megacorporations: wealth equals power - ropecon 2014
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Megacorporations
Wealth equals power
Antti LaxJussi PerttolaZaibatsu Interactive Oy
Antti Lax
❖ Game Designer❖ Roleplaying game
enthusiast❖ Game industry
entrepreneur❖ Pokémon Master
Introduction
Jussi Perttola
❖ CEO, Game Producer❖ Master of Science (MIT)❖ Serious gamer❖ Metal Gear fanboy
1. Name the Megacorp!
2. What is a Megacorporation?
3. Real World Megacorporations
4. Fictional Megacorporations
5. Harsh reality
6. Last words
Flow
Name the Megacorp!
http://www.alldaycreativeinc.com
What is a Megacorporation?
http://aworldchaos.wordpress.com/
● “An extremely large and powerful corporation ”
- Merriam-Webster
● “A corporation that is a massive conglomerate, holding
monopolistic or near-monopolistic control over
multiple markets (thus exhibiting both a horizontal and a
vertical monopoly)”
- Wikipedia
Defining Megacorporation
● “Superpowers of the Shadowrun universe, with the
largest corporations having far more political,
economic, and military power than even the most
powerful nation-states.”
- Shadowrun Wiki
● “A huge corporation that sells everything and has
government-like reach and powers.”
- TV Tropes
Defining Megacorporation
● The term megacorporation originated in cyberpunk
literature
o Popularized by William Gibson
● Used mostly in fiction, but also recently in blog posts and
other unofficial contexts regarding big real life
corporations
Brief Summary
● Megacorporations can be part
of a:
o Monopoly
o Oligopoly
● Common business fields:
o Information Technology
o Pharmaceutical / Biotech
o Military Technologies /
Security
Making Money
● A combination of two or more corporations engaged in
entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate
group
o Usually involve a parent company and many
subsidiaries
o Large, often multinational, multi-industry companies
● Merges and acquisitions can form powerful companies
that can create new innovations by combining knowledge
from different fields
Conglomerates
● Term originates from 19th century Japan
o Originally a vertically controlled family business that
controlled various fields of business
o Usually had a bank to support them financially
● The Zaibatsu were cut into smaller companies after WWII
when the Americans felt that they had become too
powerful
Zaibatsu
● There aren’t currently any companies that operate like
the former Zaibatsu (Japanese corporate groups are
called Keiretsu)
● Zaibatsu is often used in fiction for Japanese megacorps
that have some connections to organized crime or other
illegal activities
Zaibatsu
1. Start a company
2. Assimilate others and grow big
3. ???
4. Profit!
How to become a Megacorp?
Real World Megacorporations
● Founded in 1976, revenue $170.91 billion (2013)
● Business:
o Consumer Electronics
● Renowned for:
o High-value, cutting edge products
o Minimalistic product line
o Former CEO – Steve Jobs
Apple Inc.
● Founded in 1998, revenue $59.8 billion
(2013)
● Business:
○ Internet
○ Telecommunications
● Renowned for:
○ Collecting huge amounts of data per
user
○ Slogan: “Don’t be evil”
● Founded in 1975, revenue $77.85 billion (2013)
● Business:
o Consumer Electronics & Software
● Renowned for:
o Windows
o Founder & technology advisor – Bill Gates
Microsoft
Nestlé
● Founded in 1905, revenue $102.2 billion
(2013)
● Business:
o Food processing
● Renowned for:
o Promoting infant formula
o Wanting to privatize water
o Melamine in Chinese milk
● Founded in 1962, revenue $468.65 billion (2013)
● Business:
o Retail
● Renowned for:
o World largest public corporation (Fortune Global 500,
2014)
o Huge warehouse stores
o Family-owned business (Walton family)
Wal-mart
● Founded in 1923, revenue $45 billion
(2013)
● Business
o Mass media
o Digital entertainment
o Consumer products
● Renowned for:
o Animations and movies
o Disneyland Resorts
The Walt Disney Company
● Founded in 1999, revenue $420.84 billion (2013)
● Business:
o Oil and gas
● Renowned for:
o World’s third largest company by revenue
o The merger of Exxon and Mobil
Exxon Mobil
● Founded in 1901, revenue $14.8 billion
(2013)
● Business:
o Biotechnology and agrochemistry
● Renowned for:
o Genetic modification of plants
o Biological patents
o Pesticides and herbicides
Monsanto
● Founded in 1.4.14, revenue $??? billion (2014)
● Business:
o Video games
● Renowned for:
o Biggest little megacorp in the world
o Honour, Integrity, Zaibatsu
o ???
