One Way to Make a Killing

by Carlos Menezes

From severe addictions to online role-playing games to political riots in Second Life we’ve seen quite a few weird activities in virtual worlds, with some of them bordering on being distinctly disturbing (I don’t know about you but the thought of a rabid mob attacking my virtual offices with a volley of gunfire and an exploding pig isn’t going to make me sleep any better).

Now comes this story courtesy of The Times (with the full story at The Times Online): ‘Shoot ‘em ups’ just got real.

Well, in a financial sense anyway.

Fill somebody with enough lead in Kwari and you get money - their money to be precise. Similar to poker, players enter the game with a pot of money and if they get killed a portion of that money transfers to their killers.

Frikkin’ fantastic. Not enough that we have 10 year old kids burying people in cement in Grand Theft Auto and listening to 50 Cent rap about how people should ‘get rich or die tryin’ but now we’re providing them with financial incentives to kill their peers.

Social commentary aside, picture the branding opportunities for companies here. Imagine that thanks to your trusty Nike 720 Assault Rifle’s improved accuracy over the cheaper, more common Reebok XAS you end up making a small fortune.

Virtual equipment development on an open platform? Well we’ve already seen it in some instances, but with Kwari taking the seriousness of virtual worlds to a new level this may become a truly competitive industry.

Think of the branding of a Rolex sniper rifle, only wielded by the elite who have made enough money to purchase it. I can see the positioning copy, “Provides a clinical, elegant kill for the distinguished assassin.” Or the Volvo Kevlar Vest – “safety first.”

Ok, maybe not - but some kind of in-game competitive product development from sponsors in a less extreme scenario (think of customized Bridgestone tyres for your Need for Speed ride) is surely not that bizarre a concept. After all this would just be an interactive evolution of product placement.

Users are taking these games ever more seriously, and any backing provided by a brand is going to be well received. As tennis players have their favourite racquets and football players their favourite boots is it really that far a stretch to imagine that a virtual sports-star will also want the best virtual equipment?

2007/09/06 | permalink | comments (2) | trackbacks (0)

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Anthony on The Democratic Alliance's Online Plan

Thanks for the article Kat, and you were spot-on in response to Shaun: my resources comment was not so much about being able to afford an online presence (most political parties in SA - all the ones you've heard of - have one); it was more about the fact that you need to have the human resources to sustain what you initiate. As an example, we started SA Today in response to ANC Today, and we've sustained it week in and week out (as has the ANC, even if its President has decided not to continue where his predecessor left off). Both the ID and the IFP have started similar initiatives, but they find it difficult to sustain, so it ends up being occasional, rather than weekly.
In response to Nic, providing strong principled opposition and defence of the constitution is a key part of the DA's brand, and one of the key things our supporters and potential supporters want from us. But the second important thing potential DA voters want (most important for many) is for us to offer solutions to the country's problems. We do that through a comprehensive policy platform which is effectively a manifesto of what we undertake to do if elected to government. That doesn't mean we don't recognise the enormity of the challenge ahead of us.
Kat on Can You Put the eMarketing Textbook in the Hands of Someone Who Needs It?

@Hilary, you can actually already order a hard copy directly from the website, just follow this link www.quirk.biz/emarketingtextbook/buy
we'll definitely let you know when it's in book shops as well though :)
@mike Less tree killing is always a good idea. The cd idea is intriguing, and would probably be great for people who have limited connectivity but are keen to learn.
Hilary Cross on Can You Put the eMarketing Textbook in the Hands of Someone Who Needs It?

Hi Kat, please let us know when the hard copy is out, I'd definatley like to purchase one for myself.
Thanks,
Hilary
Mike Metelerkamp on Can You Put the eMarketing Textbook in the Hands of Someone Who Needs It?

Kat, this is proving to be quite a mind bender...
How about creating those mini cd's and trying to get them inserted into some marketing/business/IT text books - or give them to universities to hand out in lectures?
Really cheap and less tree killing :)
Mike

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One Way to Make a Killing

by Carlos Menezes

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