THE FUTURE OF PIGS - FREE! [Author: hedron]
But THIS is a PIG!
Er… wait… no it’s not… and it’s just a demo…
But let me ask you this – how long do you think it’s going to be before the gaming industry catches up on this concept? I mean, even the single player crap like Tit Raider is starting to discover the power of direct mail – but THEY don’t have subscriptions to sell.
What is AOL? It’s a subscription based service of a social/interactive nature based on a fairly highly developed set of software that exists both on the server and as an installable client. AOL develops this software for free, mails it as an enticement to a quabazillion people, and hooks them into the service.
AOL has 26 million subscribers.
Hmmmmm….
What is a PIG? I’m sure you see where I’m going. I saw the base Everquest on the shelves of a store the other day for $10. It’s following the classic life cycle of a single player game. $50, $40, $30, $25, $10 —-> The fabled software bin where you just dump it. How long will it be before PIG gaming companies say to themselves:
“Hey you bloated egotistical piece of crap, let’s have a conversation.”
[Editor’s Note: I’m assuming at least some of them are sado/masochists and like to abuse themselves – perhaps a bad assumption, but we’ll keep it for the entertainment value.]
“Self, we’ve got this really addictive game that we think once a person starts playing, there’s a good chance they won’t stop. And we’re selling the basic unit of this for $10… it’s hardly worth the cost of distributing it, you shameless, money-grubbing phllistine. Isn’t there a better way to do this? I mean, we DO make a monthly subscription revenue off of this.”
“Why YES, you abusive neanderthal. There IS a better way. Let us observe AOL. We could take our base Everquest product and mail it out like mad in cheap little mailing containers to very targeted lists, or give it away at store counters in card board sleeves. Unlike AOL who mails to everyone with a computer and hopes those people will like online services, WE can mail to GAMERS – even offline ones like AD&D targeted mailing lists. Why didn’t you think of this before you fat, lazy, retard?”
“I was busy driving my fooking Porsche you self-absorbed twit. Die.”
“Ok, well screw off. I’m going out for some blank CDs and stamps.”
Yep.
Free.
Why not? It works for some of the internet giants. And I personally know a number of gamers who would probably TRY a PIG for free (free cd + 1 month) but won’t spend $50 and give out their credit card just to TEST it.
Also, let’s take EQ as an example. Who wants to buy the cheap base product only to find out you like it and then go buy Kunark which already HAS the base product? It’s a waste of money. Hell, I ALMOST started a 2nd account in EQ for muling/letting my friend play, but I couldn’t bring myself to piss away the money on another copy. They would probably be collecting the subscription fees from me right now, but for that $10 I didn’t want to blow on the CD.
Personally, I’m NOT buying DAOC or Shadowbane. Them schlubs can damn well mail it to me as a freebie. I DEMAND my rights as a consumer to be ENTICED into purchasing their services through pestering mailings of free crap.
Damnit.
Now what will be truly interesting is this. When this comes – and it WILL come – what will life be like in a PIG that’s populated with people garnered from this kind of marketing? Scary? Maybe… but guess what? There’s nothing you can do about it. Me either. WWHHEEEEE!!!!!!
Hedron
The False Prophet
Gratuitous RP Signature