Cyberstrike: Getting Pwned Online in the Pre-Web Era

Getting badly beaten in online competitive play isn't as recent a phenomenon as one might think.  Back in 1990, the GEnie online service was promoting its own polygonal 3-D multiplayer game Cyberstrike, using a gentle come-on.  Well, it was initially gentle, at least:

I don't really understand how this ad campaign was supposed to encourage new players to hop in, especially given the patience and discretionary income required for dialing in, waiting for a solid connection, and paying an hourly fee for the privilege of being targeted by all and sundry.  It's much easier and cheaper for n00bs to get pwned these days.

But at least the ad was honest.

And surprisingly prescient.