Platform Economics
The Network Effects Game
A new platform is launching. Join early and reap rewards, or wait until others prove its value? Discover why some platforms become giants and others vanish.
What are Network Effects?
A product becomes more valuable as more people use it. WhatsApp is useless if you're the only one on it, but invaluable when all your contacts are there. This is Metcalfe's Law: the value of a network grows proportionally to the square of its users (value ~ n2).
WhatsApp
500M+ Indians, replaced SMS
UPI
300M+ users, digital payments revolution
PUBG Mobile
More players = more fun
Ola/Uber
More riders attract more drivers
How to Play
A new platform is launching. You, 3 AI agents, and 6 simulated users decide each round whether to JOIN or WAIT.
10
Rounds
50
Join Cost (tokens)
n2 x 5
Platform Value
5
Critical Mass
T
Early Adopter
Tanvi
Bengaluru, Karnataka
Tech enthusiast. Always first to try new platforms. Joins in the first 2 rounds no matter what.
H
Skeptic
Harish
Lucknow, UP
Cautious and analytical. Waits until at least 40% of people have joined before committing.
D
Influencer
Divya
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Trend-setter. Joins early and her presence catalyzes others to join the platform.