There once was a time where in order to play the latest video game, the casual gamer would wander down to their local (probably now defunct) games shop and purchase their chosen game in a one-off payment.
However, in the past decade this simple process has now completely altered to the point where there are games that can be downloaded or streamed, as well as games within games, and even games that you have to keep paying for in order to progress to the next level.
Whilst this has undoubtedly improved player choice in terms of minigames that feature an entertaining casino diversion, or even an extra bonus mission with more extravagant forms of death, it can provide a complex gaming situation.
Such moves seem to mirror trends in other entertainment sectors. The industries of music and movies have been completely overhauled thanks to streaming companies such as Spotify and Netflix. This streaming activity provides a new method of consumption whereby rather than investing in a single product, the consumer subscribes to the whole service through regular payments.
The gaming industry has been quick to adapt to this business model as it not only encourages a more flexible relationship between consumer and company, but also ensures that revenues are kept sustained rather than being dependant upon a single, phenomenally expensive game’s development and launch.
In order to keep gamers interested in a product, many games developers have sought to include various minigames within a game as a whole. This can be found in the likes of the Gwent card game in the recent edition of The Witcher, as well as Blitzball in Final Fantasy X.
Interestingly, gambling games are often the most common kind of minigame, and this could be seen as an attempt to tie in to the phenomenal rise of online casinos like Lucky Nugget Casino that provide a huge range of games, as well as handy playing tips for those of you wanting to know how to play online roulette. And with a rumoured casino update for the latest version of Grand Theft Auto on the way, the phenomenon of games within games is showing no sign of slowing down.
The use of money to proceed through various stages of a game first became noticeable with the rise of mobile games such as Candy Crush Saga. This cute and intensely addictive game subtly created huge revenues through the requirement that gamers make in-app purchases in order to progress.
The rise of the micro-transaction in a game has now become a highly visible feature in the mobile gaming environment. But with even Kanye West slamming the surreptitious rise of in-app purchases, it looks like the micro-transaction is here to stay, and in order to play, gamers will be expected to pay.
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