There are several strategies to overcome the Cold Start Problem. One is to start with a niche market where the value proposition is so strong that the initial users are willing to put up with a less than perfect product. Another is to use a single-player mode, where the product is useful even without a network. A third strategy is to leverage an existing network to jump-start the new one. Finally, some companies use a combination of these strategies.
When a networked product launches, it faces a chicken-and-egg problem: people need to use it for it...
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