Running a free game as a customer attaction tool. was:Re: Just Out Of Interest

From: "Dan Reed" <danreed@nospamcableinet.co.uk>

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 16:16:59 +0000

> We've just gone commercial with our game (after a lengthy free period),
and
> we're actually keeping the free game running - it attracts people, and it
would
> be a shame to close it down after all the time, too.  Even so, we had a
pretty
> good number of signups.
>
> Enno.
>

Running some form of free game certainly seems to be a good way of
attracting new people. KJC's spacetroopers was recently started, and is
offered free to all current players (and of course new players-
www.kjcgames.com/sfx.htm if you're interested {g})., and I'm sure other
commercial companies are trying it

But where do you draw the line when running the same game both free and
commercially? KJC are planning a pay to play version that allows more than
one group, and will also have extra features not available in the free game.
Do others use just one of the two "limits" on the free game, or even
neither?  It's just that I wonder how well you manage from a commercial
viewpoint to get people to hand you cash if they can get away with playing
the game for free!

Apologies for other commercial companies that also run free to play games,
but as this is the only company that I play with that does this, it's the
only example I can use in any detail....

Dan Reed

References

Re: Just Out Of Interest
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Thu, 13 Dec 2001 12:50:22 +0000
Re: Just Out Of Interest
"The Mad One" <pdse05448@cableinet.co.uk>
Thu, 13 Dec 2001 14:36:36 +0000
Re: Just Out Of Interest
"Enno Rehling" <enno@despammed.com>
Thu, 13 Dec 2001 18:41:29 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Just Out Of Interest
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Thu, 13 Dec 2001 12:50:22 +0000
Re: Just Out Of Interest
"The Mad One" <pdse05448@cableinet.co.uk>
Thu, 13 Dec 2001 14:36:36 +0000
Re: Just Out Of Interest
"Enno Rehling" <enno@despammed.com>
Thu, 13 Dec 2001 18:41:29 +0000