The typical price tag for a full-fledged console or PC video game is around $60, but rare is the game that doesn’t also include an array of add-ons — everything from additional game content to new characters to outfits to in-game currency. It’s become such a popular practice that this “extra” stuff is now larger than some entire industries. [More]
microtransactions
EA Backtracks A Bit On The Whole “Microtransactions In Every Game” Thing
By 3.6.13
A good part of the reason that Electronic Arts is the reigning Worst Company In America is the video game publisher’s increasing use of nickel-and-diming customers through microtransactions. The company took a lot of heat recently when the CFO declared that all its games would feature these in-game purchases for a wide range of add-ons, but now he’s is saying that’s not exactly what he meant to express. [More]
Sony, Game Developer Scheme To Plague Gamers With More PS3 Microtransactions
By 1.24.12
Angling to get in on the microtransaction gaming action that’s all the rage online and on mobile devices, Sony and a game developer are reportedly hammering out policies to allow games to nickel and dime players to a greater extent. [More]
Tragedy Strikes: Facebook And Farmville Make Nice
By 5.19.10
Facebook and Farmville and Mafia Wars-makers Zynga were bickering over in-game currency and the social network took a stand that hampered the game publisher’s ability to advertise through pseudo-updated on the site, causing the games to lose millions of players. [More]
