How to allow your users to easily pay for Browser Games
Whether you’ve already built a great browser game or are planning to develop one, it’s important to consider how your users will pay in your game and to then build a monetization strategy ensuring your users will enjoy your game and still be able to pay for premium content.
With so many possible ways to earn money from browser game, it can be a bit overwhelming at first so we’ve created a basic guide on the most popular ways to monetize browser games to make it easier for you find the best monetization strategy for your game.
Popular revenue models for browser games:
1. Microtransactions in Free2Play games
Whether you are selling virtual currency or in browser game items, ,you can start receiving payments from your users right away in the form of microtransactions. Microtransactions allow your users to make multiple transactions each month allowing you to earn money from paying end users playing your game. The downside though of microtransactions is the risk of chargebacks from users who have made multiple transactions. You need to make sure you have a risk management solution and customer support so you can easily work with customers in handling any inquiries they may have about transactions. The reason is chargebacks can then cost you more money by you are earning since the bank will charge a fee AND not pay you the money the end user has already paid.
To best support microtransactions, make sure you set up as many local payment options as you need. Local options such as mobile payments cash options and others are great for microtransactions (a microtransaction can be a payment under $10) compared to credit cards since there may be no fixed fee improving your margins. Learn more about popular local payments at PW Local.
2. Digital distribution
Another option to monetize your browser game is by distributing it through publishing partners or yourself. Users will be able to purchase your game with a one time payment at a higher cost. The advantage of working with a distribution partner is they will help you acquire users and help you localize the content but their can also be high costs associated with it. By selling it yourself, you will keep more of the revenue but also have to work hard to acquire users. Remember if you will make the browser game available via a high one time payment, the product is expected to be high quality/AAA quality featuring extended playtime to add value to the product for end users. If not, you may have refund requests.
3. Pay-to-Play subscriptions
This revenue model is a subscription model where recurring payments will occur so users will be able to play the browser game. There may be a barrier for some users to start playing the game so you can always set up free trials to build up a user base allowing for a more expansive game with more users. It is important to have a high number of users which will make your browser game have a larger and more engaged community to motivate users to keep playing.
A tip for recurring subscriptions models is that it will only supported by some payment options. In some local markets, their payment options may not support subscriptions so be prepared to adjust your monetization strategies in these markets. Credit card, for example, is the top recurring payment option but for users in other markets, they may prefer to pay online with a prepaid card or other cash option. You should think about this as you look at expanding in cash based markets such as Latin America and South East Asia where credit card penetration is low.
4. Advertising and offers
Keeping games totally free is another option. By providing your browser game free you are allowing yourself to attract a high number of users. If you do go this route, you must make sure the offers/advertisements do not interfere with gameplay. When you partner with advertising platforms, check the ads and offers you will be publishing to ensure they suit your audience and do not distract from your browser game such as showing an advertisement for a similar game!
You should know the difference between an offer and an advertisement. An offer is an ad that engages the end-user and will require a sign up or for them to perform an action so the end user will then be rewarded with a “Bonus” to be used in the browser game – this can be points, a virtual currency or even premium access to content. This is different than an advertisement which may not require interaction with an end user for a game developer to earn money. Either way, offers and advertisements are a great way to earn revenue from non-paying users.
5. Premium content and VIP membership
Give access to premium features of your browser game by having users subscribe or make one time payments in your game. This could give the user access to a special in game item or maybe eliminate ads. With this model, you have to be careful not to alienate your non-VIP users by allowing users with the most money to pay for items that will help them win. It is best to allow the premium content to give them access to limited edition items that can be used for aesthetic purposes only
6. Add-ons/Expansion packs
Doing well with a browser game? Keep adding more features that users can buy to add to your game. This can include expansion packs, sequels or more. Users will be more willing to pay when they trust a browser game developer for creating a top tier product. So build a strong base product, then sell new features to users who will help you fund and expand your browser game for your users.
With so many options, it is hard to get started! But it is good to think about what you want at the beginning. Then once you have a plan, you need to think about what payment options or ads you will need to support to make it possible.
If you do have questions about setting up a business model, ask Paymentwall at bizdev@paymentwall.com since we support them all.