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Last updated on Nov 24, 2024
  1. All
  2. Content Management
  3. Game Development

You're developing a game with monetization features. How can you engage players without driving them away?

Creating a game that monetizes effectively while keeping players happy is a delicate dance. Here are key strategies:

- Introduce non-intrusive monetization, like cosmetic items, that don't affect gameplay balance.

- Offer value through in-game purchases by providing content that feels worth the cost.

- Communicate transparently about costs and benefits, fostering trust with your players.

How do you balance monetization with maintaining a positive player experience? Share your strategies.

Game Development Game Development

Game Development

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Last updated on Nov 24, 2024
  1. All
  2. Content Management
  3. Game Development

You're developing a game with monetization features. How can you engage players without driving them away?

Creating a game that monetizes effectively while keeping players happy is a delicate dance. Here are key strategies:

- Introduce non-intrusive monetization, like cosmetic items, that don't affect gameplay balance.

- Offer value through in-game purchases by providing content that feels worth the cost.

- Communicate transparently about costs and benefits, fostering trust with your players.

How do you balance monetization with maintaining a positive player experience? Share your strategies.

Add your perspective
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
6 answers
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    Mohammad Mostafa Shahraki

    Founder & CTO @ nCIS

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    To engage players without driving them away, focus on fun gameplay and fair monetization. Avoid pay-to-win mechanics; instead, offer cosmetic items, faster progress, or optional ad rewards. Ensure free players can progress through daily rewards or challenges. Use personalized offers, social features like friends or guilds, and dynamic events to enhance engagement. Limit intrusive ads and notifications, reward loyalty, and respect players' time with reasonable wait mechanics. Regularly gather feedback, test strategies, and foster a sense of community and always prioritize player enjoyment to build trust and encourage long-term engagement.

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    Boek van der Bij

    (Freelance) Interactive media producer & 3D generalist, Ex-Snap.

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    For mobile games monetizing through ads, consider implementing ads as part of a reward system. While it may seem paradoxical, hear me out: Punishment ads disrupt the player’s flow state—forcing ads after a game ends, before it starts, or mid-game, especially without player control, can frustrate and alienate them. Rewarding ads should be optional, and should provide bonuses for watching. For example, only offer ads after a player performs well, framing them as opportunities rather than interruptions. Integrate these rewards seamlessly into your game design, making ads feel like a natural and positive part of the experience. Don't force ads after bad performance, instead offer (!) them after good performance.

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    ALI Haider

    Unity - Game Programming | Digital Twins | Software Simulations | Tool Chain | TDD | DOTS | VR | DBMS | .NET

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    Monetization should feel like a bonus, not a barrier. I’d craft engaging options like cosmetic upgrades or expansion packs that players genuinely want, steering clear of intrusive paywalls. By rewarding loyalty with free perks, maintaining transparent pricing, and valuing players’ time, we can boost engagement while keeping our community happy and invested.

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    Lucas Johnson

    Games Design Graduate

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    The best way to monetize a game is to make sure a game has great gameplay first to draw players in, then make sure that the monetization is cosmetic only as to not give unfair advantages to other players. And if later down the line you wanna add more cosmetic items also make sure that it releases with new content for the player to enjoy to entice them into wanting to get the new cosmetics.

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    Sthefan henrique Cardoso

    Desenvolvedor de sistemas e aplicações web.

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    Ao desenvolver um jogo que tera como fonte de renda o ads ou micro transações é necessário criar uma necessidade para o consumidor, sendo por skin ou personagens com habilidades unicas. Acho que o ideal é sempre ter um balanceamento entre o tempo do jogador gasto em um ad com a recompensa que terá.

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    Alysson Kennedy Oliveira Carvalho

    Roblox Game Developer

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    One of the best ways to encourage players to buy a product is to allow them to experience a small part - such as a showcase or trial. If they enjoy what they are doing, buying it becomes a natural decision to keep the material permanently. Additionally, it is important to focus on emergent and accessible gameplays, ensuring that essential features aren’t locked behind paywalls and that significant improvement is not exclusive to pay players (pay-to-vin). It is important to make both players satisfied and keep the game durable and keep the game sustainable.

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