Gaming is a medium that’s very prone to experimentation and deviations. Once restricted to arcade machines in certain venues, then on physical media before becoming much more experimental with digital formats, leading to online gaming and cloud-based interactions, gaming is something that naturally changes along with technology.

Free-to-play games are one such example. At first glance, it’s difficult to see what would be wrong with this. However, that aspect of being free might not be as all-encompassing as you initially think, and it’s a model worth examining both from the perspective of a consumer and of a developer.

It’s Free

A simple advantage. However, what’s interesting is how this can be a benefit both to gamers and developers. For the customer, the advantage of a free game is obvious (at least until they know about where they might really be paying), but for developers, this very low entry bar might mean that many more people download and try your game than may have done otherwise. Once the game is downloaded, you have your foot in the door and you’re free to make a good impression.

The Hidden Costs

At that point, though, the question of where the money comes from is inevitably going to be asked. Sometimes, this is obvious. When it comes to casino games that you might find through a casino en ligne en France, you have a certain expectation. Gambling games, such as slots, roulette, or blackjack, are all dependent on a bet being made and this is core to the experience, so the lack of initial cost makes sense. However, when it comes to other types of freemium game, players might encounter hurdles such as a progress blocker that takes real-world hours to disappear, unless a payment is made to clear this.

Accessibility for Online Games

When it comes to popular multiplayer games like Rocket League and Fortnite, the fact that they’re free means that people can play online with their friends at no cost, even extending to the point where they don’t need to play for online subscriptions like they might with other console multiplayer games. 

In terms of these kinds of games, especially those that have found rampant success, this can allow the discussion to widen and more people to get involved. The bigger the conversation around a game, the more likely it is for other people to want to try it, for streamers to play it to their audiences, and for it to make it into esports. 

The Risk

If everything about the free-to-play genre contains some sort of stealth advantage for the developer, why isn’t everyone doing it? Well, as showcased by recent layoffs in the industry, the process of game design is a very costly one. It takes a lot of work to make a successful game and a consistent stream of funding. With this in mind, releasing the final product in a way that doesn’t make you any immediate money can begin to look like a much bigger risk than it initially did.