More on Open Source marketing (see James' site) that I noticed from the UKTrainSim site. Kuju who produced the original Microsoft Train Sim are about to produce a new game in association with Electronic Arts(EA). It also seems that right from the start they involved members of the rail sim community to better improve their product and ensure (or attempt to ensure) that the product will meet the requirements of the current train sim community.
The interesting thing about the train sim community is that it already develops its own 'versions' of rail routes, engines, carriages and trucks, which creates additional aspect of the product and allows new and diverse scenarios for owners to play about with. One such community is going to be heavily involved with this new sim (together with other sims currently in development). Whilst none of this is cutting edge, new or particularly mainstream, it is another illustration of how brands and communities are working together and, I guess, being at worst influenced, and at best led by communities - communities dominating brands.
Posted by Paul Goodison at July 6, 2005 03:38 PM | TrackBack