Other way around: New MMOFPS actually pays its players

When you talk about an MMO, you normally think of people paying a company to play a massively-multiplayer online game. London-based games publisher Kwari, announced its new multiplayer online gaming service, which does things the other way around.

You see, the company’s FPS (also named Kwari) lets players make money off each other in real-time. Intrigued yet? Read how after the jump.

Gamers playing Kwari for cash set up an account, are matched on the basis of skill, and enter a game at a pre-agreed stake level ranging from one cent to one dollar a hit. During the matches, every time a player shoots another, money is deducted from the target’s stake and added to the shooter’s. In a way, the player’s money stake mirrors their in-game health, except it’s exchanged from one player to another.

There are also jackpot prizes which require keys to unlock. These jackpots are fed by self-inflicted damage sustained by the players in all games being played globally. For example, if a player jumps from the top of an arena or takes damage from a hazard, their stake is deducted and this feeds into the jackpots, which are then released hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly—the latter are expected to pay out millions of dollars. Most importantly; all money paid in to the game by players is won out of the game by players.

Being a game of skill, how much money a player can win depends partially on their in-game performance. So to ensure a level playing field, the games are said to be skill-matched so that only players of equal ability are able to compete.

“Money changes everything,” said Eddie Gill, founder and creator of Kwari. “I wanted to create something that had more of a buzz than a traditional FPS. The concept of playing for money is not a new one. However, these games tend to be an existing multiplayer game with a cash prize tagged on the end, much like clan tournaments, which means only a minority walk away with cash winnings—and usually a small amount at that.”

The game will be free to download online, but instead of being subscription-based, it will use a free-to-play/pay-to-play model where the publisher sells the player ammunition in place of flat rate charges or monthly subscriptions.

Pretty slick, considering that everyone needs bullets to play an FPS. After all, a company does need to make money if it wants to stay in business. Stay tuned for more news on Kwari.