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Platform competition and strategic trade-offs for complementors: Heterogeneous reactions to the entry of a new platform

Author

Listed:
  • Johannes Loh

    (VU - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam [Amsterdam])

  • Ambre Elsas-Nicolle

    (CERNA i3 - Centre d'économie industrielle i3 - Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres)

Abstract

We study how the entry of a rival platform affects the strategies of the incumbent's complementors. The latter face a trade-off: While the entry threatens their benefits from indirect network effects, it also allows them to escape intense within-platform competition. Studying Epic Games' entry into the PC video game market - until then dominated by Steam - we show that this trade-off does not resolve uniformly, driving heterogeneity in strategic reactions. Complementors with weaker strategic resources (independent developers) were more likely to multihome and became less responsive to the incumbent's attempts to orchestrate collective action through platform-wide sales promotions. In contrast, complementors more reliant on indirect network effects (multiplayer developers) were less likely to multihome and became more responsive to orchestration attempts.

Suggested Citation

  • Johannes Loh & Ambre Elsas-Nicolle, 2026. "Platform competition and strategic trade-offs for complementors: Heterogeneous reactions to the entry of a new platform," Post-Print hal-05358065, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05358065
    DOI: 10.1002/smj.70062
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05358065v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joost Rietveld & J. P. Eggers, 2018. "Demand Heterogeneity in Platform Markets: Implications for Complementors," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(2), pages 304-322, April.
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