Just something to think about, mrstickball. I don't really have a big argument to make.
There will be some notable ongoing costs I'm sure, as Facebook can't host and maintain things for free.
And I would guess that revenue per user is lower for a one-click buy-in like a Facebook game, and something you have to navigate to on its own website, like Maple Story. Facebook provides a lower barrier to entry, even if it is not a difference in minimum cost.
I was mostly responding to the OP, where the article claims:
"It also makes the console business model look as outdated as records and CDs as compared to MP3s."
Well, the music business is not really booming on MP3s, but regardless, the console model does not look outdated. It mentions ODST and Wii Fit in the opening line. If Farmville makes $120 million bucks this year (as someone mentioned as a projection for the entire dev company), that's about the same amount ODST made in the first week, and half what it will make over its life (considering price drops). If Farmville brings in $25M a month, that's $300M a year from 58M users, while Wii Fit brings in $300M from every 3.33M customers, a mark it has crossed 6 times over.
Edit: that's not to say they can't or don't monetize the game well, or that it isn't a huge success story, I just thought the opening article got carried away.
I think I've probably blocked the app. Haven't noticed it recently.
"[Our former customers] are unable to find software which they WANT to play."
"The way to solve this problem lies in how to communicate what kind of games [they CAN play]."
Satoru Iwata, Nintendo President. Only slightly paraphrased.
