Dead Space In Your Face: Gaming and Rent-Seeking

Well, that was quick.

Last week I was discussing how monetization was going to be an issue in your gaming career – since there were many options that would obviously affect how you get paid.  Or if you get paid.  Or if you have any hope in hell of success.  Well, now I’m still talking about it – along with my current obsession of analyzing game careers, of course.

One of my inspirations for that post, by the way, was the weird news in Dead Space 3 about how one could purchase quicker collection of crafting materials.  Yes, a big console game that just happens to let you act like you’re in a typical free-to-play game, in a way that seemed kinda obvious.

EA was appropriately and mercilessly skewered by Penny Arcade, as was appropriate.  However they were also skewered by resource collecting bugs that made the micro transaction thing a null issue.

I’m wondering if they’ll patch it or not.

Here we see another risk to gaming – and a factor to take into any gaming career you may want to have.

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I am morally required to post this

Penny Arcade needs a Merchandise Manager

I love doing this blog.  I love the emails.  I love the seminars.  But I also love being able to type the words "Penny Arcade needs a Merchandise Manager" and post a LINK to that (and the fact it's on one of my crush objects, LinkedIn.com, makes this all the sweeter).

A geek triumph of media is recruiting a person, for a paid position, and using the ultimate business networking site.

I am PLEASED.

– Steven Savage