Internet pushes the concept of 'free' content, supported by advertising

Iria · Jan 18, 2007, 03:13 AM

Source: IHT
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LONDON: "FIFA 07," a video game for soccer fans, costs around €50 in Europe. In South Korea, five million players have downloaded the online version free — yet Electronic Arts, the publisher, is cheering them on.

Realizing that it was impossible to sell "FIFA Online" in a country where piracy is rampant, Electronic Arts started giving away the game last spring. Once the players were hooked, the company offered for sale ways to gain an edge on opponents; extending the career of a star player, for instance, costs less than $1. Since May, Electronic Arts has sold 700,000 of these enhancements.

The human quest for something for nothing may be inevitable, said Gerhard Florin, executive vice president for international publishing at Electronic Arts in Geneva, "but now at least we have a way to monetize it."

Al_Vampyre · Jan 18, 2007, 11:02 AM

Is 'monetize' even a word?

I must admit though, as soon as I saw the headline of this item I thought immediately of commercial television which has been pushing free content on the back of advertising for years...

I think we're going to see more and more of this style of 'micropayment' it seems to have worked for Bethesda in Oblivion so the model will no doubt be extended.

My only worry is that developers will stop allowing people to produce their own mods for PC games in case they compete with the developers source of revenue, think of the many maps and unofficial expansion packs we as the gaming community would lose out on then

Jan 18, 2007, 03:13 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 87	Internet pushes the concept of 'free' content, supported by advertising Source: IHT __________ LONDON: "FIFA 07," a video game for soccer fans, costs around €50 in Europe. In South Korea, five million players have downloaded the online version free — yet Electronic Arts, the publisher, is cheering them on. Realizing that it was impossible to sell "FIFA Online" in a country where piracy is rampant, Electronic Arts started giving away the game last spring. Once the players were hooked, the company offered for sale ways to gain an edge on opponents; extending the career of a star player, for instance, costs less than $1. Since May, Electronic Arts has sold 700,000 of these enhancements. The human quest for something for nothing may be inevitable, said Gerhard Florin, executive vice president for international publishing at Electronic Arts in Geneva, "but now at least we have a way to monetize it."

Jan 18, 2007, 11:02 AM	#2
Al_Vampyre HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,532 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	Is 'monetize' even a word? I must admit though, as soon as I saw the headline of this item I thought immediately of commercial television which has been pushing free content on the back of advertising for years... I think we're going to see more and more of this style of 'micropayment' it seems to have worked for Bethesda in Oblivion so the model will no doubt be extended. My only worry is that developers will stop allowing people to produce their own mods for PC games in case they compete with the developers source of revenue, think of the many maps and unofficial expansion packs we as the gaming community would lose out on then __________________ "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad" - Brian O'Driscoll - Ireland Rugby Team 2009 Grand Slam winning Captain.