14604 Lie, Dodge, confuse: as we have bred. in mobile games

Lie, Dodge, confuse: as we have bred. in mobile games



Imagine the situation: brand new mobile toy first entertains in every possible way tries to please everyone, and then quite unceremoniously demands a bribe — and very, very aggressively. What makes this case the average user? He sighs, then quietly closes the application, and, realizing that collided with another car by pumping means removes it. But there are those who are beginning to throw in the screen of the smartphone money. We talk about them.

“Whales” swim up

Who the developers are sharpening their harpoons and lay a snare? The so-called “whales”. This term came from the casino — they represent the visitors that make the highest bid. In the gaming industry that’s the name of those who regularly spends at a hobby large amounts — from a few dozen to a few hundred dollars a month.

Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

Whales are scarce, and comprise, according to some estimates, from 0.2% to 2.2%. But if managed to catch the bait at least a few, the source of income provided by such users account for 29% to 59% of the total profit (to 70% of the profits from the transaction in the application). In very advanced cases, the “whales” get down to his passion for fabulous sums: a businessman from Texas Steven Barnes spent on mobile strategy Modern War about two million dollars. Not surprisingly, the developers are pursuing Barnes and others like him with the same tenacity with which captain Ahab followed Moby dick.

Is it possible to identify demographic and psychological portrait of the “pillars” and determine what makes it to spend a lot of money on a simple, seemingly game?

“That’s a good question. But most of the data on these people is very hard to confirm or find”, — said Dmitri Williams, Professor Usc, whom we asked for help. And yet let’s consider the available statistics.

“It is a great floor uncontrollably siphoning money on all sorts of digital change?”

Usually when the words “fan of F2P” seems to us a typical housewife, killing time in some nonsense like Bejeweled Blitz. Partly this is confirmed by the data publishers. King.com that ‘happiness’ the world of Candy Crush Saga, says that 80% of regular users were women. Of these, only 34% were under 30 and 9% were younger than 21. So, this is a great floor uncontrollably siphoning money on all sorts of digital change?

Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

Not so, say researchers from Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR), interviewed about three thousand users. It turns out that a typical “kit” is more like a hardcore gamer, not a bored mother. This is a young man no older than thirty, which is spent not only on “Mobilochka” — he also enjoys spending his free time on consoles, PC and Nintendo 3DS portative like. In General, at hobby a gamer spends 26.5 hours per week, of which smartphones account for an average of up to 11 hours. Boys-enthusiasts around 66% of all whales. Fewer women are about two times — only 34% are ready more or less regularly to part with large sums.

“…even the venerable “picoboard”, accidentally wandered into “fritupley” dutifully opens the wallet”

“Nothing surprising, — the authors of the study. — Hardcore gamers are already accustomed to pay — and this behavior they project onto other platforms“. Perhaps that is why even the venerable “picoboard”, accidentally wandered into “fritupley” dutifully opens the purse, is the developer to throw the hook with a tempting bait. And she had procured for all occasions.

The pain and humiliation

The main mechanism of almost any F2P-games — so-called “pleasant pain” (“fun pain”). Admission is simple and, despite the name, not too pleasant. The user will enable you to feel the fun of the game, and then deliberately put in an awkward position. The degree of frustration is determined by the add — on is not so severe, to immediately close the program, but strong enough to have her (ill-fated frustration) I just wanted to get rid of. The way out of the awkward situation will be offered immediately — and free of course he will not.

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Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

Fake rubles

It turns out, the much more likely the user will pay for the possibility to continue safely or to win, how much for a subject which will allow him to do it. Moreover, the purchase must be directly in the application — that in the accident there was no time to reflect on their actions and weigh the pros and cons. Instead to realize how much real money flowing from the account in the app, he sees just the opposite — money, though not real, becomes greater. This triggers positive feelings that will strengthen the probability of the next purchase.

“The farther we get away from actual money, the easier it is for us to part with them”

“About the same effect we observe in the real world — people who use cash spend less than those who use credit cards. The farther we move away from actual money, the easier it is for us to part with them. That is why in-game currency almost always works,” explains in his blog monetization expert Ramin Shakizada.

Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

And it can be sold by the parties — then the user it will seem that buying more diamonds or the magic of candy at a time, it saves. The most important thing is to create a feeling for bargains. But it is enough to place a colorful banner that will directly tell, how much money will you save if you buy five coins, fifty or even a hundred.

Weaning awards

Imagine: you pass a new level in the next sessions. At first, everything goes smoothly — the puzzle easy to solve, and the enemies fall flat on my face after a blow or two. And that’s when the maze is already nearly over and victory looms before my eyes, there is a boss. And powerful before, what immediately becomes clear: you can’t handle him. In a normal game you can fall a hero’s death and just load the last save. But not in F2P — you lose everything. And your hard-earned rewards, and the energy needed to continue, and watch your own life. Unless you fork out some super item that will allow you to overcome the enemy and continue.

“…the developers then slip the simplest way to avoid unpleasant emotions”

“This is a very powerful way to get someone to pay,” — said Shakizada. In fact, remember that bitter feeling of resentment that appears when a stupid accident all your hard work goes down the drain. For example, I wrote a wall of text on the forum, but because of the hurricane the lights went out, and had to dial it again. Or baked a pie, but my hand slipped and you accidentally poured the salt, thereby ruining the dish on the vine. It includes the same mechanism — but unlike real life, the developers immediately slip the simplest way to avoid unpleasant emotions. And you have to be a man with a truly iron will to not to use them.

“You shall not pass!”

Another popular method is paywall. The developers allow you to play “completely free”, but not indefinitely, but long enough to get a taste: it’s a classic — the first dose for free. And then, when you will be away before the fun and pleasure that you want to continue, you suddenly want money.

Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

As Williams explains, there are two possible scenarios. In the first everything is hard and easy.

“The developer makes a good product — but access to the best aspects are the only ones who will pay. It’s like a VIP area in clubs, where only the elect”, — Dmitri Williams, Professor Usc.

“We have to decide what you’re willing to donate — time or money”

In the second the user is given the choice or, rather, its illusion.

“We have to decide what you’re willing to donate — time or money. Someone will reach his goal of a “grind” or to wait patiently until filled the energy meter, and you can continue. And someone will decide he doesn’t want to waste time and give money. Especially if the goal is much more attractive than the path to its achievement,” Dmitri Williams, Professor Usc.

Skill is nothing, money is everything

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The Komsomol is not looking for easy ways. And the player often only them and saved. Want to put a new record in Bejeweled Blitz? Don’t know how to finish in-the-n that nasty green pig in Angry Birds? Not a problem! Just call for the aid of Mighty eagle or stock up on super-duper-pebbles — and victory in your pocket.

Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

It would seem, so what? Let the lazy pay for a triumph, which cannot achieve intelligence and wit. In any puzzle game, designed for one person, it may really be. But online with many users, the picture is quite different. Here, the waste of money is not just an abstract easy life, but a significant advantage over more tight-fisted (or forced more efficient) rivals. While skill and ability to go to the background. Let your hands grow not from there, and the intricacies of gameplay to delve too lazy, but pay — and win. And now the user reached for the credit card.

Skinner and his boxes

In the 30-ies of the last century, a behaviorist Berres Frederic Skinner made an experiment: put hungry rats in a box with an arm. Very soon the curious nature of rodents discovered that, when you press the lever in the box begins to crumble food — you overeat and lost to the mechanism of interest. To force unfortunate animals to press the lever again and again, Skinner began experimenting with the frequency of feed delivery. That’s where the fun began.

“Our brains care not a guaranteed award, but [himself] a chance to get it”

It turned out that it is possible to reduce the chance of getting snacks, but curiosity rats are just getting warmed up. And, if you calculate the probability is correct, the poor animal will sit in front of the mechanism, as if glued, repeatedly pressing the lever. More than just our brain, as it turned out, cares not a guaranteed award, but a chance to get it, even if it is not too high. This effect, called “the Skinner box” (although the scientist himself protested against such titles), first found use in casino slot machines — even the lever remains a lever. And in the XXI century tested and gaming industry.

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So the user was regularly opened the app (and, of course, spent money in it) is enough to promise him a large reward. This, in particular, those boxes with items (TF2 or Overwatch), among which are usually rubbish — but occasionally you can get anything worthwhile. Found among the rubbish a great sword or a rare hat? Then he’ll be back to try it again and again. And again. And again.

