I've been super focused on Hi Stakes and wanted to give another update on the world of Hi Stakes Game. The core simulation I talked about last time, the one that ticks on its own with economies that boom and bust, has continued to evolve. It's becoming more dynamic, more unpredictable and now it's ready for a new layer of strategy. This update is about two major features that bring players deeper into that living world: Contracts and Derivatives.
These aren't just new buttons to press; they're systems designed to connect you directly to the narrative of the market. They turn market events company struggles and economic shifts into tangible gameplay opportunities and risks.
Contracts: Your Hand in the World's Story
The world of Hi Stakes is always moving. A tech company might be on the verge of a breakthrough a region could be recovering from a disaster or a market regulator might be looking to stabilize a volatile commodity. The new Contract System makes you a part of these stories.
Instead of just trading stocks you can now take on jobs offered by various "sponsors" in the game world. These can be:
System Contracts: A government body might offer you a reward to help shore up a struggling sector by buying its assets.
Corporate Contracts: A major corporation could pay you to acquire a large quantity of a specific commodity they need for a new product launch.
Personal Contracts & Rituals: These are your own private objectives from daily trading goals to long-term "milestone" contracts that unlock as you build your reputation.
These contracts aren't just fetch quests. They have objectives that range from simple "wait and see" timers to complex goals like achieving a certain net worth or executing a number of trades in a volatile market. Completing them is a primary way to earn Reputation Points unlocking more advanced features and proving you can navigate the market's chaos.
Derivatives: Betting on the Future
With the introduction of a more advanced market it was time to bring in the tools of professional traders: derivatives. This is where the game truly starts to test your strategic thinking. These instruments let you move beyond simply buying low and selling high; they let you profit from volatility hedge against risk or make high-leverage bets on specific outcomes.
Just like in the real world these are complex tools inspired by financial engineering but designed to be fun and strategic within the game's universe. Here's a look at what we've implemented:
Vanilla Options (Calls & Puts): The classic, Wall Street Bets lived on these during the volatile COVID-era markets. If you think a company's stock is going to rise above a certain price by next month? Buy a Call option. It's a low-cost high-leverage way to bet on upward movement. Worried about a crash? Buy a Put option to profit from a downturn. The pricing is driven by a version of the Black-Scholes model taking into account time volatility and the underlying asset's price, the same core factors real traders use.
Futures Contracts: These are agreements to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price on a future date. In Hi Stakes you can use futures to lock in a price for a commodity you think will become more expensive or to speculate on the long-term direction of the market. Hi Stakes models the daily "mark-to-market" settlements where profits and losses on your open futures positions are settled into your cash balance every single game day forcing you to manage your cash flow just like a real futures trader.
Contracts for Difference (CFDs): If options are about if a price will be met CFDs are about how much it will change. With a CFD you don't buy the asset itself but wager on the price difference between when you open and close the position. This allows for high leverage on short-term price movements. If you think a trending stock has more room to run you can go "long" and profit from every credit it goes up. If you think it's overvalued you can go "short" and profit from its decline. It’s a direct way to play market momentum.
Credit Event Binary Options (CEBOs): This is our unique spin on retail friendly credit default swaps. Is a company showing signs of financial distress? You can buy an "insurance" contract from the brokerage. If the company goes bankrupt before the contract expires, you get a massive payout. Or, if you believe the market is being too pessimistic, you can take the other side of that bet and effectively sell insurance to the brokerage. In this case, you collect a smaller, upfront premium, but you are required to post collateral. If the company survives, you keep the premium and your collateral is returned. If it fails, you lose the collateral. It's the ultimate risk-vs-reward bet, where you are wagering directly against the house on the survival of a company.
These systems are deeply integrated. A rumor of a regulatory crackdown from the world simulation might spike the "regulatory risk" factor for a company making its CEBOs more expensive. A bull market might increase the price of Call options across the board. Everything is connected.
Where Things Stand
Right now these systems are live and running on the backend. The simulation is generating contracts pricing options and settling futures every tick. My focus has shifted to balancing the rewards tweaking the pricing models and building a user interface that makes these complex ideas intuitive and engaging.
There's still a journey ahead to get this into players' hands but with contracts and derivatives Hi Stakes is becoming the game I always envisioned: not just a market simulator but a world of interconnected stories risks and opportunities. It’s a place where you can learn to read the narrative of the economy and find your own path through it.
Thanks for keeping up with the journey.
And remember in Hi Stakes gains are made by taking losses.