Slashdot Mirror
How Much Money Do Free-To-Play MMOs Make?
simoniker writes "Over at Gamasutra, a new feature article discusses how much money free-to-play MMO games make, with specific real-world stats from game developers willing to discuss how they make money with microtransaction-based PC games. In particular, Puzzle Pirates co-creator Daniel James reveals that 'the average revenue per user (ARPU) is between one and two dollars a month, but only about 10% of his player base has ever paid him anything. As a result, he says, approximately 5,000 gamers are generating the $230,000 in revenue he sees each month.' It's obviously quite a different model from the regular $15/month for World Of Warcraft, but it evidently works for some companies."
If you read the article, it says the money is coming from people making micropayments adding up to $50/month each.
Exactly. I actually did read some of TFA, don't tell anyone!, and was not shocked to see that number really. Those who are playing the game for free are being subsidized by those who are paying more than what the game is likely worth.
Of course that last bit is so highly subjective that I'll qualify that by adding it's not my place to say what anyones entertainment should be worth. Rather just that as you pointed out, and the point I was making in my OP, the money that is spent via micro-payments can get out of hand with a quickness.
Really, I know what I'm doing...Ohhhh, look at the shiny buttons!
If you divide by zero, surely the National Debt will go to infinity ?
No wait, Barak already covered that, didn't he ?
That should be Dr. Rim, really..