It’s the 80’s and you’re an early adapter, young, impressionable, lacking life experience. You just stepped into an arcade, the cool kids place. The pressure is on. Money weighs heavy in your pocket. So many choices, possibilities. It feels great to be a kid.
You get in line to trade your $ you earned mowing neighbors’ yards. The machine dispenses tokens with a rapid and rhythmic sound. You will remember this sound for the rest of your life.
You step aside, count the tokens to make sure you got the correct amount. You are ready to begin. First available game or should I be more strategic? After all, not every game has the same reward. Some extend your life while select few give you tickets to redeem for a prize. Just in case, you walk by the glass cabinet to check out the prizes. You do rudimentary math in your head for that prize you want. You begin.
The goals are simple:
- Beat the one with the highest score and your name/handle goes on the leader board, or
- Get the tickets
It’s your first time, you’re going to do both, you never know which one will have a better outcome. The game is on and you’re in the midst of a critical point when message pops up: “insert token to continue”. You do. Repeat. You’re 5 tokens in. You’re lost in the game when a fleeting thought pops in. Should I try a different game? Yes. Skiball is next. You get bunch of tickets and count them in fervor. Did I get enough?
Eventually your tokens run out. You’re done, need to earn more to play more. You spent $10+, but at least you got a sticker and a piece of gum. You’re proud of yourself. Next time you’ll earn a Slinky.
Winning is exhilarating, so the process repeats for few weeks/months. Everyone at the arcade is all in. You’re among like minded people. Then 1 day your friend rolls into your driveway on a brand new bike. Not a baseline bike, the top tier one. It turns out his Dad is a part owner of that arcade you go to. The business is so good, your friend got the best bike there is. Eventually, he offers you a spin. You love it.
3+ decades later, you meet Claude. Hard not to, Claude is everywhere.
All the cool kids are doing it. You feel the surge of excitement again. You try it. Your Claude session ends on a cliff hanger - pay for a token to continue. Flashback. You know that feeling. This time, however, you don’t just empty your pockets, but the excitement is intoxicating. Everyone around you is shipping, winning and leaving the non-adapters behind.
You have a tool and you’re in search of a problem. Demonstrate work to market yourself. Pivot. Go, go, go. You keep seeing things differently, not because of the moral superiority, just experience Arcade taught you, the original “pay to win”. You proceed with caution, because you know what ROI is. Same game, new operator. You hope for everyone’s sake, they will at least get a sticker or bubble gum in the process. Learn all you can.