Bad?

After this review, almost all the F2P games seem to be one solid sell. And their creators at best look cunning manipulators; at worst, outright scams. Does this mean that the “free” model is clearly wrong?

“Quite adult [people] can get on a hook “fritupleya” and spend it on your cherished savings”

Some experts are sounding the alarm — for example, the canadian psychiatrist Tyler black, not times raised this issue at conferences of PAX and GDC. According to him, the lengths to which the developers are going F2P, is designed primarily on the developing brain. Children and teenagers are harder to control impulses and to reflect carefully on the situation. However, suffer not only the young — the ability to make wise and informed decisions in humans is up to 25 years. So grown-UPS can get hooked on “fritupleya” and spend it on your cherished savings. According to experts, developers should be more honest with its audience. And the laws against them should be tougher.

Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

Professor Williams does not agree:

“There are monetization models that are designed to pull money out of the buyer and can harm him. But, if you look at the world through the eyes of a cynic, is practically any trade. Developers also spending time and money on creating your product, from which the player receives a pleasant feeling. They have the right to ask money for it. We pay for movies, music and books — and they, too, influence it on our emotions”, — Dmitri Williams, Professor Usc.

“F2P allows you to decide whether you want to continue, and to pay in accordance with this desire”

“In a sense, the model of free-to-play better for the consumer — it takes into account his interest. You pay for a book full price, and nobody cares if you will not move beyond the first ten pages. With the usual title, say, for consoles, are all exactly the same — even if you pass only a ten-minute tutorial, your price will still be the same as for the one who will get from the game hundred of hours. And if you think about it, it’s not too correctly and efficiently.

F2P allows you to decide whether you want to continue, and to pay in accordance with this desire. And that in itself is a very good decision. Problems arise when one of the parties tries to cheat”, Dmitri Williams, Professor Usc.

Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

With Williams in solidarity and Shakizada, a lot of time devoted to exposing developers:

“I think that monetization can be for the benefit of the developer and the consumer. I’m not against F2P mechanic, but they should be honest,” Ramin Shakizada, an expert on monetization.

What has changed and what will happen next?

“What exactly changed — so that the size of the audience — said Williams. — The explosion in the smartphone market led to the fact that people have to play a lot more and shareware model was the most popular. The percentage of those who are willing to give developers money — especially whales — can be relatively small of the total. The players themselves so much that the profit is still considerable. Because of the growth of the mobile segment of the industry as a whole is estimated at 100 billion dollars”, — Dmitri Williams, Professor Usc.

Как нас разводят на донат в мобильных играх

Now both the state and the company are on the side of the consumer. AppStore warns that you can ask for money, and a beautiful button “Free” was replaced by a more relaxed “Install”. And iOS pop-up window will ask whether you want to buy a bag of magic candy for a modest price of 299 rubles. The other becomes a saturated market: now endless versions of Candy Crush Saga, Clash of Clans and the like one can not be surprised, and offer prevails over demand.

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“…developers will have to find new models for monetization”

With consumers becoming more sophisticated and are conducted in numerous tricks are not so willing. This forces developers to look for new ways of earnings. “In the near future we are waiting for a real arms race — both sides are smarter, and developers will have to find new models for monetization” — said Williams.

For some it will mean a change of activity. For example, Zynga — creators of FarmVille and pioneers fritupleynyh entertainment for kazualov — now engaged mainly in online casinos. King Digital is not only churning out variations on the theme of Candy Crush, and develops mobile Call of Duty (which, I hope, will not turn into a solid pay-2-win). And maybe someone will go completely the other way — that is, just create a good product that will not wish to pay.

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Change will have and the attitude of the users — that is already happening. Texan Steven Barnes decided to abandon the Modern War, which spent millions deciding that the publisher (the Japanese company Gree) didn’t appreciate the audience. But this was not the end — after the departure of Barnes other players staged a boycott, demanding from developers a better relationship. And Gree had to listen to the demands, increasing the value of domestic currency and items. C the mass discontent had to face the Russian Game Insight — and the conflict is also resolved in favour of the audience. Who knows — maybe after another couple of high-profile stories the situation finally begin to change for the better? It remains only to hope.

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Author: Pauline Esakova

Source: 4pda.ru

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