[MUD-Dev] Movies bigger than games? (was Re: Digital Property Law)

[John Buehler]

Matt Mihaly writes:

> On Thu, 29 Mar 2001, A.M.S. Martin wrote:
>
> > But doesn't it strike you that this is only the beginning of a new
> > period in the gaming industry where merchandising *is* aggressive?
>
> No. Games are at a huge disadvantage to movies in terms of
> merchandising. The games industry generates its revenue from a MUCH
> smaller customer base than the movie industry. A game costs $30-$60. A
> movie costs what, $8? (popcorn and such doesn't matter as we're
> talking about box office here. Incidentally though, refreshments sold
> in the theaters are not counted in box office totals, and they would
> add another 50-75% on average to the box office totals, before any
> merchandising).

As much as I abhor merchandising as it only adds to the landfills of the
world, how about incorporating merchandising into the game software?  Not as
part of the game experience, but as a roughly-integrated adjunct.  Following
my 'adventure park' approach to presenting the game entry experience, have a
point where the player can visit the curio shop and buy a raytraced version
of your character in the game setting of your choice.  Or, if we want to add
to the landfills, a Cazic-Thule doll that says "You shall not escape me".
E-commerce to mimic normal commerce.

Or, using the Disney approach quite literally, have the merchandising
portion of the software show up when leaving the game.  Cheesy, but I assume
they do it because it works.

JB

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