Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Specialty Hosting and Markets : Game Servers : Recon Gamer and ILangame

[Rahil]

What happened to Recon Gamer and ILangame? Those were classic game server companies. I was interested in checking on them and noticed their site was down all day. Anyone know?

[Defcon|Rich]

Ilan's been gone for about 2 years now. They went bankrupt and left all their clients high and dry.. Not sure about ReconGamer.

[Rahil]

What about Xgamingservers? What happened to them?

It's surprising to see these big companies go down. Well, I thought they were big.

[devonblzx]

Game server hosting isn't the easiest business because 50% of customers, it's most likely someone under 18 who doesn't have a steady income or took their parent's credit card without permission.

I'm surprised to see Recon is down as well. I thought they would still be doing well.

[Defcon|Rich]

I think most of the reason some of the older companies died is they try to push the same old business strategy used years ago that just doesn't work anymore in today's hosting world. As in any business if you don't stay current with the times and one step ahead of the "other guy" you will get run over..

You have to understand back a few years ago it was pretty standard having an SLA with things like "48 hour support reply guarantee".. That's 2 days just to get a reply to a ticket! So you can see it wasn't very difficult for companies like mine to gain loyal customers simply by answering tickets within an hour or offering little things that they didn't or couldn't offer. This ultimately led to the old guys dying out. They became lazy, Bottom line.

[GLucas]

Originally Posted by devonblzx

Game server hosting isn't the easiest business because 50% of customers, it's most likely someone under 18 who doesn't have a steady income or took their parent's credit card without permission.

I'm surprised to see Recon is down as well. I thought they would still be doing well.

I think this has been mentioned for a 1001 time now. Is it necessary to say it again? Even thought no one has ever actually made a serious statistic check to see if it's true or not. I'm on the gaming industry and work close to some known people and I see a lot of serious clients interested in the gaming business, more mature than -18.

[devonblzx]

I just speak from experience. I worked with 3 different GSP's from 2001-2004.

[GLucas]

Originally Posted by devonblzx

I just speak from experience. I worked with 3 different GSP's from 2001-2004.

The time when most customers were kids, correct. Things have since then changed a little.

[Defcon|Rich]

Originally Posted by GELucas

I think this has been mentioned for a 1001 time now. Is it necessary to say it again? Even thought no one has ever actually made a serious statistic check to see if it's true or not. I'm on the gaming industry and work close to some known people and I see a lot of serious clients interested in the gaming business, more mature than -18.

Actually the stats would be backwards.. In today's market a good amount of the ones hosting the servers are under 18.. I would say we get a pretty good cross section of customers and from experience a number are under 21 but you would be surprised how many gamers are 40+.

[Tsohxert]

Rahil, you brought back some memories on this thread, I remember being a fan of Ilan.

Ilan's been gone for about 2 years now. They went bankrupt and left all their clients high and dry.. Not sure about ReconGamer.

Would you happen to have any links, or more details on how they left there clients high and dry. Havent really been up to date with that industry in a while, but its sad to hear there gone now, any information would be great. Thanks

[Defcon|Rich]

From what a few of their old customers tell me Ilan's upstream provider at the time (peer1) pulled the plug on them for being behind on payments several months. Apparently their equipment was also seized along with the equipment belonging to their colo customers.

They have been gone I would guess over 2 years now, I'm surprised this is news still.

[Rahil]

Man, there are so many companies I keep remembering, and when I check on them now, they're gone!

Anyone remember GamingMoose? Toronto game server company?

[wubwob]

Game Server Hosting just isn't viable and if you think it is you are seriously delusional.

The stats are there, tons of large big hosting companies have gone tits up. I used to be in the business and i got out while i could, for it it was a spring board to better things and thank god.

It used to be good back in the day when i was selling 12 CS servers on a dual P3 1Ghz. Then when i was struggling to run 2 CS servers on a Dual 3.2Ghz i realized i was fighting a losing battle!

[HG-Daniel]

I think there is still some room in the GSP industry to make some good money but its certainly not easy to get to the point where you're making it. There are obviously people making money in this business so its not a entirely a lost cause..

[xesjay]

big market but is being overflown with business men and little kids trying to start companies.... Game server companies should be ran by Experience Gamers and mature business men combined, if one can complete both tasks... then you belong in the business