London-based Kwari is aiming to shake up the multiplayer online gaming scene in a major way with its PC first-person shooter Kwari, which brings real cash to the forefront of frag action.
Kwari, reckons Kwari (that could get confusing), "will potentially change the PC gaming landscape forever" and explains that it's a game where players make money off each other in real-time.
"The game will ultimately be free to download online, but instead of being subscription based it will use a unique free-to-play/pay-to-play model whereby Kwari sells the player ammunition in place of flat rate charges or monthly subscriptions", the company has said.
Players fighting it out in Kwari for cash set up an account, are then matched on the basis of skill and enter a game at a pre-agreed stake level ranging from 1c to $1 a hit.
During the four-round matches (played on three 16-player maps and one 64-player Last Man Standing map called The Killing Floor) every time a player hits another, money is decremented from the target's stake and added to the shooter's.
"In a way, the player's money stake mirrors their in-game health, except it's exchanged from one player to another", says Kwari.
The company additionally plans to include jackpot prizes for which keys are required to unlock. "These jackpots are fed by self-inflicted damage sustained by the players in all games being played globally."
Eh? What? "For example, if a player jumps from the top of an arena or takes damage from a hazard, their stake is decremented and this feeds into the jackpots, which are then released hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly - the latter are expected to pay out millions of dollars. Most importantly; all money paid in to the game by players is won out of the game by players."
Kwari's creative producer Eddie Gill has explained that the idea for Kwari the game was spawned in 2000 at E3, when he saw "Peter McDougall (then-GM of Nintendo Canada) speak at E3 and he said that 'online gaming is thrilling from a consumer point of view, but somewhat more chilling from a business perspective'".
Speaking to Edge magazine, Gill said that what he expects of Kwari - "and it's a big claim" - "is to invent professional gaming. That doesn't mean professional in terms of skills or tournaments. It means money."
"When you play Kwari, you quickly realise that the fact that it's designed around money means it's played in a different way to any other FPS... As the user base grows, eventually we're aiming for a several-million-dollar jackpot that will go to one player. A Kwari millionaire".
Kwari will be available for download nearer the end of the year. You can currently sign up for a beta test programme via Kwari's website. The beta test is due to start next week.
As with poker, some forms of gambling require a degree of skill. But like the hand you are dealt in cards, there elements of luck in online gaming (reliable servers, your ping etc) which to me would put this game firmly in the gambling camp.
And seeing as I'm not one to gamble (ever) this pay-to-play system is not something I'd be interested in.
It's not like they're even doing anything new; there's a load of "free" games out there which offer "premium" content for cash. The only new part is offering cash rewards to the players, which isn't a bad idea. I'm sure they've done their research though and the cash prizes will scale in relation to the number of people paying.
It is a good marketing technique though, since the word "free" will attract the punters, then they'll get owned by spoilt little rich kids and feel that HAVE to pay for stuff or be at risk of never winning.
My other prediction is that a free account will never win a cash prize. Even if items and abilities shift the balance, I think if it looks like a free player could walk away with a million quid they'll fix it so they can't, thereby further enforcing the need to pay.
Hmmm... I wonder what the US DoJ will think about this game with regards to the Safe Port Act. To me it feels like gambling (jackpots?) but since it will supposedly be skill based and not chance I'm not sure how they will classify it.
If it does get classed as gambling they've immediately lost the worlds biggest FPS gaming market. Can't see their business model succeeding without it myself.
I certainly wouldn't play it. Far too many people take games too seriously as it is... imagine if money was involved. You certainly would want to join if you had any doubts about your Internet connection being completely lag free.
I'm not a fan of online games anyway, since I tend to be on the lower rungs of the leaderboard, but at least I don't lose anything from that (except maybe the 'respect' of other players). I can't see this really working out. Then again, gambling is a massive industry - maybe it will find its audience.
Sounds interesting, as they say, they will make their money by selling in-game ammo to players. But what happens if the USA class it as gambling and ban it? or ten other companies launch a similar service/game? Maybe they could do a none gambling version, as the idea of taking the health/points of your kills sounds good, maybe you could use them to buy ammo?
Those that aren't good at the game have to pay lots to play it, while the good players will end up receiving money to play it? Interesting idea but it doesn't seem very "noob" friendly - and if new players are scared away from the game, how will they even get a fan base?
Those that aren't good at the game have to pay lots to play it, while the good players will end up receiving money to play it? Interesting idea but it doesn't seem very "noob" friendly - and if new players are scared away from the game, how will they even get a fan base?
The same way as other gambling games, low stakes games for noobs, leading to higher stakes game latter. I guess they'll move you up from the noobs circle when you've played for a certain amount of time. Or maybe a free area to practice in?
If people put so much effort into cheating right now when the only reward is a higher score and the attention of everyone else on the server, just imagine if these choads could actually get paid for it. No, thanks.
Can't believe no-one (at a quick glance) has mentioned hacking. Surely no one would want to even entertain the idea of risking your own money without an air-tight antihacking system, which I for one don't think exists.
Well no anti-hacking system is airtight, and obviously the more people you have the more risky it is.
But I don't really think that's a big deal, as long as things like aimbots are stamped out fast. After all, you can lose a lot of virtual cash in an MMORPG if someone hacks your account (or guesses the password) and takes rare items.
I think the bottom line is the game will probably have a very small hardcore following but it'll never pick up enough to become mainstream.
I prefer the idea of tournaments with cash prizes (like ESL or Xleague TV) than gambling on casual matches, since they're much easier to moderate and keep fair.
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