With Eidos’ big splash announcement that it will be selling digital download versions of Championship Manager 2010 on a pay-what-you-want basis, starting from just £2.51, are we seeing a change in the future of gaming, or is this just a clever marketing ploy?
The pay what you want technique, first championed in 2007 by Radiohead to launch their ‘In Rainbows’ album, has seen little application by marketers since, despite the album achieving an exceptional number of downloads, as well as incredibly strong physical product sales.
The technique, which has so far, gained extensive media coverage for Eidos, appears to open doors to ‘freeloaders’, who will choose to pay only minimal fees for the game. However, even at £2.51, the increased lift in the number of purchases should see not insignificant income for Eidos and if Radiohead’s foray into the world of pay-what-you-want has set a precedent, then Eidos can also expect to see many purchasers choosing to pay more than the minimum download fee.
So, is this an indication of a shift in the future of gaming?
It is a very clever move by Eidos indeed, with impeccable timing and a perfect PR launch. But it is also much more than that. With increasing levels of in-game advertising and a more spend-thrifty consumer, this looks to be the beginning of a shift in the way we market and consume in our gaming lives. I doubt very much that we will see an overnight shift in pricing strategies from the big game producers, but certainly an incremental shift over the coming few years is likely to demonstrate an increase in pay-what-you-want style game launches.
Jocelyn Kirby
Marketing & Business Development Manager
The pay what you want technique, first championed in 2007 by Radiohead to launch their ‘In Rainbows’ album, has seen little application by marketers since, despite the album achieving an exceptional number of downloads, as well as incredibly strong physical product sales.
The technique, which has so far, gained extensive media coverage for Eidos, appears to open doors to ‘freeloaders’, who will choose to pay only minimal fees for the game. However, even at £2.51, the increased lift in the number of purchases should see not insignificant income for Eidos and if Radiohead’s foray into the world of pay-what-you-want has set a precedent, then Eidos can also expect to see many purchasers choosing to pay more than the minimum download fee.
So, is this an indication of a shift in the future of gaming?
It is a very clever move by Eidos indeed, with impeccable timing and a perfect PR launch. But it is also much more than that. With increasing levels of in-game advertising and a more spend-thrifty consumer, this looks to be the beginning of a shift in the way we market and consume in our gaming lives. I doubt very much that we will see an overnight shift in pricing strategies from the big game producers, but certainly an incremental shift over the coming few years is likely to demonstrate an increase in pay-what-you-want style game launches.
Jocelyn Kirby
Marketing & Business Development Manager
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