Playing for Profit: How Digital Entertainment Is Making Big Business Out of Child's Play

A little over a century ago, an intense explosion of technical innovation transformed the way we spent our leisure time. Inventions like the phonograph, television, radio, and motion pictures sparked a revolution in entertainment that captured the hearts--and the wallets--of the average consumer. In recent years, we've seen some improvements on these feats: LPs disappeared and made room for CDs, movies were augmented by computer-generated special effects, and video games became a staple for home computers. But for the most part, few modifications have been made to our traditional forms of entertainment for almost 100 years. That's about to change. With the exciting emergence of digital interactivity, we're about to take a huge leap forward, reshaping and reinventing virtually every form of entertainment we know. Veteran technology journalist Alice LaPlante and technology consultant Rich Seidner explain the massive changes in technology, entertainment, and culture that are forcing this latest revolution, opening up a whole new market that extends beyond electronics-savvy teenage boys. Playing for Profit examines how digital interactivity will affect the future of the technology and entertainment businesses, demanding new rules, different players, and bigger profits. It takes an insightful look into the strategies and methods that are driving the digital entertainment and interactive gaming industries, dissecting the thinking behind such issues as product innovation, market domination, risk taking, attracting and nurturing visionary employees, and unparalleled customer service. This engaging book outlines how the entire entertainment industry will be redefined and how the current business models found in radio, recorded music, television, and computer games will be affected. The authors explain how rapid and powerful changes in technology are already shaking up the status quo: In the music business, for example, Internet-savvy musicians are becoming Web-based recording labels, and traditional recording labels are beginning to irk radio conglomerates by broadcasting over the Internet, selling directly to consumers via e-commerce. You'll learn how the forces of evolution are creating new roles for all entertainment providers, especially the computer games industry, which is finally maturing as it reaches a new audience--girls and adult women--and makes a home in cyberspace. This lively account of the fast-paced, high-risk world of interactive entertainment also includes: * Candid, compelling interviews with industry insiders. * Dramatic examples of how innovators in the entertainment business are breaking all the rules and ignoring traditional industry boundaries. * A behind-the-scenes look at groundbreaking digital entertainment start-ups. Playing for Profit offers valuable lessons for managers in entertainment and technology companies and will dazzle the enthusiasts who follow the successes and failures of this remarkable industry. An inside look at how emerging digital technologies are revolutionizing the entertainment business. "LaPlante and Seidner are master storytellers of the events of the digital age."--Steve Fowler, Senior Vice President, The 3DO Company "LaPlante and Seidner take us on a whirlwind tour of entertainment possibilities in the new millennium."--Bruce Leichtman, Director, Media & Entertainment Strategies, The Yankee Group "A must read for anyone in, or interested in, the digital entertainment] industry. Armed with this book, you can feel confident that you are prepared for the digital revolution "--Ken Rutkowski, CEO Tech Talk Broadcasting, Inc. "The authors deliver keen insights into the value of interactivity, including the technologies and fascinating people who are changing the way we are entertained, informed, and educated."--Gary H. Arlen, President, Arlen Co