The concept of free-to-play (F2P) games has been around for years, but it’s only in recent times that they have taken over the gaming industry. These games, which can be downloaded from the internet for free, are now more popular than their pay-to-play (P2P) counterparts. According to a 2015 report by market researcher Newzoo, F2P games accounted for 97% of the game market on mobile devices and 80% on PCs in 2014. This figure is only projected to increase in the coming years.
The increasing popularity of F2P games has prompted many developers to adopt this model when creating their games. In fact, some P2P developers have also decided to switch to F2P, as they believe it gives them a better chance of earning money from their creations.
So why are F2P games more popular than P2P ones?
An endless supply of content
In P2P games, you generally buy expansions or downloadable content (DLC), which adds new features or items to the game. However, in F2P games, this content is released for free and can be added at regular intervals by game developers.
The rise of free-to-play
It's easy to see why many developers have turned to the model of making their games free. The market is crowded with great titles and players have a lot of choices. The competition requires developers to think more creatively about how they can stand out, and offering the game for free to play is an excellent way of gaining loyal fans.
There are several ways in which a developer can monetise a game after it has been released. A common approach is to take a commission from every sale that occurs between players, such as when one sells items or currency to another within the virtual world. Other games charge for premium status, which gives players extra perks, such as access to special areas or ability to earn more from quests.
The most popular method is to sell virtual items that are useful for players and help them progress further within the game. These items can be anything from weapons and armor through to potions, clothing and pets. Such items are usually only available for purchase with real money, so those who want them but don't wish to pay for them must spend hours earning in-game currency instead - which usually takes a lot longer than paying with real money.
