Why are microtransactions so common in games?

Since the start of the 21st century, a new business model has emerged in the gaming industry to generate revenue. It is based on users contributing money to the game and getting a bonus. Developers need a source of profit, and they figured out how to get it partially but on the whole.

This article will analyze why microtransactions are not such a big evil as many users think them. By the way, if you like depositing money into games, you also enjoy interacting with cryptocurrency. If so, our editorial board would like to recommend you an outstanding mixer – https://yomix.io.

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People are more active in downloading free apps

A glance at any smartphone app store is enough to notice that most software can be installed for free. Only 5% of all the utilities there are paid. But why is that? The fact is that people would prefer to spend on mobile apps. And this fact inevitably affects the quality of mobile software.

It may seem paradoxical since people are very active in paying for games and programs for PC or game consoles, but smartphones and tablets only work that way.  This is where microtransactions come to the rescue. They can come in two different forms in mobile utilities:

  1. In the form of in-game purchases.
  2. In the state of ad units.

Some studios choose one of the two methods, while others use both, as there are different ways to disable ad units in mobile apps.

Microtransactions

The competition is too high, and microtransactions help recoup the cost of development

There’s another reason micropayments are becoming more and more popular: rising development costs. Whether we like it or not, the industry’s future will be mobile games. It’s no coincidence that significant projects for consoles and PCs are increasingly being released on mobile platforms. Examples include Apex, League of Legends, Diablo Immortal, Cause, and others.

In turn, good graphics and solid gameplay begin to require more and more investments, and the more money spent on development, the greater the risk of irretrievably losing all this money if the project fails. Micropayments more effectively cover this risk than other methods because they provide a stable income.

Microtransactions can be harmless if they are in the form of DLC or content extensions

A couple of paid DLCs with various cosmetic highlights are acceptable, and the main thing to consider is that they do not give any advantages to the player and do not upset the game’s balance. If, with the help of microtransactions, it is possible to buy only visual items, then it is even good because spending a small amount to make your favorite character unique is always lovely.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to earn an income from your labor. Microtransactions are not as evil as people are used to talking about them. Sure, it isn’t perfect when you can gain superiority in a game by paying for it. But if microtransactions in the game are only needed to make the game character prettier, or to add new optional content, then their existence is justified.