How Microtransactions (and Private Equity) Are Ruining Gaming

EPISODE 407: Dan Soder vs. the ugly face of capitalism.

This is an episode for people who know a ton about video games — and people who know absolutely nothing.

Because if you, like me, went through puberty sometime in the 1990s or 2000s, you may think you have a general sense of that enormous industry.

But you would be wrong.

For those who haven’t been paying attention, a sprawling controversy — an online revolt, really — is underway, right now, around the newest edition of the best-selling video game in American history: College Football, made by EA Sports.

It is a story about private equity, sovereign wealth funds, competition, “microtransactions,” “virtual currency,” cheat codes (RIP), islands, and the question of whether we even own the products we buy, at this point.

And whether the companies that sell them do, either.

So we asked one of my favorite comics and Friends of PTFO, Dan Soder — who’s been playing video games with a future NFL coach since childhood — to explain how we got here. And where we’re headed. And why this is the story of our time.

YOUTUBE SPOILER ALERT:

GameShark Forever,

Pablo

P.S. You can now watch us over on Apple Podcasts (!)