megacorporations: wealth equals power - ropecon 2014
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"The big and evil megacorporations are a familiar sight in both literary and game fiction. But what makes these corporations so fearsome, and how far away from real corporations they really are? In the presentation we'll go through both historical and fictional companies and examine their backgrounds." A presentation given in Ropecon 2014TRANSCRIPT
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!