Participants in a Game Economy

First published June 3, 2010

1. Central bank. Ultimately, the central bankers are in charge of everything. They ultimately decide how wealth is allocated. Usually, this is the for-profit company that makes the game.

2. Sponsors. Folks that pay the central bankers. Central bankers redistribute as subsidies, stimulus packages, free offers, etc

3. Tier 1 members. Non-paying participants monetized via ads and indirect value extracted from their participation.

4. Tier 2 members. Paying customers.

5. Tier 3 members. Business class; revenue earning potential.

In some games, all members will be in Tiers 1, 2, and 3. Imagine a game for entrepreneurs, for instance. Using American Idol as an example, Tier 1 are the TV watchers and voters; Tier 2 are the customers who buy the CDs, merchandise, etc -- they are likely to be Tier 1 as well; and Tier 3 are the show participants (who may also be Tier 1 and Tier 2). Coke, ATT, and Apple are sponsors, and the company that runs the show is the central bank. Efficient coordination of labor is where it's at.