Antti Kananen

Monetization in F2P mobile games and Premium Games incorporating F2P mechanics has largely revolved around a handful of tried-and-true methods such as battle passes, gacha, limited-time offers, and soft friction mechanics. However, there remains a vast, unexplored blue ocean of economic and real-life inspired systems that could redefine how we design F2P game economies, player interactions, and monetization strategies.This article explores how these macro-economic and political systems can be used to enhance player engagement, create new monetization opportunities, and introduce social mechanics that go far beyond e.g., leaderboards and guilds. All from F2P point of view.Note: Inspiration for the article comes not just from my mind but from couple discussions I’ve taken part in via LinkedIn as well as throughout other personal venturing. Big thanks for those involved for giving inspiration for me to explore these topics on a scale!Economic […]

In recent years, the gaming industry has witnessed a significant convergence between F2P monetization strategies and premium, full-priced games. Developers are increasingly integrating F2P elements such as microtransactions, DLC, battle passes, and premium currencies into premium titles to enhance (in well executed cases) player engagement and generate additional revenue streams.Microtransactions and DLC in Premium GamesTraditionally, premium games offered substantial content upfront, with occasional expansions or DLCs providing additional gameplay, storylines, or characters.However, the landscape has evolved, and many premium titles now incorporate microtransactions — small, optional purchases that allow players to acquire in-game items, cosmetics, characters, or other enhancements. For example, games like Diablo 4 and Helldivers 2 have implemented in-game stores focusing on e.g., cosmetic items and battle passes, generating revenue beyond other means. Helldivers 2, in particular, has been perceived positively (mostly, whilst some of their package prices […]

Social group monetization is a powerful and nuanced approach to player engagement, which leverages the dynamics of group behavior and interaction to create monetization opportunities that feel rewarding and intrinsic. This strategy goes beyond individual spending to focus on how collective engagement can drive revenue while fostering community satisfaction. I explore the underlying principles in this article and provide actionable examples for various genres, from RPGs to casual games. Note: The topics and pointers here I’m introducing are something that I’ve learned also by studying economists and their writings on the field, and some of the credits should go to them on putting my head towards rightly tuned channels around these things on top of my existing understanding and know-how. You can find some of these directly from my Recommendations section here: https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/recommendations — from where I would suggest you checking […]

In the ever-evolving landscape of mobile gaming, the pressure to drive immediate results has often led marketers to lean heavily on extrinsic motivations. Strategies rooted in FOMO, exaggerated claims, or outright misleading tactics have proven their effectiveness in short-term gains.However, what if the key to long-term success lies in something more profound?By focusing on audience profiling, unique selling points (USPs), and value propositions (value props) from the perspective of intrinsic motivations, marketers would be able to craft ads and creatives that truly resonates with their audiences — building deeper connections and sustainable engagement.This is where we’ll be focusing on this article, incl. giving an example of a simple tool around these means.The Role of Audience Profiling in Meaningful MarketingAudience profiling is the foundation of effective marketing. It allows you to understand the needs, desires, and motivations of your target users […]

This article discusses Intrinsic Monetization as a framework for F2P monetization strategy.On top of that, the article offers detailed examples of how you could innovate with intrinsic directions, in unique ways, in your designs as well as what can in best way complement your systems — which I’m hoping will spark some innovative ideas for everyone regarding their future game prospects.Intrinsic MonetizationAs the gaming industry evolves, intrinsic monetization is a framework everyone should know and study more — for building sustainable success.Unlike extrinsic models that rely on e.g., rewards-based systems most or external pressures like time-limited offers or competitive paywalls, intrinsic monetization aligns with players' internal motivations, fostering genuine engagement and connection.What is Intrinsic Monetization?Intrinsic monetization integrates monetization into the core of the gameplay experience in ways that feel natural and fulfilling to players.The key focus of it is here: […]

How do you usually approach (early stage) mobile games benchmarking? This article discusses about benchmarking and introduces couple methods (/’schools’) over it.The article is partly related to (/complements it) also my previous article about importance of Business Modeling (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/6-why-business-modeling-your-f2p):How To Approach Benchmarking?There seems to be on high level few ‘schools’ to look into:One goes deep in understanding KPIs from macro tools such as Sensor Tower, data ai, AppMagic and other sources of data (ad networks, MMPs, industry reports, industry peers, etc.), and using them in combination for benchmarking.‘Schools’ that with current commercial sentiment aim, e.g., for hybrid casual games to have 40-50% (or even more) D1 and < $1 CPIs (US) for starting point — to invest further (kinda overlooks benchmarking, but counts in a target profiling of top 5-100 games in certain categories).‘Schools’ that start with scientific approach where […]