Non-Transferable Utility Games

Non-Transferable Utility (NTU) games are a type of strategic interaction where players’ satisfaction or payoff cannot be easily exchanged or redistributed among them. Unlike settings where utility (or benefit) can be transferred, NTU games focus on the unique, individual preferences and outcomes for each player. Each participant’s payoff depends solely on their own choices and the overall situation, making the analysis centered on the feasible outcomes for all players without assuming they can reallocate gains afterward. This framework is useful for modeling situations where benefits are personal and non-fungible, such as bargaining or competitive scenarios.