Revenue
f2p games
Retention
Subscriptions
User engagement
5 Game Subscription Features To Help Increase Revenue
October 11, 2021
A great video game will keep players coming back for more, but one way to ensure players stay on board is through a subscription service. When a gamer subscribes to your game, you will keep them engaged for the set time of the subscription and entice them to make the most out of their subscription.
As you plan any type of subscription service for a game, learn about five different ways to help increase revenue and build a subscription model which works for your specific game. Once the subscription mode is fully in place, your game will have a whole new way to make profits and gain loyal players.
1. Free-Trial Subscriptions
For many gamers, the ability to have a hands-on experience with the subscription features will help them understand exactly what they are getting with the fee they pay. To help, consider adding a free-trial option to your subscriptions.
A free-trial ranges anywhere from a week to a month in most cases and will offer unlimited access to the subscription benefits. For example, through a free trial, a player may have access to exclusive levels, special content, or character skins.
In the gaming world, a free-trial is connected directly to the gamer account and profile. With a free-trial agreement, you may set up an automatic renewal to the full subscription once the free trial has ended. Players who enjoy the service do not have to take any extra steps and you will automatically have paid subscribers after many of the trial periods.
2. Season Passes
A monthly subscription option is common, but your game release options may not have to be limited to a monthly schedule if you choose to go by a season schedule as an alternative. A season pass subscription offers a subscription to a full season of the game, which could range anywhere from one month to multiple months.
A season pass gives players exclusive offers and content through the length of the season. With a season pass, you have the ability to increase revenue as players seek out the exclusive season content and options.
With your own timeline, you have the ability to pace out updates and extra features as needed. For example, you may have weekly goals and rewards for players that accumulate through six weeks of a season.
3. Lifetime Memberships
As an alternative to recurring monthly fees, you may offer some players the chance to purchase a lifetime membership to your game. The lifetime membership allows you to get a large fee upfront and gives players full access to the subscription services.
With the lifetime membership, you get everything at once and do not need to worry about gamers canceling the subscription. The set price value depends on how much you charge monthly.
When a player has a lifetime membership, the gamer will be encouraged to go back to the game and get the most out of the paid subscription. You still have the opportunity to earn revenue from the lifetime members through a variety of micro-transactions and digital content purchases.
4. Subscription Exclusives
To help entice players to sign-up for a subscription, you may offer a variety of exclusives which will also help increase your revenue. For example, subscribers may earn 50% off all of the in-store digital purchases. The savings on the items may get players to pay the subscription price and then purchase more at the discounted costs.
Other subscription exclusives may include seasonal content. For example, you could release a special Christmas level or holiday-inspired character skin for any subscriptions in November or December. With the limited-time features, people may be more prone to subscribe to get access to the deals.
The exclusives all depend on the type of game you have and the ability to offer different types of in-game content. With a subscription, the players should feel like they get something other players do not have access to.
5. Giveaways
Another way to help increase revenue through subscriptions is with giveaways. Through your subscriptions, your game may offer players a variety of giveaways including in-game content, digital store gift cards, or a variety of merchandise.
When a giveaway increases the subscriber amount, the game will naturally profit. For example, if you have $100 worth of giveaways and your subscription price is $5 a month, then your game would only need 20 additional subscribers to break even. Any additional subscribers would help add to the revenue.
The giveaways may include different elements. For example, you could have a giveaway targeted at new subscribers or current subscribers. Offer a mix of giveaways to attract all your gamers and allow everyone to have a fair chance to win.
The subscription-based model works well for many games and could apply to yours as well. Learn more about setting up subscriptions and how they will help your game increase profits by contacting us at Xsolla. We have the resources to help set up payments, recurring payments, and different types of subscriptions like free trials.
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