Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
game, you still have the option of providing paid content packs (commonly known as
Downloadable Content
or
DLC
), or release a paid sequel.
As the experience should always be your first priority, you should remember that,
as the players are paying upfront, they won't want to see extra content being sold
at launch as this is often seen as an attempt to just leech some more money from
them. In this case you want to ensure that any DLC you release is provided at a point
after launch, even if you include the framework and menus to buy it in your released
game.
The hybrid model
Another option is to combine the two, and provide the content for your game for an
upfront fee, while providing optional boosts to the player at an extra cost. By do-
ing this you let the players who have time and want to sit and play the game do so
without paying any more, and those who want to speed things up pay a little bit for
the privilege, which many will prefer and appreciate.
In all of the given cases you need to consider the impact of any boosts or bonuses
on gameplay, especially in multiplayer games. By allowing players to purchase items
that impact gameplay, you can potentially upset the balance in a game, which many
might feel is unfair if they are unable to afford the extra cost.
Another issue you need to consider surrounds young players. While in-app pur-
chases are allowed and are okay for games oriented towards young players, you will
need to consider that many won't use it. Windows requires password verification be-
fore a purchase is made; however, if you're using your own system for purchases,
you will need to be careful.
