Business model of long-term browser-based games - Income without game packages

Abstract

Browser-based games played directly in the web browser are a new business environment, where traditional business models for digital games needs to be replaced with new one. There are no game packages to be sold in the first place, and availability of free options makes browser-based game with monthly costs very uninteresting for the players. Therefore neither: “make game - sell game” cycle or monthly costs based subscriber model are eligible for those. These games have a unique player group, which consist of very experienced players and huge mass of new players. In this paper, we describe business model used with long-term browser-based games. Common sources of income in this business model are selling extra features to the players and advertisement space to the advertisers.