Microtransactions are here to stay

Microtransactions are not always a bad thing. This, when used properly, places content gamers want in their favorite games. What turns off people sometimes is that they are almost always asked to pay for something they could have gotten for free in the first place. Well, regardless of this popular belief among end users, it looks like the practice is here to stay.

According to technology market research firm ABI Research, console vendors and publishers have been trying to generate more revenue beyond retail sales, and they have their eyes on micropayments. The firm’s director Michael Wolf even went further when he said that Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft has their hands on this.

All of the big-three console vendors are working closely with their publisher partners, both internal and third party, to push as much content through digital distribution as possible. In offering original titles and after-market content, publishers will be able grow the average revenue they receive for a single gaming title.

Furthermore, the research group shared that by 2011, total revenue for micropayments alone will be somewhere around US $ 833 million. Wolf added that this is the trend now, and at the moment, there’s nothing that can be done about it. He further discussed that,

The market is evolving from one in which over 90 percent of software monetization occurs at time of game purchase through standard retail channels, to one where a significant portion will take place through digital distribution.

As we have said, there’s nothing essentially wrong with adding content to games after they have been released. We could only hope that the triumvirate of videogaming makes sure that people are getting their money’s worth.

Microtransactions are not always a bad thing. This, when used properly, places content gamers want in their favorite games. What turns off people sometimes is that they are almost always asked to pay for something they could have gotten for free in the first place. Well, regardless of this popular belief among end users, it looks like the practice is here to stay.

According to technology market research firm ABI Research, console vendors and publishers have been trying to generate more revenue beyond retail sales, and they have their eyes on micropayments. The firm’s director Michael Wolf even went further when he said that Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft has their hands on this.

All of the big-three console vendors are working closely with their publisher partners, both internal and third party, to push as much content through digital distribution as possible. In offering original titles and after-market content, publishers will be able grow the average revenue they receive for a single gaming title.

Furthermore, the research group shared that by 2011, total revenue for micropayments alone will be somewhere around US $ 833 million. Wolf added that this is the trend now, and at the moment, there’s nothing that can be done about it. He further discussed that,

The market is evolving from one in which over 90 percent of software monetization occurs at time of game purchase through standard retail channels, to one where a significant portion will take place through digital distribution.

As we have said, there’s nothing essentially wrong with adding content to games after they have been released. We could only hope that the triumvirate of videogaming makes sure that people are getting their money’s worth.