Traditional video game industry ailing as apps ascend

The traditional game market has been destroyed by the popularity of apps.

So many popular apps for games operate on the freemium business model and people play them on smart phones or tablets. The app makers get you started for free and, once you’re hooked, they up-sell you on higher and higher levels of game play for just a couple of bucks.

By contrast, hot video game titles can easily run $60.

Fortunately, if you’re still married to playing video games on a console in front of a TV or on a handheld game console, there’s a way you can get a lengthy test run of a game before you plunk down your hard-earned money.

A new startup called Gaikai.com (pronounced “guy-kai”) will let you test drive new game titles for 15 or 30 minutes online for absolutely free.

Gaikai offers an opportunity for the traditional game market to play on the same turf as the apps.