Oh Empire Online, where did it all go so badly wrong? Not so long ago you were being courted by Sportingbet at around 270p a share, but you were already going steady with Party Poker, and the fact that you had barely any tangible assets at all wasn’t such a problem because PartyGaming was going to look after you. But then, suddenly, one autumnal day, Party decided it was time to go it alone, Sportingbet was just a fading memory, a dream of riches for owner Noam Lanir, and you found yourself with not many friends, and a vastly reduced player base. Business can be such a fickle mistress at times.
For a while, you moped, bemoaned your bad fortune, and all the while did very little to encourage players back to your platform. Sure, you have Club Dice and Noble Poker now, which are set to account for two thirds of your next quarter earnings, and over half your new player signups, but what of Empire Poker itself?
Is that tumbleweed I spy passing across the porch of the former Party skin? (But answer came there none)
Despite your faded glamour, back trotted PartyGaming plc recently, with a bid. Could this be salvation? Or was it just a cunning ruse by those powerful folks at PartyGaming? Is there somewhere in the Partygaming offices a memo headed: “The collapse and take-over of Empire strategy”? Either way, you’ve had a little spat again, and now you’re threatening to sue. I wish you luck, I sincerely do, but this all feels much like a business (and face?) saving plan, rather than a call for justice. Party cut you off, causing a potential loss in earnings, because frankly you just weren’t doing it for them any more, and their resentment of that generous system you’d had going that everyone knew just wasn’t mutually beneficial was finally growing, then they tried to buy you out while you were worth substantially less than at your peak, when your business relationship presumably protected you from their predation, and to add insult to injury, they’ve tabled a new and, um, insulting offer.
So let’s say you do sue, and loss of earnings is the linchpin. Don’t you think you’d have more of a case if you’d concentrated on offering players attractive reload and signup bonuses, thus perhaps guaranteeing more action, rather than offering them the chance to cash in their time spent at the tables, and VIP points accumulated, for beverage wrenches and mouse mini-fans?
Yes, while party has innovated (for better or for worse, and we’ll ignore their current insulting bonus offers for now) with bad beat and high hand jackpots, cruises, in-running bets at the table, and blackjack, you have offered players the chance to purchase leatherette balls, and shot glasses. It’s never a kind thing to say to a lady, but you have rather let yourself go, haven’t you?
Further reading
Tags: Poker, Party Poker, Empire Poker