Monetization
Ongoing coverage on Monetization.
Latest coverage
The Gameplay of Gacha
Gacha games continue to dominate the mobile market due to their integration of popular intellectual properties and engaging role-playing game mechanics. These games leverage psychological elements like the chase and fear of missing out, combined with continuous content updates and competitive features, to maintain player engagement and drive monetization. While some gacha designs can be manipulative, successful titles demonstrate significant investment in ongoing development and player retention strategies.
The Skill Expression Gap: Why Sports Video Games Aren't Winning the Esports Race
This article analyzes why sports video games like EA Sports FC 26 and NBA 2K struggle to establish significant esports scenes. The author argues that a focus on casual accessibility and gacha mechanics over deep skill expression hinders competitive growth. While successful in sales, these games lack the mechanical depth found in titles like League of Legends, which are built for professional play.
Overwatch 2 Season 2 Battle Pass Skins Spark Community Discussion
Overwatch 2's Season 2 battle pass skins have sparked significant community discussion on social media and platforms like Reddit. Players are debating the quality, value, and overall direction of the game's cosmetic offerings and monetization strategy.
Mark’s Review of Subway Surfer City
Subway Surfers City is a highly-rated mobile game that evolves the classic Subway Surfers formula with improved graphics, deeper gameplay, and structured levels. While it offers a more challenging and polished experience, the game suffers from aggressive monetization, frequent ads, and a steep difficulty curve that can be frustrating for some players. Despite these flaws, it is recommended for fans of the original looking for a more modern and engaging take on the endless runner genre.
Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Pokémon Champions
Critics have shared their reviews for the new free-to-start battle game Pokémon Champions on Nintendo Switch. While praised for its accessibility and solid core mechanics, the game is criticized for convoluted monetization, performance issues, bugs, and a significant grind. Reviewers suggest the game has potential but requires substantial updates and additions to become a premier competitive Pokémon experience.
Roblox unveils new Roblox Plus monthly subscription that pays creators who get players to sign up for the new Roblox…
Roblox has introduced Roblox Plus, a new monthly subscription service designed to offer more value to users and incentivize creator payouts. The subscription includes features like paid private servers, and creators can earn Robux based on player engagement within these servers. This move follows Roblox's significant contribution to the games industry's growth in consumer spending since 2021.
GTA 6 user-generated content monetization will make some players "millionaires," claims content creator who…
Content creator HipHopGamer claims that Grand Theft Auto 6's user-generated content tools, particularly when the game releases on PC, could allow players to earn significant amounts of money. He suggests that the monetization potential for UGC in GTA 6 will be even greater than what was seen with Grand Theft Auto 5's role-playing servers.
Review: Pokémon Champions (Switch) – The Most Accessible & Flawed Competitive Pokémon Has Ever Been
Pokémon Champions, a free-to-play competitive battling game for Nintendo Switch, simplifies training and team building but suffers from convoluted monetization and disappointing performance. While it makes competitive Pokémon more accessible by streamlining IVs, EVs, and move sets, its free-to-play model includes restrictive storage limits and costly recurring subscriptions for essential features. The game's technical issues, including poor frame rates on Switch, further detract from the experience, making it a flawed yet potentially evolving entry in the Pokémon franchise.
PUBG and Stellar Blade come together in the unlikeliest collab, and it'll make your wallet cry
PUBG Battlegrounds has collaborated with Stellar Blade, adding Stellar Blade protagonist Eve as a new cosmetic character. Players can unlock Eve's outfits and hairstyles through a gacha system, which is noted for its high potential cost. The update also introduces a new game mode called Xeno Point and other map and attachment changes.
The Cube, Save Us Becomes the Latest Live-Service Cautionary Tale
Developer and publisher XLGAMES has announced that its MMO extraction shooter, The Cube, Save Us, will be shutting down on May 8th due to a significant drop in player count and overwhelmingly negative Steam reviews. Refunds will be issued for legitimate purchases made on Steam. This marks another cautionary tale in the live-service genre, following recent shutdowns like Krafton's PUBG: Blindspot.
