Is Free Really the Future of Gaming? 230
TRNick writes "Is the future of gaming more or less free, perhaps funded by advertising or micropayments? A bunch of MMOs have pioneered the way, and now they are being followed by the likes of EA, Sony and id Software, each of which is offering some form of free gaming. But it's not just the big guys. TechRadar talks to a new generation of indie developers who are making names for themselves. 'I make most of my money from sponsors,' says one. 'We're all here because we love making games first and foremost,' says another. But can free games ever make enough money to fund the really ambitious, event games that get the headlines?"
While paid games aren't likely to be on their way out any time soon, more and more developers and publishers are experimenting with cheaper pricing, and the results so far seem positive.
Re:Free and Open Source? (Score:3, Funny)
Personally, I'm not interested in the varying methods that big game houses can extract revenue from their sweatshop produced big titles.
Personally, I'm less interested in the buisness or the open-source aspect of it and more interested in getting frags in Quake Live and still having enough money to buy necessities. Like porn and beer, which should also be free. Someone should work on that.
Re:Free and Open Source? (Score:3, Funny)
Personally, I'm less interested in the buisness or the open-source aspect of it and more interested in getting frags in Quake Live and still having enough money to buy necessities. Like porn and beer, which should also be free. Someone should work on that.
you're obviously doing it wrong.
Re:If a game is good it's worth money to me... (Score:2, Funny)
I'd pay $500 at the very least for a copy of Virtua Fighter 5R or a sequel to Chrono Trigger.
So, will you buy Chrono Cross from me for $500?
Re:Free and Open Source? (Score:3, Funny)
so they can use the name "Harry Potplant" or whatever it is.
I always knew the Harry Potter franchise was missing something..... ;)
Re:Free and Open Source? (Score:3, Funny)
All the players are consolidated into 1 place, and I can trust Blizzard to keep all the data trustworthy and not tamper with it (like giving their buddies free epics or the like).
Are you sure? [penny-arcade.com] ;)
Re:Free and Open Source? (Score:5, Funny)
No kidding. Polish people are cool enough that they don't have to rely on glitz.
Re:Free is an option, not the future (Score:4, Funny)
If you want...games, then expect them to use last year's technology, be late...
Cool, more Valve games!
Re:MMO and Open Source... LOL (Score:3, Funny)
That market IS people who want to make content. It also isn't constant.
Now add fighting monsters and quest rewards into the mix and it fails becasue it will only take 1 person to screw it up.
Re:Free (Score:3, Funny)
You think there's a war now over IP (Imaginary Property) and its ease of copying and dissimination, wait until we have microscopic robots that can coordinate to manufacture anything you have a design for (I'm thinking Star Trek replicators).
When that happens, the only thing with monetary value will be land. You think we're going through social upheaval, we ain't seen nothin'. Your grandchildren are in for a hell of a ride!