1. Regarding 2a, is there a period of time you're restricting your analysis here? I think Second Life would actually be a better starting point if we're talking about UGC in general, but definitely understand if you're going for a more curated angle.
2. For 4a, I think a bigger point to bring up for Google Stadia in particular is its lack of a good value proposition compared to its competitors because you must purchase license to play the games exclusively on its platform, which is a bit worse off compared to compared to Microsoft and Sony's offerings that allow for a Netflix-like model or Nvidia's offering that allows you to play with your own accounts. However, the points you bring up are excellent and apply to all.Regarding the payment model, that's actually gotten Nvidia into hot water (https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/2/21161469/nvidia-geforce-now-cloud-gaming-service-developers-controversy-licensing)
3. (4B) A lot of the user-focused research is under way, but it can be a bit hard to find because academia has not done a great job in focusing on which areas it applies to, so there's a massive spread in the conferences that papers are being submitted to. I also feel that there's a bit of a potential conflict of interest when giants like Oculus/Facebook are directly funding some of the research, but that's a separate point.
4. (5A) Game engines as a solution are definitely looking more attractive, especially with the latest releases of the SDKs, but I'd caution against labeling the proprietary engines as legacy overall, especially when EA's Frostbite engine continues to deliver as an example. I think this might also be a good place to talk about the legal challenges that Unreal have faced against Apple and the battle between Unity and Improbable.
4. (5B) Labor issues in the industry are unfortunately rather cyclic when it comes to public perception (EA Spouse, Team Bondi), but I am hopeful that this round will make things more interesting, especially with the rise of mainstream advocates like Jason Schreier. Unions are still a bit of a mixed bag if we consider the usual model for labor unions, as the most widespread industries of traditionally non-unionized professionals have been sounding the horn, but not succeeding as well in forming.
I love that you've organized this into a great introductory guide, and looking forward to seeing more.
Hey there, great primer so far. A few comments:
1. Regarding 2a, is there a period of time you're restricting your analysis here? I think Second Life would actually be a better starting point if we're talking about UGC in general, but definitely understand if you're going for a more curated angle.
2. For 4a, I think a bigger point to bring up for Google Stadia in particular is its lack of a good value proposition compared to its competitors because you must purchase license to play the games exclusively on its platform, which is a bit worse off compared to compared to Microsoft and Sony's offerings that allow for a Netflix-like model or Nvidia's offering that allows you to play with your own accounts. However, the points you bring up are excellent and apply to all.Regarding the payment model, that's actually gotten Nvidia into hot water (https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/2/21161469/nvidia-geforce-now-cloud-gaming-service-developers-controversy-licensing)
3. (4B) A lot of the user-focused research is under way, but it can be a bit hard to find because academia has not done a great job in focusing on which areas it applies to, so there's a massive spread in the conferences that papers are being submitted to. I also feel that there's a bit of a potential conflict of interest when giants like Oculus/Facebook are directly funding some of the research, but that's a separate point.
4. (5A) Game engines as a solution are definitely looking more attractive, especially with the latest releases of the SDKs, but I'd caution against labeling the proprietary engines as legacy overall, especially when EA's Frostbite engine continues to deliver as an example. I think this might also be a good place to talk about the legal challenges that Unreal have faced against Apple and the battle between Unity and Improbable.
4. (5B) Labor issues in the industry are unfortunately rather cyclic when it comes to public perception (EA Spouse, Team Bondi), but I am hopeful that this round will make things more interesting, especially with the rise of mainstream advocates like Jason Schreier. Unions are still a bit of a mixed bag if we consider the usual model for labor unions, as the most widespread industries of traditionally non-unionized professionals have been sounding the horn, but not succeeding as well in forming.
I love that you've organized this into a great introductory guide, and looking forward to seeing more.