What do you think about this idea of paying money to get bonus items or extra lives on facebook or mobile app games?
Re: Paying for extras in games
The term for it is microtransaction. You pay real money to buy usually virtual currency, which in turn you use to buy a virtual in game item. I don't like it as a practice though I have done it once or twice in the past. I wouldn't do it now though. I play free to play games that have that type of transaction, but I've never considered microtransactions to get anything. In theory maybe they could make something worthwhile with it but I haven't seen anything yet.
Re: Paying for extras in games
Interesting info. I never knew there was a specific word for it!
I have been tempted (back when I was addicted to FarmVille) but I never thought it was worthwhile to spend actual money on something virtual that will run out eventually.
Re: Paying for extras in games
I used to play a couple of those social games on google+. Yesterday I login after a couple of months and I see that 2 of those games are no longer available. They used to both push microtransactions a lot. Had I paid real money for virtual assets, I would have lost everything.
Re: Paying for extras in games
It's a gimmick, but a thriving one. So many people actually do pay. Personally, I would not. It's more fun just "achieving" it even if it'll take longer. Paying for it just seems like cheating. Ha! Game Developers would hate to hear this, huh!
Re: Paying for extras in games
Micro transactions are being implemented from social to all different platforms. It’s growing rapidly with each game (which has micro transactions implemented) constantly (lack of better term) advising you constantly to buy in game stuff. Take Battlefield 3 or Fifa 13, both have micro transactions and they urge you to unlock stuff in through pop ups etc. EA have implemented micro transactions in Battlefield 3 which allowed players to buy unlocks of different classes and vehicles which is giving them an unfair advantage. You can even rent servers which gives an awful lot of control for the match (kicking out players). This is not the limit as video game industries are headed to different direction known as free to play games. It resembles the type of games one can found on Facebook and Google+. I may be wrong here but one of EA’s executive hinted on company’s shift towards the free to play gaming. This will allow a wider and much bigger market but less then half of the content may be blocked.
Please correct me if I’ wrong.
You guys should check this link out:
Expect Free-To-Play Games And Micro-Transactions From Both PS4 And Microsoft’s Next Console - Forbes
Sorry for my English as it is a somewhat rusty and I hope this might have helped.
Re: Paying for extras in games
It's something that you'll simply see more and more of as an anti-piracy measure. It's a more effectiveness commercial business model.
You could make a game and charge $60 for it, only to see perhaps 10,000 people buy it and 90,000 people pirate it.
Or you could make the game and launch it for free, and then expect the average paying user to spend $60 in 30 $2 purchases over the 3 months they play it prior to getting bored.
You would still get the 100,000 players of the game, it's just that over 10% of them would spend money in it.
Re: Paying for extras in games
90% pirating over buying seems far fetched. A lot of the time when it comes to pirates, they wouldn't pay for the game in the first place. It's not an anti-piracy measure as such. For that you have DRM. It's just a business model to nickel and dime customers.
Re: Paying for extras in games
EA implemented DRM in the Sim City and the results you know what the results are. Pirates also managed to crack the game so these companies need to come up with something really interesting to take on the pirates.
Re: Paying for extras in games
Yeah, pirates can circumvent DRM much of the time, so it ends up being more of an inconvenience for a legitimate buyer and a small obstacle for a pirate.
Anyhow, as far as these microtransaction based games go, teggy brings up a good point. That type of game is just not for me really. I wouldn't invest much in something where the mechanics are skewed in favor of those who are ready to spend the most money on it and not from the player's skill.
I'd prefer to play something that I own, i.e. that I pay for once then I can access it anytime. If I were to invest real money into it, I wouldn't want it to disappear one day. I also really hate those social games, where they want to you invite x number of friends to be able to accomplish something in the game.
Re: Paying for extras in games
Google+ Games no more after June 30 | Joystiq
That’s another thing that makes me glad I don’t do microtransactions. Sure, after sometime I may stop playing a game, but I’ll do that on my own terms. Also, with any game I’ll invest in, the game belongs to me and I’m not depending on an external service provider to let me play them.