Why is this game free? And will it always be free?
This is a nostalgic project for me. I played the original Space Monopoly as a kid with my father and brother. Back then games were loaded on cassettes, the Internet didn’t even exist.
Name change
I changed the name. Partly because I don’t want to upset the lovely people at Hasbro. They have more expensive lawyers than I do. More importantly, the original title was misleading. While it is essentially an online board game, it’s very different from Monopoly. The only similarity is that it involves money. There’s no chance, jail or Mayfair. Not that I don’t like Monopoly, it’s a great game; I have a Star Wars set myself, but Space Start Up 3D is different. I don’t want to confuse people.
So, why free?
This is a hobby project for me. It scratches an itch. I’ve spent a bit of money creating it, but it’s not a business. The main “client”, if one exists, is myself. I love playing the game. If others share my enthusiasm, then marvellous, I’ll be delighted.
Unlike most games, I don’t see an obvious route to monetisation. Apart from adding a bunch of ads, which I’m loathe to do, nothing jumps out. There are no weapons to upgrade, extra lives to buy, or funky clothes for one’s avatar. In short, no need for a shop.
Brand awareness
The only benefit “I might get” is brand awareness. There are 5 companies, and I can name them as I wish. I run FortressDB, which is included as a name, the others are friendly companies I know. The only exception being “Georgie Pi”. It sounds sci-fi-ish, but is actually named after my daughter.
Caveat
There always has to be one. In the unlikely event that the game goes viral, and server charges soar through the roof, I might have to revisit this, if only to cover costs.
If at all possible, I’ll find a way to keep it free. As mentioned, brand awareness might be the answer, as are e-sports and tournaments.
I don’t envisage this as being a likely problem. For every Angry Birds there are many more who fall by the side.
For the foreseeable future it’s FREE. So enjoy!