Video game players won't pay for online gaming

In a consumer survey that casts a dark cloud over the prospects for Microsoft

new "Xbox Live" online gaming service, a survey released by the

Interactive Digital Software Association shows that only 6 per cent of game

players are willing to pay anything for the ability to play games over the

Internet.

According to the IDSA, 31 per cent of frequent video game players play

online, up from 18 per cent in 1999. Only 6 percent would be willing to pay to

play, the survey said.

Microsoft announced this week it plans to charge Xbox users a $50 annual fee

to play Xbox games over the Internet. Sony and Nintendo have said they are not

planning to charge customers for such services beyond the special adapters they

will need to hook their PlayStation and GameCube systems up to the Internet.

The lack of broadband access in America has been the major constraining

factor in the development of online game playing. In the aftermath of the

current crisis in the communications industries, widespread broadband access is

not expected until at least 2005.

Other figures from the ISDA survey shows that among frequent players of games

on personal computers, 62 per cent are male and 40 per cent are over 36 years of

age. For game consoles, such as Xbox, 72 per cent of players are male, with the

dominant group of players under 18. More than 96 per cent of PC game buyers, and

over 86 per cent of console buyers are over 18, the group said.