Let the Free Gaming Begin

One of the idea's behind allowing advertisements in videogames is that it will create cheaper games since development costs will be helped by advertising revenue. Thus far, many gamers, myself included, have not seen any of these reduced costs as the prices of many games sit at $59.99. Nevertheless, steps are being taken to provide games that are completely free to the players. For instance, Id Software announced at GDC 2008 that it is working with IGA Worldwide on a free version of Quake.

The game, title Quake Live, will be completely free fo rthose who want to play. While it surely will not be as popular as the more powerful PC and console versions of Quake, it does have a mainstream appeal. A free program will certainly allow anyone who wants to play access to the game, which as the article points out has the potential to build a huge community. All in all it is a good step for video game advertising and if successful, could lead to more free games.

Since hearing about Quake Live, I am more than willing to play the game once it goes online. Currently it cost $60 for me to go out and buy a new game, which as a college student, means i dont get new games all thta often. As I am limited to only being able to buy a few games, I am missing out on numerous titles that i would love to be playing were it not for the cost. Quake Live is a great example of how advertisers and developers can address the high costs of the industry and provide an alternative to the pricey console game market.