sportradar (A): From Data to Storytelling
By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Karen Elterman and Oliver Gassmann
In 2013, the Swiss sports data company Sportradar debated whether to expand from its core business of data provision to bookmakers into sports media products. Sports data was becoming a commodity, and in the future, sports leagues might reduce their dependence on...
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Keywords:
Sports Data;
Data;
Sport;
Sportradar;
Football;
Soccer;
Gambling;
Betting;
Betting Markets;
Statistics;
Odds;
Live Data;
Bookmakers;
Betradar;
Visualization;
Integrity;
Monitoring;
Gaming;
Streaming;
2013;
St.Gallen;
Algorithm;
Mathematical Modeling;
Carsten Koerl;
Betandwin;
Bwin;
Wagering;
Probability;
Sports;
Analytics and Data Science;
Mathematical Methods;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Transition;
Strategy;
Media;
Media and Broadcasting Industry;
Media and Broadcasting Industry;
Media and Broadcasting Industry;
Media and Broadcasting Industry;
Europe;
Switzerland;
Asia;
Austria;
Germany;
England
Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Karen Elterman, and Oliver Gassmann. "Sportradar (A): From Data to Storytelling." Harvard Business School Case 719-429, November 2018.
- January 2018
- Case
Peak Games: Hiring Priorities in Times of Rapid Growth (A)
By: William R. Kerr and Gamze Yucaoglu
Sidar Şahin, founder and CEO of Peak Games, a Turkey-based global mobile gaming company, must decide on the final list of candidates for the critical global marketing director position the company has been trying to fill for over a year. Since its founding in 2010,...
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Keywords:
Recruiting;
Staffing;
Emergent Countries;
Entrepreneurial Management;
Private Sector;
Business Strategy;
Decision;
Growth Management;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Selection and Staffing;
Talent and Talent Management;
Business Model;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Competitive Advantage;
Value Creation;
Organizational Culture;
Decision Choices and Conditions;
Technology Industry;
Turkey
Kerr, William R., and Gamze Yucaoglu. "Peak Games: Hiring Priorities in Times of Rapid Growth (A)." Harvard Business School Case 818-083, January 2018.
- January 2018
- Supplement
Peak Games: Hiring Priorities in Times of Rapid Growth (B)
By: William R. Kerr and Gamze Yucaoglu
On November 7, 2017, Sidar Şahin, founder and CEO of Peak Games, a Turkey-based global mobile gaming company, had just closed the sale of Peak Games’ card games studio. This sale included three of the company’s top grossing games and half of its team. Sahin was happy...
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Keywords:
Games;
Gaming;
Acquisitions;
Exits;
Private Sector;
Decision;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Emerging Markets;
Acquisition;
Entrepreneurship;
For-Profit Firms;
Business Model;
Business Strategy;
Competitive Advantage;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Decision Making;
Value Creation;
Leading Change;
Management Teams;
Technology Industry;
Turkey
Kerr, William R., and Gamze Yucaoglu. "Peak Games: Hiring Priorities in Times of Rapid Growth (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 818-084, January 2018.
- September 2017 (Revised July 2018)
- Technical Note
Virtual Reality and the Gaming Sector 2017
By: David B. Yoffie, Natalia Prieto Nino, Prasad Raman, Brad Kowalk and Ruby Tamberino
This brief note explores the emerging possibilities of virtual reality and its potential as a gaming platform.
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Keywords:
Virtual Reality;
Gaming;
Strategy;
Technological Innovation;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Technology Platform
Yoffie, David B., Natalia Prieto Nino, Prasad Raman, Brad Kowalk, and Ruby Tamberino. "Virtual Reality and the Gaming Sector 2017." Harvard Business School Technical Note 718-405, September 2017. (Revised July 2018.)
- October 2016
- Case
Supercell
By: William R. Kerr, Benjamin F. Jones and Alexis Brownell
Supercell is a young Finnish smartphone game company with an unusual team structure and company philosophy. It is already one of Finland’s most valuable companies, and despite being only six years old, it has put up some impressive numbers: as of 2016, it has released...
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Keywords:
Supercell;
Finland;
Video Games;
Firm Structure;
Startups;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Groups and Teams;
Video Game Industry;
Finland
Kerr, William R., Benjamin F. Jones, and Alexis Brownell. "Supercell." Harvard Business School Case 817-052, October 2016.
- April 2016 (Revised February 2018)
- Teaching Note
Riot Games: Can Culture Survive Growth?
By: Boris Groysberg and Michael Norris
This teaching note gives instructors a guide for a discussion of Riot Games, a fast growing videogames firm with a strong, player-centric culture. It also offers references to research on culture that will allow students to decide whether or not Riot Games’ culture...
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- February 2016 (Revised March 2019)
- Case
Bankruptcy at Caesars Entertainment
By: Kristin Mugford and David Chan
Caesars Entertainment was a large casino operator in the United States that had been purchased in a 2008 leveraged buyout by Apollo and TPG. In January 2015, Caesars Entertainment Operating Company (CEOC), its largest subsidiary, filed for Chapter 11. This set up a...
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Keywords:
Gaming;
Chapter 11;
Fraudulent Conveyance;
Apollo;
TPG;
Bankruptcy;
Leveraged Buyouts;
Restructuring;
Capital Structure;
Insolvency and Bankruptcy;
Private Equity;
Financial Management;
Lawsuits and Litigation;
Negotiation;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Entertainment and Recreation Industry;
Las Vegas
Mugford, Kristin, and David Chan. "Bankruptcy at Caesars Entertainment." Harvard Business School Case 216-052, February 2016. (Revised March 2019.)
- October 2014 (Revised August 2018)
- Case
Caesars Entertainment
By: Janice H. Hammond and Aldo Sesia
This case describes the introduction of a regression analysis model for forecasting guest arrivals to Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company will use the forecast to staff the front desk in the hotel. The staff is unionized and the company has little...
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Keywords:
Forecasting;
Staffing;
Gaming;
Gaming Industry;
Hotel Industry;
Decision Making;
Forecasting and Prediction;
Human Resources;
Selection and Staffing;
Entertainment;
Games, Gaming, and Gambling;
Operations;
Service Delivery;
Service Operations;
Food and Beverage Industry;
Food and Beverage Industry;
Food and Beverage Industry;
Food and Beverage Industry;
Las Vegas
Hammond, Janice H., and Aldo Sesia. "Caesars Entertainment." Harvard Business School Case 615-031, October 2014. (Revised August 2018.)