Some developers preferred OpenGL, because it was easy to use. Others preferred Direct3D because it was supported by more brands of hardware accelerators. OpenGL got more support, due to the popularity of Quake II, which requires OpenGL for hardware acceleration. Direct3D got easier to use when Microsoft added the DrawPrimitive function to version 5.0. Now that both APIs are good enough, developers have stopped arguing about which one to use.
Some developers hope to make money by charging monthly subscription fees.
However, other on-line game companies have chosen to provide their games for free. This second set of on-line game companies hope to make money by selling advertising. Expect to see more ads in all kinds of games, especially sports simulations. After all, you see plenty of ads when watching a real-world sporting event, such as a car race. The third topic was Deer Hunter.