[MUD-Dev] AS TECHNOLOGY SCATTERS VIEWERS, NETWORKS GO LOOKING FOR THEM

[Ren Reynolds]

<EdNote: Quote fixed and trimmed>

From: Michael Tresca

> More data about the missing young prime-time audience and their
> gaming habits.

Interesting

When I was in the telco biz I spent a good deal of time looking at
business models for on demand content. Once the initial investment
hurdle was gotten over the case is compelling, especially for this
demographic who unlike older people assume that they can have the
content they want, when they want it.

As well as TV and film I looked at the games industry generally and
similar arguments seemed to apply, especially as the development
cost of a PC \ Platform game is getting so high that when one looks
at distribution and other costs of sale, and especially takes into
account the very short sales window that games have - the current
model does not seem sustainable, unless the games industry goes the
way of the movie industry i.e. its just a money game with a few big
players dominating not only the market but the full value chain,
which is actually what is happening - but still some form of
on-demand delivery of games certainly makes things easier.

But to prove the point if one looks at games on interactive TV
platforms (at least in the UK which is still probably has the most
advanced ones by at least a few years) then not only do you get a
lot of casual play, and a range of business models enabled by the
integrated billing platform these games reach very different
audiences.

But coming on to MUDs, the USP that they have is that they are
always on and totally on demand. The challenge, if one wants to get
into the mainstream market, is whether MUDs can be a satisfying
experience for the casual player - and I take the figure quoted
below of 7.7 hours as at the top of the casual group.

Lastly I wonder if any MUDs are looking at iDTV as a delivery
platform, I think if the social worlds (There, Second Life) could
integrate with set top boxes they would storm the market.

And as a personal point the sooner I can get my fave MMOs on my
mobile, however cruddy the interface the happier I will be - I want
it and I want it now...

/me stamps foot petulantly


Ren
www.renreynolds.com
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