Comments on: US Publishers Can’t Buy Asia’s Virtual Goods Lead http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/ The Business and Design of Free-To-Play Games Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:33:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Top 10 Free To Play Growth Killers « Free To Play http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Top 10 Free To Play Growth Killers « Free To Play Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:38:02 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-71 [...] 5. Rising Development Costs With more prominent developers announcing plans to take advantage of the free to play model, the days of games fueled by ramen noodles and nights in the basement could, once again, be history. EA’s upcoming Battlefield Heroes is the latest big budget free to play game, signaling that the big publishers aren’t content to sit back and let Far East imports eat their lunch. [...] [...] 5. Rising Development Costs With more prominent developers announcing plans to take advantage of the free to play model, the days of games fueled by ramen noodles and nights in the basement could, once again, be history. EA’s upcoming Battlefield Heroes is the latest big budget free to play game, signaling that the big publishers aren’t content to sit back and let Far East imports eat their lunch. [...]

]]> By: NPD Group: 91 Percent of Kids Online Gaming is Free « Free To Play http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-72 NPD Group: 91 Percent of Kids Online Gaming is Free « Free To Play Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:59:54 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-72 [...]   For those of you who read F2P.biz regularly, you might recall an article I wrote about Asia’s virtual goods lead. In it, I talked about Brad and Kyle, my cousins aged 7 and 13 years old from the Southern Ontario [...] [...]   For those of you who read F2P.biz regularly, you might recall an article I wrote about Asia’s virtual goods lead. In it, I talked about Brad and Kyle, my cousins aged 7 and 13 years old from the Southern Ontario [...]

]]> By: consoleer » Blog Archive » We’re In The Money: In the Wake of Free-To-Play, What’s Next For Traditional Models? http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-67 consoleer » Blog Archive » We’re In The Money: In the Wake of Free-To-Play, What’s Next For Traditional Models? Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:23:58 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-67 [...] US Publishers Can’t Buy Asia’s Virtual Goods Lead [...] [...] US Publishers Can’t Buy Asia’s Virtual Goods Lead [...]

]]> By: insun http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-70 insun Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:29:38 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-70 I guess I am one of the Korean invaders. Just a small one. It is true that Korean companies (or Asian companies) are leading the market. But the market is still small compared to the entire gaming market. (No doubt about it's going to be the next big thing though.) What I am afraid is that once US publishers are convinced to pursue thie market, they will get it right with their abundant resource - people, network, brand power and of course money. Not to mention they have more to leverage with. It's a very typical pattern. If there is an emerging market, usually small players gather around. Once the market gets big, only top players survives through M&A or funding then the influx of big fat MNCs. I may be wrong on this. But a barrier to entry is still relatively low. Hence a better chance for US publishers to penetrate the market. I guess I am one of the Korean invaders. Just a small one. It is true that Korean companies (or Asian companies) are leading the market. But the market is still small compared to the entire gaming market. (No doubt about it’s going to be the next big thing though.)

What I am afraid is that once US publishers are convinced to pursue thie market, they will get it right with their abundant resource – people, network, brand power and of course money. Not to mention they have more to leverage with.

It’s a very typical pattern. If there is an emerging market, usually small players gather around. Once the market gets big, only top players survives through M&A or funding then the influx of big fat MNCs.

I may be wrong on this. But a barrier to entry is still relatively low. Hence a better chance for US publishers to penetrate the market.

]]> By: Shanda, Netease and The9 Account for 60% of China’s Online Gaming Market « Free To Play http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-69 Shanda, Netease and The9 Account for 60% of China’s Online Gaming Market « Free To Play Wed, 29 Aug 2007 20:34:02 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-69 [...] to my previous article on the potential acquisition costs of the Asian F2P leaders, Shanda’s seems already unaffordable for all but the most well-heeled Western suitors. [...] [...] to my previous article on the potential acquisition costs of the Asian F2P leaders, Shanda’s seems already unaffordable for all but the most well-heeled Western suitors. [...]

]]> By: El Bob http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-68 El Bob Tue, 28 Aug 2007 05:15:23 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-68 Aye R.B, and another barrier is that the F2P Korean MMOGs are just plain AWFUL. Simplistic, shallow, tedious, boring. Yes they're very pretty but after a few hours play it becomes obvious that the sole reason they exist is NOT to provide a fun play experience, but rather to make a buck. Minimalist hacks cobbled together in months and thrown against the wall to see if they stick is the impression i get. Compare that to the depth and quality of WoW, or the upcoming Warhammer Online, Age of Conan, and Tabula Rasa. There's just no comparison. One major market MMOG that is planning free play is The Agency from Sony, still in pre alpha development. http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/setView/news/gameId/292/showArticle/8562 Aye R.B, and another barrier is that the F2P Korean MMOGs are just plain AWFUL. Simplistic, shallow, tedious, boring. Yes they’re very pretty but after a few hours play it becomes obvious that the sole reason they exist is NOT to provide a fun play experience, but rather to make a buck.

