Platforms thrive on a delicate dance between attraction and extraction, cooperation and competition. Early in their lifecycle, platforms are magnets: i.e. pulling users, developers, and creators into their orbit with promises of value, ease, and opportunity. The goal? Build the network. Every new node strengthens the web, creating exponential growth.
But as platforms mature, their priorities shift. For users, it becomes about extraction: e.g. monetizing attention, data, and loyalty. For complements (think developers, businesses, or creators), it turns into competition. The cooperation that once fueled growth morphs into battles for control over revenue and market share.
Chris Dixon’s insight here is sharp: network effects are not static, they evolve. Early-stage platforms are collaborative ecosystems; late-stage platforms risk becoming extractive empires. The danger lies in forgetting the foundation of their success: mutual value creation. Platforms that overreach risk breaking their network, fracturing the trust that made them indispensable.
The lesson?
Platforms must balance the curve. Grow, but don’t suffocate. Cooperate, but don’t cannibalize. Long-term winners are those who extend their network effects without extinguishing the spark that created them.