Industry Insights: 10 Tips for Success in the Free-to-Play Market

Monetization Strategy

What are you selling?  Are you selling content, expansions, accessories, customization items, functional items?

What 10 items are going to be driving your sales on a daily basis?  This needs to be decided while your game is in the production cycle.  Trying to determine this late in development or changing the direction of your game to accommodate this will often ruin the consistency of your game design.  Plan from the start and know the role virtual goods are going to be playing in your game.

How are you going to convince players that they need to purchase your virtual goods/content?  Will it be via your website or game launcher?  What messaging will you use?  Will you offer them sample cash shop items via a quest in-game?  

There are many potential avenues for monetizing your player base both on the development side and publishing side.  The bottom line is that no one is going to buy anything unless they’re convinced of its value, and it’s your job to convince them.