Of course you have to pay to play, lol, the games aren't free.

$10/month for a selection of titles that change up periodically or you can just sign up for a free account and only pay for the games you want, just as you would with any consoles, with the difference being that the game is entirely digital.

Also, I don't know if all the console guys are necessarily "running scared". For one Sony just bought Gaikai, so they are clearly aiming at going the streaming route. Now we just need to see where this Playstation Mobile thing is going, but still, I think Sony is clearly showing that they aren't "running scared" but rather "moving towards".

I know, but it mentioned it because the way the article is written it seems that Wright includes cloud gaming, so OnLive and Gaikai, in the same group as free-to-play, and my point was that Onlive isn't (Gaikai only has demos so they don't charge).

couldnt agree more. but honestly a lot of these d*ck heads who dont work on AAA tittles have been saying for so long that the "old way" of playing and creating video games is going to die. that AAA tittles arent gonna be in the future. i would like to tell everybody who says such a thing to kindly go screw them selfs :) tens of millions of fans around the world love games like mass effect, uncharted, COD and so on. these games that are growing and making hundreds of millions in profit are not going anywhere. i read an article that angry birds the most successful mobile game has made 70 million dollars in revenue, that a lot yes. but skyrim generated about 450 million in just its launch period. COD generates billions. yeah console guys are running away fast!! 

This.   We've seen EA speak to this, and others.   Consoles are becoming increasingly hit or miss.  You have to produce an AAA game to compete but if it doesn't sell - you're screwed (much like hollywood blockbusters).   Xbox Live, Wiiware, PSN, iOS, Android and soon probably cloud allow small companies to compete and allow consumers to buy without making a $60 purchase. 

True these models are generally pay but don't have to be.   Lots of iOS/Android games are free to play (ad supported).  Ad supported or micro-transactions could and no doubt will migrate over to other digital services including console and cloud.    When people can get AAA games free, the incentive to buy other ones will greatly diminish.   I think this is what WW is getting at.

This article pretty much sums up Microsoft and Sonys gaming approach.

"It adds more opportunities, too. You have a lot of people who are able to do a lot with small teams and low costs,” he added" Sums up MSs increased efforts with XBLA.

"It used to be big companies doing triple-A titles on consoles is where all the money is" and "On the plus side there’s very little risk in trying something new, as opposed to spending 40 bucks on a game and maybe you’ll like it and maybe you won’t,” Pretty much sums up what Sony does and needs to change.

Console makers arent running scared.....well at least MS isnt for they are the only ones actually embracing this.

I Gotcha.

This being in the side bar made me laugh.

It IS pay to win = easy money = crappy games (unbalanced, lack of interest in improving, ''deal with it'', etc) = frustrated players = [  :(  ]... and don't make me talk about MMO's... u_u

Dust 514

Gundam Battle Operations

DC Universe Online

Free Realms

All free to play on PSN, with Guildwars 2 being rumored for PS3 as well, which is also Free-to-Play (Requires initial purchase, but is a no monthly cost MMO, hence F2P)

http://www.psu.com/a016035/Guild-Wars-2-might-come-to-PS3

Sony has also just aquired Gaikai, which is obviously for streaming purposes, so to say that Microsoft are the only ones embracing it is a flat out lie.