Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods
Selling virtual goods for real money is an increasingly popular revenue model for massively-multiplayer online games (MMOs), social networking sites (SNSs) and other online hangouts. In this paper, we argue that the marketing of virtual goods currently falls short of what it could be. Game developer...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
International Journal of Business Science and Applied Management
2010-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Business Science and Applied Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.business-and-management.org/download.php?file=2010/5_1--14-29-Hamari,Lehdonvirta.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818736430453620736 |
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| author | Lehdonvirta, V. Hamari, J. |
| author_facet | Lehdonvirta, V. Hamari, J. |
| author_sort | Lehdonvirta, V. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Selling virtual goods for real money is an increasingly popular revenue model for massively-multiplayer online games (MMOs), social networking sites (SNSs) and other online hangouts. In this paper, we argue that the marketing of virtual goods currently falls short of what it could be. Game developers have long created compelling game designs, but having to market virtual goods to players is a relatively new situation to them. Professional marketers, on the other hand, tend to overlook the internal design of games and hangouts and focus on marketing the services as a whole. To begin bridging the gap, we propose that the design patterns and game mechanics commonly used in games and online hangouts should be viewed as a set of marketing techniques designed to sell virtual goods. Based on a review of a number of MMOs, we describe some of the most common patterns and game mechanics and show how their effects can be explained in terms of analogous techniques from marketing science. The results provide a new perspective to game design with interesting implications to developers. Moreover, they also suggest a radically new perspective to marketers of ordinary goods and services: viewing marketing as a form of game design. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T00:37:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10ad0cd38f944ad9b1ef0e63a9ad7194 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1753-0296 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T00:37:02Z |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | International Journal of Business Science and Applied Management |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Business Science and Applied Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-10ad0cd38f944ad9b1ef0e63a9ad71942022-12-21T21:26:58ZengInternational Journal of Business Science and Applied ManagementInternational Journal of Business Science and Applied Management1753-02962010-01-01511429Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goodsLehdonvirta, V.Hamari, J.Selling virtual goods for real money is an increasingly popular revenue model for massively-multiplayer online games (MMOs), social networking sites (SNSs) and other online hangouts. In this paper, we argue that the marketing of virtual goods currently falls short of what it could be. Game developers have long created compelling game designs, but having to market virtual goods to players is a relatively new situation to them. Professional marketers, on the other hand, tend to overlook the internal design of games and hangouts and focus on marketing the services as a whole. To begin bridging the gap, we propose that the design patterns and game mechanics commonly used in games and online hangouts should be viewed as a set of marketing techniques designed to sell virtual goods. Based on a review of a number of MMOs, we describe some of the most common patterns and game mechanics and show how their effects can be explained in terms of analogous techniques from marketing science. The results provide a new perspective to game design with interesting implications to developers. Moreover, they also suggest a radically new perspective to marketers of ordinary goods and services: viewing marketing as a form of game design.http://www.business-and-management.org/download.php?file=2010/5_1--14-29-Hamari,Lehdonvirta.pdfonline gamessocial networkingvirtual worldvirtual goodsbusiness modelsustainabilitycaptology |
| spellingShingle | Lehdonvirta, V. Hamari, J. Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods International Journal of Business Science and Applied Management online games social networking virtual world virtual goods business model sustainability captology |
| title | Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods |
| title_full | Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods |
| title_fullStr | Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods |
| title_short | Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods |
| title_sort | game design as marketing how game mechanics create demand for virtual goods |
| topic | online games social networking virtual world virtual goods business model sustainability captology |
| url | http://www.business-and-management.org/download.php?file=2010/5_1--14-29-Hamari,Lehdonvirta.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lehdonvirtav gamedesignasmarketinghowgamemechanicscreatedemandforvirtualgoods AT hamarij gamedesignasmarketinghowgamemechanicscreatedemandforvirtualgoods |