A decade ago, Call of Duty sidelined its iconic progression system to dabble in gacha instead, and I was glad I'd…
A decade after Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare introduced weapon variants tied to gacha mechanics through Supply Drops, the article reflects on how this monetization strategy impacted the game. While the variants offered unique gameplay tweaks, their acquisition was heavily reliant on RNG, a system that has persisted in various forms throughout the Call of Duty franchise.
Arknights: Endfield lead says good gacha systems don't "impact the player's ability to enjoy the gameplay," and Endfield is "trying" to fix its confusing gacha
Ryan, lead developer for Arknights: Endfield, discussed the game's confusing gacha system and monetization methods in an interview. He stated that a good gacha system should not impede a player's ability to enjoy the gameplay, regardless of whether they are free-to-play or paying users. The team is working to refine the system based on player feedback and data.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 appears to earn an estimated $30 thousand on Steam per negative review
GameDiscoverCo has released an unconventional analysis of Steam sales data, highlighting metrics like revenue per negative review. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 reportedly earns an estimated $30,000 for every negative review, indicating significant revenue despite player dissatisfaction. The analysis also touches on player sentiment, game abandonment, and the impact of multiplayer and free-to-play models on reviews.
"That is an $11,000 gold texture": Steam researcher says "supporter packs" make a lot of free money because PC gamers love to spend on their favorite games
Steam researcher Chris Zukowski argues that PC game developers should offer supporter packs and digital soundtracks as day-one DLC, even for free-to-play titles. He highlights examples where these offerings generated significant revenue with minimal development effort, suggesting PC gamers are willing to spend extra on games they enjoy through these non-gameplay affecting DLCs.
The Sims 4 Mod Marketplace Everyone's Mad About Is Reportedly Exceeding EA's Expectations
Electronic Arts' controversial paid mod marketplace for The Sims 4 is reportedly exceeding expectations, according to an insider report. The company is also aware of leaks regarding a future single-player title, codenamed Project X, and is discussing potential changes to its monetization and map design in response to community feedback.
Cozy MMO Spirit Crossing talks about the ‘elephant in the room’ of monetization
Spry Fox is addressing concerns about the monetization strategy for their upcoming cozy MMO, Spirit Crossing. While the studio's natural tendency is to under-monetize, they acknowledge the need for revenue to cover server costs and salaries, especially after Netflix is no longer backing the title. The current plan includes an upfront purchase price and optional purchases for cosmetic items and perks.
MMO Week in Review: EverQuest’s legacy, Camelot out of chains
This week's MMO news includes Daybreak's announcement of EverQuest Legacy, a spinoff of the classic game, and the surprise early access launch of Camelot Unchained after eight years in beta. Several other MMOs received updates, including V Rising, New World, and EverQuest II, while Epic Games faced significant layoffs due to overspending and a slump in Fortnite's performance.
The Elder Scrolls: Blades Has Been De-Listed From Stores, Servers Shutting Down on June 30
Bethesda is shutting down the free-to-play RPG The Elder Scrolls: Blades, with servers going offline on June 30th, 2026. The game has also been de-listed from all platform stores. Players are being given a bundle of in-game currency to enjoy the remaining content.
EverQuest Legends details monetization, class switching, races, zones, and more in new FAQ
EverQuest Legends will launch in July with a subscription model separate from existing services, alongside a cash shop for cosmetic and utility items. The game will feature selectable difficulty settings for zones, housing at launch, and a multiclassing system allowing players to switch primary and secondary classes. Beta testing is expected in April, with the Kunark expansion already in development.
New Pokemon Go Update May Have An Item That Catches Pokemon For You
A new in-game item called the Explorer Gadget may be coming to Pokemon Go, allowing players to automatically throw Poke Balls and spin Pokestops. This device would eliminate the need for external accessories like the Go Plus. It is speculated that the item will be monetized by the developer, though details on pricing or subscription models remain unknown.
