Online Worlds Roundtable #14, Part Three

The third installment of RPG Vault’s fourteenth Online Worlds Roundtable is now available, providing us with even more developer perspectives on alternate MMORPG revenue models. NetDevil CEO Scott Brown:

A common twist on this business model allows consumers to purchase expansions or episodes through a series of micro-payments over and above the original retail purchase. This also allows for the inclusion of a retail box while only charging the users for the content they consume. This model is very popular for games that do not require the expensive server architecture required in a “standard” MMO.

Paying small amounts for accessories, land or character additions is becoming more and more popular, especially with the success of games like KartRider in Korea, where millions of players continually cultivate their game through micro-payments. I think this can be a great billing methodology for a game, provided that players do not feel disadvantaged by others who can afford to spend more on upgrades and accessories such as armor.