In this live web-based simulation, participants play the role of senior management at a video game hardware platform producer, such as Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft. Built around a companion case study describing the launch of Sony’s PlayStation 3, the simulation explores the dynamics of competition in multi-sided markets. In such markets, success depends not only on a product’s price and features, but also on how many people own it (a direct network externality) and on the number of games and applications available—that is, the size of the installed base of complementary products (an indirect network externality). Platform markets are increasingly common in settings other than video games, including computers, the Internet and e-commerce, and mobile telecommunications.

In this live web-based simulation, participants playing the role of salt producers seek to maximize their profits as they compete against one another in pricing salt. This game simulates the salt industry as it is described in the “Ventures in Salt: Compass Minerals International” case study.

Traction is a strategic simulation game. Students develop their startup company in both pre and post revenue stages. Focusing on the team, funding, product development, business models, internal processes. This simulation combines academic concepts and practical experience. Professors discuss the concepts with the class and the players can see how the concepts integrate within the simulation. Although there is a free trial, there is a $25 per student cost.

In this live, web-based simulation, participants play the role of the founder of a new startup company in the exciting and competitive clean tech sector. Can you develop your technology into a successful company? Each quarter you must set prices, decide how many engineers and sales people to hire, and set compensation, including salary, stock, options and profit sharing. Will you pitch your firm to venture capitalists or bootstrap and remain 100% employee owned? Will you win customers and become cash flow positive before you run out of funds? Will you succeed and take your firm public?

Fishbanks is a multiplayer web-based simulation in which participants play the role of fishers and seek to maximize their net worth as they compete against other players and deal with variations in fish stocks and their catch. Participants buy, sell, and build ships; decide where to fish; and negotiate with one another. Policy options available to instructors include auctions of new boats, permits, and quotas.

World Climate is a group role playing simulation of the international climate change negotiations. This exercise provides participants the chance to explore the risks of climate change and the challenges of negotiating international agreements to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In a live, face-to-face setting, participants play negotiators representing countries and regional blocs that work to create an agreement that limits climate change by reducing GHG emissions. Proposals are tested using a climate policy simulation model that provides participants science-based feedback on the implications of their proposals for atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, global mean surface temperature, sea level rise, and other impacts. World Climate enables participants to explore the dynamics of the climate and impacts of proposed policies in a way that is consistent with the best available peer-reviewed science but that does not prescribe what should be done.

In this live web-based simulation, participants play the role of senior management at SunPower, a leading firm in the solar photovoltaic industry. The game simulates the solar PV industry as described in the SunPower case study. Users compete against other firms, simulated by the computer, and set the industry conditions so as to learn about strategy under different conditions relating to learning, knowledge spillovers, and competitor behavior.