Making a product
free has its risks, but often the benefits seem to outweigh these
risks. One risk, however, is that adopters might scoff in indignation
when that same company turns around and starts charging for some of
their products. The gaming community has seen this practice for
years, and the reception has been mixed. Often, game companies will
put out free games that are gutted versions of a fuller, more robust
experience. To gain access to the larger experience, players will
have to purchase something. Many games are offered free with many
smaller upgrades available—this practice is known as
“micro-transactions.” Download the game, play it for a while and
if you decide you like it, it's up to you how much you want to spend.
It doesn't sound like a bad model from the outside, but many gamers
fervently resent this approach. They'd rather an entire, completed
game be released instead of a partial experience. Yet the company
marketing gurus argue that this model makes more money for the
company than a full release would have—the free offering at the
beginning gets many more interested and addicted to the game.
As seven alien races struggle to co-exist in an uneasy alliance, the Inter-Stellar Union sends Union Guard agents on missions to preserve the crucial balance. These specialized operatives must do what regional security cannot, dealing with smugglers, pirates, terrorists, and even greater challenges in order to bring stability to a universe that needs it desperately. Without the Union Guard, the races will not be prepared to face a looming alien threat they can only hope to defeat together.
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