Interesting piece in The Economist about a new business model in Asia where multiplayer online games rely on a strategy where the the company gives away the software as a free download and lets users play for nothing. Instead, they make their revenue comes avid players buying extras for their in-game characters, from weapons to haircuts. It's a fascinating model because it expands the market substantially.

It's a trend that Wires magazine's Chris Anderson calls "freeconomics". This is a growth phenomenon and could point to the future. I examine this trend in my column here.