Marketing strategies for online entertainment: A snapshot of computer game networks

Online entertainment is projected to be a billion dollar industry by the year 2000 (I/PRO, 1996b). Today, however, only a few companies are willing to risk investing in online entertainment. Computer game networks, an infant industry, are one of the rare group of companies taking that risk. Their success depends in large part on how well they market their products and services to their target audience. They are currently targeting Rogers' (1995) Innovators (hard core gamers) primarily with pull technologies. However, financial success will depend on a) targeting the next segment of adopters, Early Adopters, who will be more oriented toward traditional push technologies, and b) retaining innovators by applying new marketing (and product) paradigms.