Online Video Games: Pay to Play

The Value Of Paid Online Gaming

In order to attract players, paid online games need to offer something that free games do not. Some games do this by offering compelling and unique game content or gaming experiences. In other instances, people are willing to pay to play because there is a potential reward, for example if they win a game or tournament.

Payment Models

While most of the free online gaming sites earn their money by selling advertising space on their sites, other gaming sites ask consumers to pay for their gaming experiences. The video game market is a huge industry and the increasing popularity of online gaming is only enlarging it.

Pay Per Game

Some game sites charge a fee to pay a single round of a game. In many of these instances, the gaming experience is compelling, although not that different from some of the free games on the Internet. What makes them appealing, however, are the rewards. For example, at one of the leading online gaming sites, Worldwinner charges for each game you play. If you win the game, you win some money – more than you paid to enter the round. If, on the other hand you lose the game, your money is gone. Sometimes instead of money, winnings are paid in prizes.

Sites such as Worldwinner offer predominantly card games, word games and puzzle games, although nearly any game genre can be found.

These games are differentiated from online gambling because they are games of skill. While luck may be a component of the gameplay, winning depends on application of skill. In addition to individual game rounds, pay per game sites offer tournaments for players.

Subscription Gaming

Subscriptions to online game services work in different ways. Some companies offer flat rate subscriptions to play all of their games online; in early 2005 Sony modified their online service to this sort of subscription format. The Xbox live online service has an annual fee to allow players to connect with other Xbox gamers. Others charge per month and only give access to a single game for the subscription fee.

Some video games sell boxed versions in retail stores, then sell subscriptions to online access to game servers that allow gamers to play against other people. This is commonly seen with some of the Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) that are created by traditional game publishers. Some of the most popular MMOGs are World of Warcraft, Lineage, Final Fantasy XI and Everquest.

The downside to subscription fees for consumers is that the retail price of a game does not necessarily represent the cost of playing the game. On the other hand, many gamers feel the entertainment value of their game subscription(s) is well worth the money they pay, especially when it is compared to the cost of even going to the movies for a single night.

EA's Pogo offers subscription-based online gaming in addition to some free games.