Over at FreeToPlay.biz, Relic Labs' Adrian Crook has been discussing a key harbinger: 'FREE is the next Long Tail', specifically referencing this because Wired editor Chris Anderson's post-'Long Tail' book is called, uhh, just that.

Crook notes: "Having read Chris’s original Long Tail article in WIRED and being subjected to endless recitations from his book over the last year, I’ll wager a guess that “FREE” will be equally influential. Chris is writing “FREE” not only about games, but from a pan-industry perspective - which means by this time next year boardrooms the world over will be dreaming about how they might make more money by giving away their product free of charge."

Or not make money, perhaps? The Internet and its amazing capability to create microcommunities is such a tremendous leveler that it spreads smaller levels of income out over so many more sources - whether it be in game creation, game journalism, or... anything.

Of course, there are still spectacular opportunities there - especially in the game business - for the aggregator, the distributor, and the recommender, as well as for the power of communities.

But eventually, just like the music biz, the power of choice and the breaking down of distribution barriers is going to further divert power into the hands of creators in the game biz, and away from massive conglomerates. And blended levels of free will be a big part of that (it's happening already - see Runescape, for one). It's going to be a fun ride, kids.