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IGN/GameSpy Tries Hitpoints, Lusts Non-Gaming Market

Posted by simoniker on from the gleaming-the-cube dept.

Thanks to Washington Post/MSNBC for its fairly hagiographic profile of the merged IGN/GameSpy website/game matchmaking network. Among the more interesting comments: "IGN/GameSpy is letting some subscribers download entire games instead of just patches. Firaxis's Civilization III: Play the World is one of the debut titles under the program, called HitPoints... [which] gives away games on a frequent-flier-style basis, determined by how many and what kind of GameSpy subscription programs a user has signed up for." It's also revealed: "Chief executive Mark A. Jung would not mind the company being a Best Buy Co. or Circuit City Stores Inc. He cites Viacom Inc., the vast entertainment and publishing conglomerate, as an example of the multi-brand company he wants IGN/GameSpy to be, one that builds on his core audience." Does IGN/GameSpy accurately represent the mainstream?

4 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. the company being a Best Buy Co. or Circuit City by Grand · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Id rather drive to the store, stand in line, and drive back home instead of sitting through a bunch of flash ad's on their site.

  2. Hardly worth it. by Ykant · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Points to download games. Not a bad idea in and of itself, but I have a problem with how much you have to purchase in order to get the points. It's an annual $24.95 (which will automatically renew every year) in order to use their software(GameSpy 3d) without being interrupted by (very annoying when you just want to get on with playing a game) ads. This is their base products, and I would imagine that this is their biggest seller.

    The average game seems to cost around 600 points. How many points do you receive for the $24.95 annual subscription? Goose egg. Zero.

    Now, they really push the $79.95 package - no ads anywhere on the GameSpy network (and you must admit, they've got some obnoxious ads), a newsletter, and some magazine subscriptions which will likely get you goodness-knows-how-many more additional junk mails and telemarketer calls at home.

    For an extra $10, you get a membership on IGN. And for your $89.95 subscription, you get 1,200 points. To get the "best" deal, 3000 points (which will get you 5 games on par with Prince of Persia SoT or Civ 3), you've got to sign up for the $89.95 subscription for two years. Maybe this is a good deal for someone, but it's not me.

    --
    Spelling, grammar, punctuation? We need something that checks logic.
  3. The answer is... by MMaestro · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Does IGN/GameSpy accurately represent the mainstream?

    No.

    Judging someone's preferences to video games based on what they subscribe to is like judging someone's preferences on food based on what they buy. Sure a college student LOGICALLY likes instant ramen if he buys a Costco sized 48 pack of the stuff every week. But when you take other factors into consideration (budget, time, lazyness, want something to eat a 4 AM while studing for your final, etc) obviously you noticed the data is slanted.

    Same with video games. When you're in college and you're stuck in a small room with 2-4 other guys you've never met until 2 months ago, you're not gonna 'break the ice' with a game like Xenosaga or Final Fantasy. No you're gonna reach for a game like Goldeneye, Halo, or Quake. But when College Calvin goes back home, he MIGHT keep playing those games, or he might go back to his old singleplayer friendly games like turn-based strategy games.

  4. Gamespy and IGN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I really can't wait until these bastards fold and go under. I just want to see them bankrupt and weeping. It's a sad thing that you can make a business out of plagarism and a crappy, nonexistant product.