Friday Update, January 27, 2012

[addman]

Originally Posted by Robert

How can they not be solvent if "RoF is celebrating its inclusion in the Top 100 PC Games of All Time by PC Gamer magazine." (From Jason's Youtube account that I subscribe)

If the case is they are barely solvent and RoF is in the top 100 PC games of ALL time, then what does that say about the market for flight sims? Something to think about?

I've been saying this for a few years prior to the release of CoD. We are in a renaissance in the FS community. I'm beginning to wonder with the high cost and low profit incurred while developing a flight sim, will we be experiencing an extinction of our hobby?

Well to be fair, being included in a Top 100 list doesn't mean it's a commercial success. Look at Bioshock, number 34 on that list, it was a critical darling but didn't sell very well on the PC. The middle market of gaming is almost dead, a market which flightsims belongs to. Triple A titles and indie games are the only ones profitable and a lot is owed to development costs. Imagine if MG made an Angry Birds clone, minimal R&D and maximum profit, times has changed and the economic monster doesn't care about our itsy bitsy little flightsim hobby. If it's not profitable, it will die, playforfree seems to be the way to go in order to attract new audiences, you give people a little taste and if they like it they may have the rest of the dish.

P.S All IMO and a bit off-topic...saaweee!