Using Money As Incentive For Competition On Consoles?

MTV's Multiplayer blog reports on a company about to start offering a service that will allow players to compete in matches and tournaments over their PS2, PS3, or Xbox 360 with real money as a prize. Doing so will, of course, require entry fees, but the contests are set up and opted into by the players themselves. Quoting: "To prevent cheating, the company has access to the game data and promises a knowledgeable in-house customer support team. There's also a reputation and feedback system, which Levy compared to eBay, that will allow gamers to make informed decisions about who they're playing against. ... [Company co-founder Billy Levy] ultimately thinks World Gaming will open up the field for gamers who want to make money from games but can't make it to live competitions due to the expense or having to take time off from work or school.

What's going to kill this first?

[Anonymous Coward]

What's going to kill this idea first? Laws on gambling? Tax revenue at the state or federal level?

Not a good idea. Stick to prizes.

I can't see them stopping cheating.

[GrpA]

People have been trying to stop cheats for years. It's damn annoying on a MP game when you keep getting headshot through a mountain, by a pistol every few minutes.

And those cheats aren't even inspired by money - just their own motivation to be assholes.

So put real money into it and watch what happens... The cheating will go hightech no matter what they do.

Think "Dogfight" in William Gibson's "Burning Chrome" Anthology.

Someone will always find a way to cheat, and who want to put up cash to let the h4x0r2 screw up your game and take it?

GrpA.

Re:This story makes no sense.

[Anonymous Coward]

No one is handing anything out, it just seems like an online poker alternative, except you get to play an fps instead of using cards.

Re:Gambling is illegal

[NoName6272]

Well, carnival games are gambling as well; you pay money, to play a game, to win a prize, with uncertain outcome. That is basically the definition of gambling.
I mean look at WoW, they had a tournament (a few people I know couldn't shut up about it...) awhile ago, and there was an entry fee. Since that was world wide as well, am guessing this will sneak through one of those loop holes or technicalities that we all so love.
Either way, if they can't control cheating, then it will die. If they can (and I mean real control) then its possible it will survive for some time, possibly start something else off.

~
NoName