An interesting thought I had concerning The Matrix Online and monthly fees (or lack)

[Lise]

Bah, the end of the title should say "or lack thereof." Ah well.

Anyway, while thinking about the whole WoW situation and how a lot of people think it'll be free (and how that is a common complaint MMOGs get), I realized something about The Matrix Online game that is currently under development. It is in the unique position to NOT offer a monthly fee via one thing: advertising.

There has been some gouging in recent years of monthly fee prices in the MMOG market. Hell, look at SWG, for crying out loud. Even so, however, they are necessary; despite what the kiddies might think, the costs of maintaining servers of that size and providing them with sufficient bandwidth (especially today) are astronomical. Thus, we must pay to play.

Many people have suggested advertising as a possible alternative for revenue. The traditional and quite valid counter-argument (up until now) was that there was no way to make it really mesh well with any existing MMOG. For instance, how real would it seem if the dragon you're fighting suddenly started mouthing off about the latest car models? Or what about the Quest for the Holy Oral-B Cross Action toothbrush? Or god forfend that you simply put popups in the game - the loss of subscribers from something like that would make the income from the ad deal pointless.

The Matrix Online, however, has one very, very interesting facet to it: it takes place in (at least a virtual) modern city. Advertising wouldn't look out of place AT ALL in such an environment. In fact, brand-name advertising would add to the realistic atmosphere. Add to the fact that putting the Matrix label on it will ensure it sells like mad (even though it blew chunks the recent Enter the Matrix game did gangbusters) and a good deal with a single large company (Coca-Cola for instance) would pay for the server costs for a year. Get enough corporate sponsors who get ad space and you could dispense with the monthly fee altogether.

Just food for thought...

[Revenant]

Before I go and slay a couple Orcs. I need the freshing lift only Pepsi Cola could provide...

[Incompetent]

Interesting...

While that could work with MMOs like TMO that are set in "the now" for lack of a better expression, it seems like it's a dead end because the vast majority of games... aren't. Noone wants to see gaming become commercialized with a pepsi logo on their health potions or a Ford logo on their tank, and i don't think it's a good idea to encourage the advertisers even when it would be a practical solution.

The advertizing industry is a cancer as far as i am concerned, these days if it doesn't have a logo or endorsement it just doesn't happen. It's sickening. Gaming is one of the few places they haven't managed to get a firm foothold, and TMO just seems to be inviting the vampire into the house.

[Doppler]

I'been waiting for Earth and Beyond to do somehting like this, they already have advertisements for in game companies. Neocron (a great game but with a shitty pvp model) already is based in a city and could do something like this.

[Happy lil Elf]

People actually think WoW will be free?
That's so cute

[Spider]

Bah it's doable :o when you look at newyork there is a ton of billboards... they could do the same and make money out of it... making it free :o making more subscribers... making thus more money

I just woke up don't bug me on grammer or spelling or anything!

[Happy lil Elf]

With The Matrix Online I think it's definately a workable solution. I don't know that it would bring enough money in to offset the need for a subscrition fee entirely but it could certainly be used to reduce it. Of course they could also very well just charge people the money anyways and just take the ad dollars on the side as additional profit

I'm just amazed anyone thinks WoW will be free. I mean if you look in the FAQ on the official website it states there will be a monthly fee, it just hasn't been determined what that fee will be yet ($20 on 12.95 a month ).

[Drinky]

The advertizing industry is a cancer as far as i am concerned, these days if it doesn't have a logo or endorsement it just doesn't happen. It's sickening. Gaming is one of the few places they haven't managed to get a firm foothold, and TMO just seems to be inviting the vampire into the house.

I agree. Even though i wouldnt be to botherd with selling of like billboard space or somthing like that, somthing that isnt too obtrusive, most companies would push for more than that (they always do). Pepsi logos on health potions for instance wouldbe going too far, it would make a game feel like a big piece of advertising.

[MilitantB0B]

Originally posted by Happy lil' Elf

People actually think WoW will be free?
That's so cute

After looking into all the information I could find about the Matrix Online, I can't wait to take my red pill. For those of you who don't know, the game basically let's you pick between two sides to fight for. Those who wish to free the human race from the Matrix (good guys) and those who have been freed, but want to remain locked into the Matrix's false reality (bad guys). Fighting is suppossed to be pretty cinematic, resembling a lot of the "wire-fu" matrial arts from the movies....not to mention the ability to be packing as much firepower as Neo and Trinity did in the Lobby scene of the first Matrix movie. It's even rumored that a player or "Crew" (which I think will be this game's version of clans) will even be able to fight Agents. They're rumored to be to this game like Dragons are to other MMO's, if you don't level you character and make sure they've got the top of the notch equipment --- you're dead. Unfortunately, you'll never have any "real world" gameplay. The entire game takes place while you're jacked into the Matrix. I'm interested in the role Operators will play in the game, if they'll even be in it at all.

As you can probably see, I got extremely bored and decided to go on a hunt for knowledge. The Matrix Online sounds like a really great idea that will hopefully deliver everything it promises. See you there, next summer.

ghost