{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"The Economics and Ethics of Live Service Game Design","description":"In this episode, hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron dive into a complex listener question regarding the incentives and ethics of Games as a Service (GaaS). They explore the fundamental difference between designing a &quot;boxed&quot; product intended to be finished and a service designed to retain players indefinitely. The discussion challenges the common narrative around &quot;dark patterns,&quot; suggesting that what looks like malice is often economic necessity or design incompetence driven by the staggering costs of modern game development\u2014such as a single raid boss costing $9 million to produce. David provides a unique perspective on value perception, comparing high-tier game spending to the difference between a home-cooked steak and a $1,000 professional tasting menu. ","author_name":"The Game Design Round Table","author_url":"http:\/\/thegamedesignroundtable.com","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/42556280\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/205438835"}