"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 2014

1. Megacorporations
Wealth equals power
Antti Lax
Jussi Perttola
Zaibatsu Interactive Oy

2. 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

3. 1. Name the Megacorp!
2. What is a Megacorporation?
3. Real World Megacorporations
4. Fictional Megacorporations
5. Harsh reality
6. Last words
Flow

4. Name the Megacorp!
http://www.alldaycreativeinc.com

10. What is a Megacorporation?
http://aworldchaos.wordpress.com/

11. ● “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

12. ● “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

13. ● 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

14. ● 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

15. ● 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

16. ● 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

17. ● 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

18. 1. Start a company
2. Assimilate others and grow big
3. ???
4. Profit!
How to become a Megacorp?

19. Real World Megacorporations

20. ● 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.

21. ● 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”
Google

22. ● Founded in 1975, revenue $77.85 billion (2013)
● Business:
o Consumer Electronics & Software
● Renowned for:
o Windows
o Founder & technology advisor – Bill Gates
Microsoft

23. 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

24. ● 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

25. ● 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

26. ● 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

27. ● 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

28. ● 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

29. Fictional Megacorporations
http://cheezburger.com/4321637376

30. ● 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

31. ● 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

32. ● Franchise: Alien
● Business:
o Technology supplier
o Manufacturing Synthetics, spaceships
and computers
● Hidden Agenda?
o Experimenting with bioweaponry
Weyland-Yutani

33. ● 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

34. ● Franchise: Tekken
● Business:
o Robotics (Jack, NANCY-MI847J)
o Tekken Force - mercenaries
● Hidden Agenda?
o Creation of an "ultimate lifeform"
Mishima Zaibatsu

35. ● 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

36. ● 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

37. ● 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

38. ● Franchise: Shadowrun
● Business:
o Computer technology
o Cybernetics
o Communications
● Hidden Agenda?
o ?
Renraku Computer Systems

39. ● Franchise: Fallout
● Business:
o Heavy construction (mainly Vaults)
● Hidden Agenda?
o Experimenting genetic engineering
o Human experiments
Vault-Tec

40. ● Franchise: Assassin’s Creed
● Business:
o Computer Technology
o Computer Entertainment
o Space Technology
● Hidden Agenda?
o Establishing a New World Order
Abstergo Industries

41. ● 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

42. ● 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)

43. ● 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.

44. Harsh Reality
www.stuff.tv (June 2014 issue)

45. Megacorps own the Media

46. Megacorps own the Food

47. Megacorps own the Money

48. ● 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?

49. Last Words

50. ● 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

51. ● 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

52. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter:
@AnttiLax
@Mehustin
@ZaibatsuInc
Thank you for your time!