Games in the Platform Economy

This book examines the evolution of digital platform economies through the lens of online gaming with a unique economic sociology perspective. Paying particular attention to Valve's 'Steam' platform, the book examines the architecture of this online videogame marketplace and the way it enables new markets and economic transactions. This book examines the evolution of digital platform economies through the lens of online gaming. Offering valuable empirical work on Valve’s ‘Steam’ platform, Thorhauge examines the architecture of this global online videogame marketplace and the way it enables new markets and economic transactions. Drawing on infrastructure, software, platform and game studies, the book interrogates the implications of these transactions, both in terms of their legality, but also in how they create new forms of immaterial labour. Shedding new light on a previously under-explored branch of the study of digital platforms, this book brings a unique economic sociology perspective into the growing literature on videogame studies.

This book examines the evolution of digital platform economies through the lens of online gaming. Offering valuable empirical work on Valve’s ‘Steam’ platform, Thorhauge examines the architecture of this global online videogame marketplace and the way it enables new markets and economic transactions. Drawing on infrastructure, software, platform and game studies, the book interrogates the implications of these transactions, both in terms of their legality, but also in how they create new forms of immaterial labour. Shedding new light on a previously under-explored branch of the study of digital platforms, this book brings a unique economic sociology perspective into the growing literature on videogame studies.