New Pay Scale for Online Games: Bad Idea

The BBC has a nice story on the new pricing models set to evolve in the online gaming market.

There's been discussion for years about the pay-as-you-play model, where initial costs run low (thus encouraging casual players) and upgraded modules increase (thus racking up money from hardcore players). It's a model that, in theory, makes sense -- unless it's done in the wrong manner.

It's easy to see large companies releasing only the worst modules for free, and forcing dedicated fans to shell out money on a consistent basis to get to the better levels, characters, weapons, and the like. It's a dangerous precedent, particularly since the game industries revenues have been skyrocketing over the last few years -- with online game sales surely about to become on the major driving forces behind this (with consoles coming online in full force this year).

If players are forced to pay the ISP fee to connect online, then another fee to enter into player zones (as Microsoft charges), then another fee for the game (to the game company), and finally a fourth fee for online play (again to the game company) -- there is little there that leads me to believe the online market will grow. That will send it flat lining at worst -- and at best, turn the online game market into an even more hit driven, Hollywood blockbuster-esq affair as companies look to develop that one hit which will keep players buying upgrades.