Post by hurricanemaxi on Sept 10, 2011 16:46:29 GMT -8
The big problem with Linux users is their aversion to paying for anything, said tech analyst Rob Enderle -- so for Humble Bumble's developers to get customers to voluntarily pay for Linux games is in itself pretty amazing. ... The Linux derivative OS, Android, might well be the platform for change when it comes to Linux gamers parting with their cash.
If you had the option to pick your own price for a computer game that only runs on your Linux rig, would you pay to play? Not if you are a typical Linux gamer. At least, that's the popular perception of fans of free and open source software. Linux is available freely. So why pay for a game -- or any other Linux app -- when the FOSS mantra is based on a no-cost buy-in?
The team behind the Humble Bundle set of computer games is trying to buck the notion that Linux users are cheapskates. That company allowed its customers to name their own prices to purchase and download their software. Then they parsed the results by what OS the downloaders used.
Linux users were the most generous when compared to Windows and Mac game players. In fact, Linux users were often willing to pay more than Mac or Windows users when given the chance to name their own price for the for-purchase game software.
"For each of our Humble Bundle promotions, we have seen that on average Linux users are twice as generous -- if not more -- than Windows users, with Mac users falling in the middle. Linux users have also accounted for nearly a quarter of Humble Bundle's revenue," John Graham, cofounder of Humble Bundle, told LinuxInsider.
Vapor Market or Growing Trend?
Humble Bundle's marketing success with its pay-what-you-like pricing strategy may be nothing more than an anomaly. But with the rapidly growing popularity of Android, Linux users looking for a unique gaming challenge might be on the vanguard of a new pay-for-Linux marketing trend.
"Despite traditional arguments to the contrary, it is clear to us that there is a serious Linux gaming market out there, and we will continue to support Linux in the future," said Graham.
Some industry insiders who ponder buying and usage trends do not see Graham's pay-for-Linux games' success as anything but a passing fancy.
"Well, pure FOSS PC Linux on the desktop is a pretty small share of the [U.S.] market as far as I can tell, so I think that limits the upside even if it's possible that users would pay more in some cases," said Lewis Ward, IDC's research manager for consumer markets: gaming.
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If you had the option to pick your own price for a computer game that only runs on your Linux rig, would you pay to play? Not if you are a typical Linux gamer. At least, that's the popular perception of fans of free and open source software. Linux is available freely. So why pay for a game -- or any other Linux app -- when the FOSS mantra is based on a no-cost buy-in?
The team behind the Humble Bundle set of computer games is trying to buck the notion that Linux users are cheapskates. That company allowed its customers to name their own prices to purchase and download their software. Then they parsed the results by what OS the downloaders used.
Linux users were the most generous when compared to Windows and Mac game players. In fact, Linux users were often willing to pay more than Mac or Windows users when given the chance to name their own price for the for-purchase game software.
"For each of our Humble Bundle promotions, we have seen that on average Linux users are twice as generous -- if not more -- than Windows users, with Mac users falling in the middle. Linux users have also accounted for nearly a quarter of Humble Bundle's revenue," John Graham, cofounder of Humble Bundle, told LinuxInsider.
Vapor Market or Growing Trend?
Humble Bundle's marketing success with its pay-what-you-like pricing strategy may be nothing more than an anomaly. But with the rapidly growing popularity of Android, Linux users looking for a unique gaming challenge might be on the vanguard of a new pay-for-Linux marketing trend.
"Despite traditional arguments to the contrary, it is clear to us that there is a serious Linux gaming market out there, and we will continue to support Linux in the future," said Graham.
Some industry insiders who ponder buying and usage trends do not see Graham's pay-for-Linux games' success as anything but a passing fancy.
"Well, pure FOSS PC Linux on the desktop is a pretty small share of the [U.S.] market as far as I can tell, so I think that limits the upside even if it's possible that users would pay more in some cases," said Lewis Ward, IDC's research manager for consumer markets: gaming.
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