It LIVES!!!!! - The Next Nightmare For Productivity

So I had completely forgot about a new cccccrrrrrrraaaaaaazzzzzzyyyyyyyy idea from Id Software. Well it’s not that new and crazy but it’s the first time it’s been attempted outside of Korea. Id Software is rolling out with a free, browser based FPS using their Quake brand. I know it’s not the first time it’s been done and there are plenty of browser based MMOs out there making money hand over fist with their free services, and the browser based arcades like GameDuell are thriving corporations. This is really the first time this sort of model has been attempted with the support of a major FPS brand and geared toward competition style ladders and leagues.

It’s very possible to code, support, and serve a program on a budget. I wrote about an earlier game that did that too and was a blast to play, it also used Quake as a background.What’s really exciting about this is that Id Software is planning on fostering a community behind it. Revenue is going to come from ad sales and the sale of “premium membership” which will remove all ads and probably add some other bells and whistles.

The Beta opens up tonight, and I am pretty excited to see how launch will roll out. This launch comes hot off the heels of Gabe Newell’s DICE Keynote speech where he commented that games offered as a service was a likely route to thwarting piracy and a way to keep profits up in tough times. Gabe was one of the folks who worked with Steam, which is a digital distribution platform. Microsoft and other independent companies like Direct2Drive have started such platforms after seeing Steam's success. Since the client will be free, advertising will be very important for Id, and after working with CPA groups like LinkShare.com I am excited to see how the ads served up alongside or in Quake Live will perform.

This could very well be the culmination of the last five years of web2.0 marketing. Everything from in game ad placement, to sponsorships, to PPC, to viral tactics can be used and tweaked till the most effective method is found. This is great for me as user, because I don’t see ads that I don’t care about, and ads I may care about are displayed in the least intrusive way possible (no more ‘after these messages’). This is great for business because they can find the right pricing model that works for both sides and stay profitable.

Either way, Quake III was a lot of fun, and this is what Quake Live is based off of, so its going to be a blast. "Boom - Headshot"