Online Video Game Networks: A Web 2.0 Centered Examination

The video game industry has made remarkable progress in both sales and general acceptance as a viable entertainment medium. As console use increases, so do the stakes between the major players in the market. Unlike the personal computer market, which grows at a steady rate as technology advances, the console market grows by generations of whole system products. While previous generations have been defined by a doubling of system capabilities (from 8 to 16 to 32 to 64 bit), the current generation has not experienced the same magnitude of improvement and improvement, nor have graphic improvements been as appreciable. Instead, the latest “round ” of this competition has been defined by networked competitive and cooperative play. The major players in the market, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony are in a race to establish the best methods of monetizing the process of buying and selling online gaming using three distinct approaches. All three networks offer full game downloads, game content add-ons, and other media (system themes, music videos, movies, etc.) via their online systems however it is the differences in the online interaction and pricing models which differentiate the competitors. By examining the relative successes in terms of monetary returns and user base, leaders and losers in the race are established. Examining the different affordances of each network toward establishing a cohesive online social gaming offering will shed light on what factors are related t