“Open source is finally penetrating the minds of software
executives. However, except for a few notable exceptions games have
remained largely proprietary and closed. Is there a niche for open
source games?”
“Even the staunchest free software advocate has a hard time
making a convincing case that games should be open source. Indeed,
games probably shouldn’t be on the same level as underlying
libraries and protocols. Most arguments revolve around making
the code for the game’s engine open, while charging for the
artwork, music, and levels. This allows the gaming community to fix
bugs, make ports, and maintain the code while letting the game
company take a profit. The problem with this model, is many gaming
companies also profit from licensing their gaming engines.
Releasing their code could have a negative impact on their bottom
line….”
“Whatever your opinions on open source games, you ought to
demand that eventually the company releases some kind of source
code. The market window for most games is tiny. If a game has a
life of more than a couple of months, it is an exception. After a
game has “expired,” most companies stop supporting the product and
no longer release bug fixes and enhancements. It doesn’t take long
until you can’t even play the game you spent $60 on.”