UK's The Times becomes WoW pusher this Saturday

by Alexander Sliwinski { Mar 27th 2007 at 9:55AM }

This Saturday, UK newspaper The Times will offer readers a disc with a 14-day trial of World of Warcraft. The edition will also include an eight-page guide to the game. Like a good drug dealer, Blizzard knows that you just have to give a customer that first hit of WoW to keep them coming back for more. The only real difference between a drug dealer and Blizzard is that dealers can't advertise in The Times -- well, not legally.

We can certainly expect Blizzard to start using more unorthodox approaches in growing their customer base. With 8.5 million WoW players, they've got plenty of money to blow on marketing now and continue the march toward the mind-blowing 10 million user mark. Blizzard is sure to announce their upcoming WoW expansion in the next few months, along with whatever new title they're working on.

Tags: addiction, announcement, drugs, new game, pushing, the times, TheTimes, world of warcraft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Devwar @ Mar 27th 2007 9:58AM

Maybe they'll finish their current expansion before they announce the next one.

Lenny @ Mar 27th 2007 10:01AM

I can imagine WoW trial disks coming with everything like AOL CDs did. Even in your box of Boo Berry cereal, maybe with a stick of RAM even!

sheppy @ Mar 27th 2007 10:12AM

I never understood the idea behind pen names...

"I'm going to make a really, really shitty book but I don't want it associated to me unless it does well. I know, I'll release it under a pen name."

Thank you William Lee. erm, um... Burroughs

hamsham @ Apr 4th 2007 8:43PM

Very provocative article! The only difference between the world's best game developer, who has been making really good games consistently for over 10 years, and a drug dealer, is that the game developer is giving away a trial disc in the Times? Thank you for clearing that up for us. That darned game developer...now where are my pitchfork and torch? We'll show them we don't want any of their good games! How dare they foist their games upon us!

Now, if you meant to say, "Like any good game developer, Blizzard knows that you just have to give people a good product to keep them coming back for more," instead of, "Like any good drug dealer, Blizzard knows you just have to give a customer that first hit to keep them coming back for more," please let me know and I'll put my pitchfork and torch away. But then...that wouldn't be very provocative, and where's the fun in that?