Online Generation May Be More Lucrative for Video Game Publishers The next generation of online gaming could be game consoles like the Xbox 360 rather than the PC. Each of the next console
installments from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo will all be Internet-enabled, which game enthusiasts say will lead to a crumbling of walls that will see massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming go
mainstream. Some industry observers say Microsoft's Xbox Live Internet network has already gained share from the PC-dominated online gaming sphere, with titles like Halo2 and the arrival of its new
system. The online service offers multiplayer competition and skill-matching, voice and text chat, buddy lists and shopping--everything that's necessary for MMO gaming success. Gamers told Reuters.com
that they like the fact that you can't modify a gaming console because it levels the online playing field, as some hardcore gamers spend thousands of dollars upgrading their PCs to be faster and to
add more data. Gamers also said the Xbox Live is a much more user-friendly online experience than many community-oriented online PC games. From an economics perspective, MMO games, which can cost up
to $15.99 per month in addition to the $50 retail price tag, should give game publishers the added revenue boost to make it worth their while to produce more Internet-enabled community games. Experts
also agree that this next generation of consoles "will be the online generation."
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