Article: The serious business of online games. (some owners turning away from subscription revenue reliance)

To bill or not to bill: that seems to be the question as the online gaming business threatens to become big business.

Owners of game sites are determining whether revenue from advertising and sponsorships will offset the absence of subscription revenue.

One of the most prominent players in the field, Mpath Interactive, recently reversed field from a $19.95 flat monthly fee for its Mplayer gaming site to a free zone.

Most of its 15-game rotation, including id Software's popular Quake and classics such as Scrabble, are now free. That's the only way Mpath figured it could significantly broaden the market to draw PC garners not yet online. "The way we looked at it, ...

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