The Bipolar Nature of Game Dev
As I write about game dev, my thoughts often splinter into a chorus of opposing arguments. It’s like my brain is hosting a non-stop debate club where the topic is always game development, and the members are a bunch of me’s with a love-hate relationship with the industry. In one moment, I'm singing praises of game dev so loud I could wake the neighbors. In the next, I'm drafting a rant that could fuel a thousand angry forums. It could be really hard to embrace the chaos, to acknowledge the yin and yang of game dev.
Let's take ads monetisation for example...
Of course ads are made to make money, not to be played. Even playable ads, to be honest. Ads can provide a consistent revenue source, essential for developers. On a project where I've worked recently, ads monetisation covered salary budget for the team. But it may encourage Skinner Box tactics: to maximize ad views, developers may employ manipulative tactics, like frequent, forced breaks that can only be bypassed by watching ads. It turns gaming into a psychological trap, exploiting player patience for profit. But players don't care about our salaries, you know.
On the other side, the need to integrate ads in a non-intrusive way pushes developers to be more creative with their monetization strategies. It leads to innovative methods that blend ads seamlessly into the gaming experience. But, if done wrong, ads can disrupt the gaming experience, breaking immersion and frustrating players. Imagine being immersed in a game, your adrenaline pumping, only to be yanked out by an ad for a mattress sale. In a bid to maximize ad revenue, some games are designed around ad placements rather than player enjoyment. This leads to games that feel more like ad galleries with occasional gameplay. Alternatively, many games offer players the choice to watch ads in exchange for in-game bonuses, power-ups, or currency. This approach empowers players, giving them control over their gaming experience and how they interact with ads.
Ads enable the Free-to-Play model, which has democratized mobile gaming. Players can enjoy games without upfront costs, making gaming more accessible to a broader audience. It's a win-win: games reach more players, and players access a wider variety of games. But, in some games ads monetisation creates a Pay-to-Play Paradigm: the only way to avoid ads is through in-app purchases. It creates a scenario where players have to pay to enjoy uninterrupted gameplay, a model that feels less like a fair transaction and more like a ransom.
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Love and hate, yin and yang. I'm thinking of making more posts uncovering such a bipolarity, would you like it?
Yours in duality,
PixelWraith
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