analysis

Gaming And Your Career: Making Money

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Continuing with my weekly obsession in trying to understand what the heck is going on with gaming, I continue with  . . . more of the same.  After all there’s a chance gaming is part of your career plans, and even if it isn’t, it might whether you like it or not.

Up this week, how the hell will anyone make money in video game?

The video game industry always involved gambles, and as some pretty big stinkers and unexpected hits can tell you, some gambles can get pretty odd.  Some series seem to be able to do no wrong, unexpected hits come, guaranteed ideas fail.  Some of this seems to be despite the actual quality of the games themselves.

Of course that’s the way it is, but in the disrupted world of gaming, I’m trying to get a handle on just how people and companies are going to handle the gamble – and make money.  Here’s my theories – with a caveat.

I am trying to piece things together here from a lot of data, information, trends, experience, and gut checks.  I may be totally wrong here, so call me out and explain why, because I really want to get a handle on this.

So on to what I’ve seen. Let’s start with the big names . . .

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Open Education And Opportunities

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When I was at a Zero1 event, I heard about the efforts to use Open Source for education in Malaysia.  This was among many, many things discussed (some of which will find their way into the blog here).  But this got me thinking.

I’ve discussed before the role of “backlog” in media – we have so much made and recorded in various forms, this ever-growing amount of sheer media, that it has made me question how it affects the development of new media.  Novelty, however, is very important in maintaining media interest.

Not as much in education.

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What Vending Machines Mean For Progeeks And Their Careers

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Last week I had my in-depth examination of where I think Coinstar is going, and why they could move into food.  Not a geeky thing on the top, but very pro geek when you look at target audiences and the technology that will be employed.  So, I want to expand on this theory, specifically . . .

If there’s an onslaught of automated vending, what does it mean for we professional geeks?  What does it mean for our careers, beyond, you know, easily accessible coffee.

First, let me explain my pursuit of this in the first place:

  • As noted, I see Coinstar validating vending systems, often unusual ones, with their current plans.
  • There are a lot of vending devices out there.  Be it Shop24, or the bizarre electronic vending machines here in Silicon Valley (really, want to get a DS?  An iPod?), it seems vending machines are slowly becoming more and more common.
  • Vending machines, done right, offer benefits to the consumer: fast, automated service, known stock, constant availability, the potential for useful geographic access, and technical integration.
  • Vending machines, done right, offer benefits to the provider: predictability, 24/7 access, integration with existing technical systems, less human interface.
  • Japan, which is infamous for having vending machines for everything, may show potential for success of increased automation.
  • There is a cultural acceptance of technology that seems to only be increasing.
  • Changes in people’s living due to gas prices, de-suburbanization, etc. could be taken advantage of by companies providing automation.  Or in short, throw the machines where demographics mean you can make money and where you can take advantage of the changes.
  • Machines can be deployed in many ways.  They can be permanent, experimental, even temporary.  They can be mobile – imagine strapping a bunch of vending machines onto a truck and driving that thing around to where it’s needed.
  • Timeshifting.  As sad as it is, some people don’t want to take the time to cook, go to an Apple store, or whatever.  Vending machines provide that.

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