In a recent interview with IGN John Riccitiello was reported saying,
"Riccitiello also stated in a video interview he expects the digital games business, such as subscription-based services, micro-transactions, and Facebook gaming, to overtake the console market by next year, increasing its current forty percent market share to over fifty."IGN.com
This is interesting considering their recent problems with the Battlefield Heroes free to play game trying to turn it into a Pay to play game. Alone both stories are interesting but put them together and it looks like EA has no idea what the heck they are doing and what their audience ACTUALLY is. After all, it's going to be interesting to see how they get their major free to play MMO, Free Realms. Would it need a name change, like Low Price Realms? Adding to this the disturbing news that Command and Conquer is going to become a free to play browser game or a MMO subscription style one only serves to further confound any lover of the remaining EA franchises.
Considering the problems Id has had with Quake's free to play model as a browser game. Its amazing that ANYONE would want to leap into this area as an alternative to boxed products with ACTUAL revenue stream that isn't based on forced people to pay money for something that they were once getting for free.
And the whole Facebook game industry is so corrupt and insane as far as a reputable business is concerned they might as well be opening store fronts on Ebay at least there would be some regulation.
Considering the upcoming year of incredible game releases it's very hard to understand where Mr. Riccitello is coming from with his statements. Perhaps the unfortunate investments and ridiculous lay offs have put the screws to him. But as history has shown, enthusiastically backing a lame horse doesn't make the horse any less lame or your company any more bankrupt when it's over.
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