Have you a grudge that's been festering deep in your soul? Want to a settle an old score or just decided that this town ain't big enough for the two of you? Eve wanted to do all that and make some money off it at the same time? Well, that's what you'll get to do with London based game company Kwari which this week announced the release of a new multiplayer gaming service that will revolutionize PC gaming.

How is this possible? Simple. Kwari's game is not just another FPS; there's a twist deep inside all that technical jiggery pokery. The players of the game will not only face off against each other in real time, but will also have some cash neatly dropped into their pockets while they do so. The game is free to download, but the game makes itself a profit with a new pay scheme where you don't buy time to play but by ammo to pay with. Cool, huh?

This turns your ordinary everyday MMO, where people know you(your character at least) and you slowly garner an identity that the other players will come to know where they come to love or hate it. Kwari turns the tables by turning the social setting into the Wild West Saloon of yore where there was money on the table, a hand on your gun, and your eyes on everyone around you. Plyaers of Kwari's game will be effectively anonymous as they play. Why? Well, you've probably guessed the reason, but let's have it from the mouth of Eddie Gil who is the founder and developer of Kwari.

“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.”

Sure sounds simply enough, but how does it work? Well, basically, it goes like this. Players to the game are matched according to skill, like happens in Halo 2 online, but the twist comes in as the levels each have a predetermined monetary stake like those famous poker games in the Wild West. Too bad there isn't such a thing as a pair of 45s. The amount of money per hit can range from a single shiny penny to a whole dollar which means that every time a player's avatar is knocked out that value of money is deducted from them and into the pocket of the player who killed them effectively causing buckshot and just plain old bucks to fly through the air in all directions. 

There are also jackpots which are obtained from damage taken by a player doing such things as falling from the top of the level or trap damage. That's still counted as a hit so that money is taken from the player's stake and placed into the jackpot which are released during different times-hours, days weeks, and quarters-with the latter having the big bucks. 

Interested so far? Well, if you'd like to have your shot take a look at the beta which will be up for download starting next week here at www.kwari.com.
Keep your hands steady.

Nick McCavitt@forumwizard.net