The Inside Scoop on Gamecrush

Everyone thought paying a girl to play video games was a ridiculous idea but shortly after GameCrush initially launched, the GameCrush servers overloaded from all the traffic.  It took GameCrush a long time to get running again but they have relaunched the site in a limited beta.  At any given time, a girl can be found playing one of their simple java games for money.  Even in their beta, it looks like GameCrush has proven itself to be a successful business model.  The question is how does GameCrush do it?

The Basics

The premise is as old as time itself.  Guys want to have a little fun with a beautiful girl and lacking the skill to whoo one, they pay.  There are thousands of sites similar to GameCrush, that allow you to privately talk to a girl on camera for money; yet the addition of Java and Xbox games changes the game.  Guys, aka Players, buy credits in 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 packs. The players can then trade 400 credits for either a 10 minute Xbox game without webcam or a 6 minute casual game including checkers, battleship, pool, connect four, and tic-tac-toe.  If you play a casual for over 6 minute, you will be charged 60 credits every minute after.

The GameCrush Girl

GameCrush Girls are independent contractors, so anyone can sign up to be one.  They are given a profile and are in charge of earning their own money, which GameCrush takes a portion of.  The reason GameCrush girls are on the site are about as diverse as what they are willing to do.  There are girls who are just interested in finding people to play games with, some looking for friends, and some just seeking some easy cash.  There are even a few girls who will give you their gamertag if you simply ask, no money needed.

Flirty vs Dirty

The difference between Flirty and Dirty Game Mood is as simple as clothes or no clothes.  Dirty girls will remove clothes or do “mature” things, but most girls will make you work for it requiring you to win a game. Flirty is just about everything else and includes everyone from librarians (yes, actual librarians) to party girls.

Why They The Do It

I spent a lot of time asking every girl I could find on GameCrush why they joined the site.  I was surprised at all the variety of answers I got.  Sukiie was there because she needed extra money since her family wasn’t doing well, ColdFairy24 needed something to do since moved to a new town and didn’t have many friends, and of course there were several girls who simply said “I like playing games and liked the idea of getting paid to do it.”  It was the few who seemed to be genuinely interested in just finding people to play games with instead of the money that stood out. They are few and far between, so if you find a girl willing to offer her gamertag without the promise of cash, count yourself lucky.

Tools of the Trade

GameCrush Girls have a few tricks up their sleeve to help earn them cash.  GameCrush doesn’t openly announce this information and is only aware to the GameCrush Girls themselves.  If a guy views a girl’s profile, she can view the player’s username and amount of credits in the chatroom.  She can use this decide which guys to encourage to play with her.  GameCrush Girls have access to a private forum that allows them to discuss their experiences with the site, talk about improvements, and even discuss specific players.  If a player is creating a disturbance or otherwise creating problems, the girls can mark them as disrespect or report them to get banned.

The Downside

On a good week, a girl could earn enough money to pay her rent by playing video games but it isn’t all sunshine and lollipops.  The girls give up 40% of the money they earn to GameCrush so they only earn $4.50 off a $6 game.  If they want to play Xbox games on GameCrush, they need to provide their own account.  This means if you a girl plays a single game with a guy, they will have their gamertag from then on.  It is a small price to pay for an overall great gig.

The Guys

The Good

After asking the GC Girls why they joined, I asked them how they have enjoyed the site.  I received overall happy responses, a few dissapointed at the limited selection of games, but most enjoyed talking to the many guys who visited the site.  I saw girl’s have long conversations with random patrons about everything from their World of Warcraft characters to memories of old school video games.  It seemed some of the people interested in GameCrush, a site with such a bad reputation, turned out to be pretty decent geeks.

The Bad

GameCrush is like a party where everyone is welcome.  You get geeks, jocks, party animals, and the jerks.  Especially when they know the “dirty” girls will be there.  It doesn’t take long before jerks try and get a flirty girl to get a little dirty.  It was a common occurrence for a guy to wander into a “flirty” girls room and try and get them to play some strip battleship.  The ones who tried offering a big tip for some skin made me realize why GameCrush is viewed as nothing better than common webcam porn to some people.

The Ugly

I am all for equal rights and stuff but I there are a few things both sexes can’t do.  It didn’t stop some guys signing up for GameCrush trying to cash in just like all the gamer girls.  GameCrush has no objection to their presence and even allows you to search for male or female users.  I’ll still be surprised if a guy can earn enough to be a candy bar, little alone rent.

Sum It Up

GameCrush is still working out the kinks in their beta and their future will be decide within the next year.  If they create presence for themselves in the gamer community similar to the Fragdolls, it might turn their simple idea into something powerful.  Their first step is going to prove that they are more than simple flash games and webcam porn, but before all of that they need to get their site running again.  Until then you can head over to GameCrush and sign up for a chance to enter the beta and check out the site for yourself.