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[EntropyRising]

notgordian

The nature of ARGs does seem to make it difficult to use products as a revenue source. I don't want to discount it yet, but you've brought up good points.

[ItWasntMeISwear]

p

[EntropyRising]

Re: Just throwing it out there

[Rekidk]

Re: Just throwing it out there

[EntropyRising]

Trusted 3rd party

[ItWasntMeISwear]

p

[DerKork]

I'm new to this stuff so here's what I think might work:

1) When using an ARG to promote a product:
Name-dropping - if your characters refer to that product (while it doesn't have to be the main focus of the game) on a regular basis, the advertising would probably be less noticed. The effect of an ARG - while being slightly different from "classic" advertising - can lead to an enhanced recognising of the product by people who usually ignore classic ads.

2) When using an ARG on its own:
Set up a merchandise store (cafepress anyone?) so everyone who is involved gets access to stuff related. Illustrations and great one-liners on T-shirts could help you making an ARG at least pay for itself. If the merchandise could help enhance the experience of the game by showing clues (while still looking good), why not?

Just my two cents.
(The author has no experience in advertising or merchandise trade and therefore is not a qualified source)

[konamouse]

Cafepress et al - with fun memories of the ARG, unfortunately, don't make that much money for the site owner. Like $1 out of $10 spent. But if it's a GOOD ARG, then many people might want souveniers, it could generate a few bucks...but not enough to make ARG a profitable business.

Dave S. tried that in a bigger scale with book sales. During Urban Hunt he published Dead Poems, a book that was part of the story but also available for purchase by the players (yes, I got one). He could tell you more about that side of the business. For CTW2, he published a comic book - as part of the story the main character had created this comic book and it was integrated into the game. But in neither case did any player have to buy the product to play the games.

[Caz]

 Cost to Profit Rate

[konamouse]

The biggest cost is personal time. Human hours and hours. Sure they are donating their time in a grassroots game. But that is why so many fail - the need to devote so much time that is unpaid. We have to put food on the tables and gas in the cars, which requires jobs that earn a paycheck.

If you think playing a game takes time, you should try PMing a game. Labfly told me it was a "full time job" while she was doing Sammeeeees. Unpaid. And she made & mailed/shipped out T-shirts and other packages. And she seriously devoted herself to the game with very little help (her acting friends only did the work on-camera, she did all the emails herself). Her only real help was Wendy, who did the packing & shipping (and the phone calls as "herself" when we were trying to contact Betty via Wendy's phone).

Ask Dave about his time spent in the first CTW. He was working at a real job, and he had a number of BTS folks helping out with some of the characters and some of the websites; the but the puzzles were all his, as was the adjustments needed when we (players) got stuck. And he had to direct his BTS folks who were only told very minutely what they needed to know, and only just when they needed to know (and nothing more, since most of us were also playing the game). That was a HUGE time committment for him. Of course, he later turned that into a full time job himself, but I'm sure he can share lean time stories (and the poor profit margin for CafePress).

I'm still thinking that outside funding via advertising is going to be the fundamental means for profit in ARG. If profit is your only goal.

When the goal is to tell a good story, then you can't think about profit, but you have to be totally committed to the process.

Pay-to-play may work if you have a very good reputation. I thought Virtuquest had that rep, and I was willing to pay-to-play (and it was only $5). But after Township Heights, I'm not happy with the outcome and won't be bothered with them for a long time (sorry VQ, you had something going well but you dropped the bucket too quickly at the end - where is that $25 you promised me?).

[Mikeyj]

[Caz]

[FLmutant]

[Phaedra]

[konamouse]

I like that analogy. Build the fan base, then sell the T-shirts.

Like a musician. You give it away for free to get the fans. Then you start charging a little bit and the fans come, they spread the news (word of mouth) and get you more fans. If you get airplay and more fans you can charge more for your music. You sell a song first, then you sell the album. You get a bigger venue and sell more tickets. You sell more Tshirts. You make millions. If you're good.

But you still started out starving like all the others. And so many fail. Fortunately, the cream rises to the top.