PAYWALLAdjusting Fundamental flaws in F2P monetization design

Fawzi Mesmar

Principal Game Designer

ABOUT ME

A passionate game designer with over 11 years of experience in the industry, I worked on multiple platforms (PC, Xbox360, XBLA, GBA, Facebook, iOS and Android). Projects I worked on includes Ice age adventures, My Little pony Friendship is magic, My Littlest Pet shop, Persona 3 Social and many others.

Currently I’m the Principal game designer of Gameloft NZ

RECENT RELEASES

- Ice Age Adventures

- My Little Pony Friendship is Magic

- Littlest Pet shop

- Wonder Zoo

GAME DESIGN IS ABOUT CRAFTING EXPERIENCESWhat is wrong with modern trends in F2P monetization design then?

CUSTOMERS FEEL THAT THEY’RE BEING CHEATED

SPENDING MONEY IS SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF

CUSTOMERS TRY TO BEAT THE GAME WITHOUT SPENDING MONEY

CUSTOMERS FEEL RESENTMENT TOWARDS THE GAME

MONETIZING IS NOT PART OF THE GAMEPLAY EXPERIENCE

STATS

• F2P games make 90% of their revenue from 5% of their install base

•For the game to be profitable the amount spent per user increases

•Average life span of a F2P title is 1-2 years.

Successful at first, but fail to have long term sustainability

POPULAR MONETIZATION TRENDSAnd how those trends are responsible for supporting those design flaws.

PAY TO WIN- Games that force the player to

spend to get the full experience

- Instantly segments the community

- Games that demand other forms of spending to get full experience such as getting friends to play

PAY WALLS- The hook phase

- Multiple layers of pay walls

NOT SPENDING MONEY IS MORE ENJOYABLE

- The act of defeating the game by not spending money

- Monetized elements are considered cheating, it’s more fun not to buy them

- Trying to Grind your way around pay walls

- Hacks

NEGLECTING NPUS- Considering NPUs not to be

important

- Providing content to paying users only

- VIP areas

- Depriving users from Premium currencies

CREATING ENVIRONMENTSF2P should be a frame work in which users are happy to spend money.

1 - MECHANICS THAT PRESENT SOMETHING NEW EVERY TIME THEY’RE USED

The interaction between the players, the game and amongst themselves is enough to create infinite interesting scenarios that content updates aren’t needed frequently, also applies to real life in sports.

► MECHANICS DRIVEN VS CONTENT DRIVEN

2 - SHOWING SKILL LEVEL

- Vanity items is not really an accurate description

- Think about what they mean to the player not how much they cost you to develop

- The sense of identity is vastly important, but only if the game is engaging enough.

3 - MONETIZATION IS PART OF THE GAME LOOP

It is very important to consider the experience from a paying user’s side; the act of spending money in the game should provide the player with excitement and validation for their purchases.

► WHAT IS THE EXPERIENCE OF PAYING CUSTOMERS

4 - GAME CONTENT THAT ENGAGES USERS, AND MOTIVATE THEM TO ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER

There are items in many popular F2P games that not only enhances their experiences but also that of all the other players around them. Creating a sense of appreciation and gratitude to paying users.

► PROVIDE CONTENT THAT MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE MECHANICS AND CREATES A SOCIAL LANDSCAPE FOR THE USERS

EXAMPLE: XP BOOSTS IN DOTA 2

You buy items that increase the amount of XP you get for each match by a certain multiplier.

It also gives an XP boost to all other players in the game.

XP system in that game is also completely isolated from Match making thus the item is fair for all.

5 - MONETIZED CONTENT THAT ADDS TO THE EXPERIENCE

Feature updates can be free, but there are users that are willing to pay for compelling experiences

► NEW CHAPTERS, GAME MODES, CAMPAIGNS ...ETC

EXAMPLE: LOL FREE ROTATION

Play the game for free and play available champions, or pay to have instant access to all of them.

6 - MAKE PEACE WITH NPUS AND CATER FOR THEM TOO

But that is not true, it’s just as important to have NPUs in the game for paying users to interact with. It is vital for the game’s success to make sure that players can get a meaningful experience even if they never paid anything.

► A LOT OF DEVELOPERS FEEL THAT NPUS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR GAME BEING FREE

EXAMPLE: CLASH OF CLANS

- All players of CoC are vital to the game’s success

- For the game to be truly engaging it needs a thriving active community

7 - BE HONEST AND DIRECT

Impulse purchases can generate revenue, but those aren’t sustainable revenue and they create resentment towards the game.

Always give the players what you advertise!

► THERE’S NO NEED TO RESORT TO TRICKERY TO CONVERT USERS, THEY SHOULD HEAD TO THE IAP SHOP WILLINGLY

8 - HAVE SOMETHING FOR PLAYERS OF ALL LEVELS

Don’t reserve your best content to PAU only, how would someone desire to purchase something if they never got to try it themselves? Give out premium currency, give access to locked content for a period of time.

► EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF CONTENT AND ALLOW SAMPLING

THANK YOUfawzi.mesmar@gameloft.com

fawzi-games.blogspot.com

+64 21 077 8587