Zaibatsu Interactive
Fictional Megacorporations
http://cheezburger.com/4321637376
● Multinational or sovereign corporations
● Bending the laws for their own good
● Paramilitary security forces or a private army
● Access to an army of lawyers
Tropes and clichés
● There might be spoilers ahead
● We are not experts on every franchise and fandom, but
the facts should be consistent
o Please point out any false information we might
present
● There are too many fictional megacorps, we might not
cover your favourite one, sorry
Disclaimer
● Franchise: Alien
● Business:
o Technology supplier
o Manufacturing Synthetics,
spaceships and computers
● Hidden Agenda?o Experimenting with bioweaponry
Weyland-Yutani
● Franchise: Resident Evil
● Business:
o Pharmaceuticals, medical equipment
o Cosmetics, consumer products, foods
● Hidden Agenda?
o Experimenting genetic engineering and bioweaponry
o Owns and Utilizes several paramilitary units
Umbrella Corporation
● Franchise: Tekken
● Business:
o Robotics (Jack, NANCY-MI847J)
o Tekken Force - mercenaries
● Hidden Agenda?o Creation of an "ultimate
lifeform"
Mishima Zaibatsu
● Franchise: Bioshock
● Business:
o Genetic enhancements (Plasmids)
o Research of ADAM
● Hidden Agenda?
o Turning girls into Little Sisters for gathering ADAM
o Creating Big Daddies
Fontaine Futuristics
● Franchise: Werewolf the
Apocalypse
● Business:
o Oil and Mining indistry
o Holding company
● Hidden Agenda?
o Spiritual, moral and environ-
mental corruption of the
planet
Pentex
● Franchise: Oddworld
● Business:
o Food Processing & Manufacturing
● Hidden Agenda?
o Accused of slavery
o The origin of the meat unknown
o Mysterious disappearing of laborers
RuptureFarms
● Franchise: Shadowrun
● Business:
o Computer technology
o Cybernetics
o Communications
● Hidden Agenda?
o ?
Renraku Computer Systems
● Franchise: Fallout
● Business:
o Heavy construction (mainly Vaults)
● Hidden Agenda?
o Experimenting genetic engineering
o Human experiments
Vault-Tec
● Franchise: Assassin’s Creed
● Business:
o Computer Technology
o Computer Entertainment
o Space Technology
● Hidden Agenda?
o Establishing a New World
Order
Abstergo Industries
● Franchise: Half-Life
● Business:
o Scientific research (experimental physics)
o Artificial intelligence research
● Hidden Agenda?
o Creating great quantities of deadly neurotoxin
o Human experiments
Aperture Science
● Franchise: Robocop
● Business:
o Consumer Products
o Military Tech / Security
Solutions
o Private Space Travel
● Hidden Agenda?
o Privatize Detroit into Delta City
Omni Consumer Products (OCP)
● Franchise: Final Fantasy VII
● Business:
o Electric Power
o Genetic engineering, space exploration
● Hidden Agenda?
o Refines the planet’s Lifestream to create Mako energy
o Weapons Development
Shinra Inc.
Harsh Reality
www.stuff.tv (June 2014 issue)
Megacorps own the Media
Megacorps own the Food
Megacorps own the Money
● Most of our consumer products and digital services are
produced by a select number of companies
o Little freedom of choice
● Pooled resources make it easier to innovate and create
new products and services never seen before
o Google and Apple have changed the way we think
about Internet and smart phones
Why does it matter?
Last Words
● While Megacorps make good antagonists, remember that
they aren’t usually inherently evil
o Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices
● Focus on their products and services
o How and why people use their products?
o Are there any alternatives? Other options?
Megacorporations in RPGs
● What are your favourite Megacorps and why?
● What makes Megacorps interesting in fiction?
● Are we on the brink of being in a cyberpunk world?
● Any questions for the presenters?
Audience time
Follow us on Facebook or Twitter:
@AnttiLax
@Mehustin
@ZaibatsuInc
Thank you for your time!
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