10 Ways to Monetize a Game

10 Ways to Monetize a Game

Here are 10 common game monetization models:

𝟭. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 – 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀.
• Instant revenue, full experience
• High price can deter players

𝟮. 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲-𝘁𝗼-𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 (𝗙𝟮𝗣) – 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗶𝗻-𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀.
• Large player base, high revenue potential
• High competition, requires constant updates

𝟯. 𝗗𝗟𝗖 (𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁) – 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵.
• Extends game lifecycle, ongoing revenue
• Requires continuous development, balancing paid vs. free content

𝟰. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆-𝘁𝗼-𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗻 – 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗶𝗻-𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 (𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼, 𝗡𝗙𝗧𝘀).
• Attracts players with rewards, player-driven economy
• Security risks, regulatory challenges

𝟱. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 – 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻-𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀.
• High revenue, strong player engagement
• Legal restrictions, ethical concerns

𝟲. 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆.
• Predictable revenue, long-term engagement
• Requires constant high-quality content

𝟳. 𝗔𝗱𝘀-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 – 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗻-𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘀.
• Free for players, quick monetization
• Poor user experience, short attention span

𝟴. 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 – 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲.
• No cost to players, attracts high-profile partnerships
• Can disrupt gameplay, hard to secure sponsors

𝟵. 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 – 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿.
• Upfront funding, invested community
• High expectations, risk of backlash for delays

𝟭𝟬. 𝗛𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 – 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆.
• Flexibility, multiple income streams
• Can overwhelm players if not balanced well

Each model has pros and cons.
The key is finding the right mix for your game and audience.