http://insertcredit.com/2011/09/22/who-killed-videogames-a-ghost-story/
A remarkable insight into the mechanics behind monetization in social games, occasionally featuring Everybody's Favourite Game Company and the recently-condemned The Sims Social.
TL,DR warning- it goes on a bit. It's worth sticking with, though- here's a snippet from chapter 5:
"An ex-drug-dealer (now a video game industry powerbrain) once told me that he doesn?t understand why people buy heroin. The heroin peddler isn?t even doing heroin. Like him or not, when you hear Cliff Bleszinski talk about Gears of War, he sounds ? in a good way ? like a weed dealer. He sounds like he endorses what he is selling. When you?re in a room with social games guys, the ?I never touch the stuff? attitude is so thick you?ll need a box cutter to breathe properly."
-Nick
A remarkable insight into the mechanics behind monetization in social games, occasionally featuring Everybody's Favourite Game Company and the recently-condemned The Sims Social.
TL,DR warning- it goes on a bit. It's worth sticking with, though- here's a snippet from chapter 5:
"An ex-drug-dealer (now a video game industry powerbrain) once told me that he doesn?t understand why people buy heroin. The heroin peddler isn?t even doing heroin. Like him or not, when you hear Cliff Bleszinski talk about Gears of War, he sounds ? in a good way ? like a weed dealer. He sounds like he endorses what he is selling. When you?re in a room with social games guys, the ?I never touch the stuff? attitude is so thick you?ll need a box cutter to breathe properly."
-Nick