Minimalist hacks cobbled together in months and thrown against the wall to see if they stick is the impression i get.

Compare that to the depth and quality of WoW, or the upcoming Warhammer Online, Age of Conan, and Tabula Rasa. There’s just no comparison.

One major market MMOG that is planning free play is The Agency from Sony, still in pre alpha development. http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/setView/news/gameId/292/showArticle/8562

]]> By: Robert Bracckenridge http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-64 Robert Bracckenridge Sat, 25 Aug 2007 02:04:43 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-64 Better yet, listen to the players, or lack there of... Seems like the answer lies within the community. I do think the cultural differences between the Asian games and those that are achieving a certain amount of success in the West are a little more of a barrier than is being portrayed. Better yet, listen to the players, or lack there of… Seems like the answer lies within the community.

I do think the cultural differences between the Asian games and those that are achieving a certain amount of success in the West are a little more of a barrier than is being portrayed.

]]> By: Steven "PlayNoEvil" Davis http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Steven "PlayNoEvil" Davis Thu, 23 Aug 2007 22:13:05 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-66 And they all have a ton of existing "dead" IP that they could build on - with art assets and perhaps reusable game designs, so they should be able to do this even more cheaply than you are estimating. Time to dust off all of those last generation games, whether they were hits or not. This is actually the brilliant thing that Shanda did. They were hurting badly with their online games since they were becoming dated. Instead of trying to build new games, the company has switched to the Virtual Asset Purchase model with their existing games... and now they are kicking a**. Maybe they'll listen to some business consultants, since they won't listen to the troops? :) And they all have a ton of existing “dead” IP that they could build on – with art assets and perhaps reusable game designs, so they should be able to do this even more cheaply than you are estimating.

Time to dust off all of those last generation games, whether they were hits or not.

This is actually the brilliant thing that Shanda did. They were hurting badly with their online games since they were becoming dated. Instead of trying to build new games, the company has switched to the Virtual Asset Purchase model with their existing games… and now they are kicking a**.

Maybe they’ll listen to some business consultants, since they won’t listen to the troops? :)

]]> By: Steven "PlayNoEvil" Davis http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Steven "PlayNoEvil" Davis Thu, 23 Aug 2007 22:13:05 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-74 And they all have a ton of existing "dead" IP that they could build on - with art assets and perhaps reusable game designs, so they should be able to do this even more cheaply than you are estimating. Time to dust off all of those last generation games, whether they were hits or not. This is actually the brilliant thing that Shanda did. They were hurting badly with their online games since they were becoming dated. Instead of trying to build new games, the company has switched to the Virtual Asset Purchase model with their existing games... and now they are kicking a**. Maybe they'll listen to some business consultants, since they won't listen to the troops? :) And they all have a ton of existing “dead” IP that they could build on – with art assets and perhaps reusable game designs, so they should be able to do this even more cheaply than you are estimating.

Time to dust off all of those last generation games, whether they were hits or not.

This is actually the brilliant thing that Shanda did. They were hurting badly with their online games since they were becoming dated. Instead of trying to build new games, the company has switched to the Virtual Asset Purchase model with their existing games… and now they are kicking a**.

Maybe they’ll listen to some business consultants, since they won’t listen to the troops? :)

]]> By: Steven "PlayNoEvil" Davis http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Steven "PlayNoEvil" Davis Thu, 23 Aug 2007 22:13:05 +0000 http://freetoplay.biz/2007/08/23/us-publishers-cant-buy-asias-virtual-goods-lead/#comment-76 And they all have a ton of existing "dead" IP that they could build on - with art assets and perhaps reusable game designs, so they should be able to do this even more cheaply than you are estimating. Time to dust off all of those last generation games, whether they were hits or not. This is actually the brilliant thing that Shanda did. They were hurting badly with their online games since they were becoming dated. Instead of trying to build new games, the company has switched to the Virtual Asset Purchase model with their existing games... and now they are kicking a**. Maybe they'll listen to some business consultants, since they won't listen to the troops? :) And they all have a ton of existing “dead” IP that they could build on – with art assets and perhaps reusable game designs, so they should be able to do this even more cheaply than you are estimating.

Time to dust off all of those last generation games, whether they were hits or not.

This is actually the brilliant thing that Shanda did. They were hurting badly with their online games since they were becoming dated. Instead of trying to build new games, the company has switched to the Virtual Asset Purchase model with their existing games… and now they are kicking a**.

Maybe they’ll listen to some business consultants, since they won’t listen to the troops? :)

]]>