Great Online Game: Are we living in a video game? 💊
What is the great online game? How can you play it? + a few updates and the podcast announcement!
Hi, Ravdeep here. 👋
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Before we begin, a few updates + Podcast announcement! 🎉
We crossed a 100 readers some time between this issue and the last two issues, I got around to seeing the email from Substack a little late so thank you so much for that! This is only the beginning though but we’ve got to celebrate all the little milestones we cross. I had never thought of crossing this one so soon though!
Now for the Podcast 🎙
I applied for this program by India Film Project x Anchor by Spotify with an idea of how I would do my podcast. The idea got selected and now their helping me develop the concept, teaching me about how the process of podcasting works etc. through a series of workshops. We’ve also been assigned a mentor who is already in the podcast space and run their own show as well. Also, I need to take out 20 episodes for my first season that should start by the end of the month so I am quite nervous about it and with work, it is difficult to take out time for this but up for the challenge though. Still working out the details on what the format is going to be like but I’m going to tie the newsletter and podcast in a good way so that we can create a whole ecosystem here. I am looking for guests to bring on the podcast with me so if you have any suggestions or if you would like to come on yourself, please do write back to me here!
We’re all playing the Great Online Game, it’s just that some have already realised this while the others are on their way to realise it soon. This concept was coined by Packy McCormick who writes a newsletter called Not Boring. Embedding his original post here to start things off.
What is the Great Online Game? 🎰
Packy defines the Great Online Game as:
An infinite video game that plays out constantly across the internet. It uses many of the mechanics of a video game, but removes the boundaries. You’re no longer playing as an avatar in Fortnite or Roblox; you’re playing as yourself across Twitter, YouTube, Discords, work, projects, and investments. People who play the Great Online Game rack up points, skills, and attributes that they can apply across their digital and physical lives. Some people even start pseudonymous and parlay their faceless brilliance into jobs and money.
Let’s simplify this further:
We assume that there is a larger game that is being played online by billions of people across the globe, at all points of time, 24x7, each and every day. How we perform in this online game has real-world consequences for us. The downside of failing in this Online game is limited, to the amount of time that you have invested already in this game or maybe a piece of your online reputation but the upside of this game is INFINITE.
Social media is one of the most important pieces in this Great Online Game but it’s not the only piece that exists. The way you play on Social Media unlocks new opportunities for you. For influencers, it opens them up to new branding deals. For businesses, it opens them up to new customers. For thought leaders, it opens them up to new speaking opportunities or panel discussions. For job seekers, it open them up to the job that they want or a better one. Every move you make on this online game has a direct impact on your life, online or offline and that is why it’s more important than ever to start playing this game!
What is a video game? 🎮
We discussed gamification and the components of successful game design in my two issues on Gamification which I would request you to just skim through after this or right now. That will make it easier for you to understand why these social media apps work like a game and how they pique our interest by giving us the right feedback at the right time to keep us motivated.
The Great Online Game has all the elements of a successful game design as well - from Feedback Loops to Extrinsic Motivation. Once you learn how the game works and it starts giving you rewards, it becomes easier to be in control and use this game to your advantage.
As Nik Milanovic rightly pointed out in his viral tweet:
How to play the game 🤔
As Packy points out, anyone can play the Great Online Game, all you need is knowledge and curiosity. Typical path to playing the game starts here:
Start in one niche community - Start by replying thoughtfully to any tweets you come across in your respective field or join a community that has a lot of people discussing what you like to nerd out about.
Moving from consumer to creator - After a while in these communities or your niche, you can start writing, build projects, collaborate with others, make videos or a podcast. You can transition from being a consumer to a creator.
Once the game starts picking up, you start to see the results. Feedback Loops disguised as a ‘like’ here or a comment there is a good place to start. Some things will work, some things might not which gives a Variable Outcome to the game you’re playing, helps to keep things fresh. In the Great Online Game, you’re designing the game as you’re moving forward. You learn, give value, interact with no expectation in return. There is a Sense of Control in the thoughtful actions that you take and success or failure is a direct result of that.
Meta Game - Everything is connected to the meta game that is our life and career. The more we learn, evolve and build, the more opportunities we get. The fun part to all this is, if you do it right, it really can feel like a game. All you need to do is start playing!
Some people who have successfully played this game to their advantage:
Packy has mentioned a set of people who are successfully playing the Great Online Game so I would recommend that you go through his post to read more about them. I’ll just write a brief here on a few people mentioned in his post:
Elon Musk → Tesla, Starlink, SpaceX, pumping Dogecoin, $420 taking Tesla private tweet, smoking up on Joe Rogan and his SNL performance. Need I say more? Elon understands the game better than most people on Earth. He has more resources than most of all the people in the world combined and he’s not afraid to use that as a cheat code to up his game.
Bored Elon Musk → This is a pseudonymous account that has 1.7 million followers on Twitter that tweets ideas for inventions that a bored Elon Musk might have. He started selling NFTs a few months back and pulled in more than $1 million in a month!
Megan Leeds → Started making videos on YouTube of her playing The Sims followed by Roblox which turned into more than 3.6 million subscribers, an $8mm game studio she runs and an online store that bring in $1mm.
There’s nothing I’ve done that anybody else can’t do. It’s about learning—learning the code, learning how the game works, & creating. All you have to do is start. - Megan Leeds
There are a few more examples he’s written about which I would definitely recommend you to check out. I know it seems difficult even thinking about the stories all these people but trust me, all we need to do is start!
So, how do you intend to play the Great Online Game? Do let me know if this issue motivated you to start. I’ve already started on my end, with no expectation in return, just playing it out with a billion other people pressing a bunch of keys on our keyboards till we can buy a house!
Recommended listening this week
Thank you and have a brilliant week ahead. Would be great if you could share the newsletter with your friends and family as that helps a lot and hit that little heart button!
Good piece, Ravdeep. Looking forward to reading more of your work.
Loved the issue today.
and congrats on 100 subscribers.