Authors: Parth Rastogi
Abstract: The gaming industry has witnessed an absolute change because of the Free-to-Play (F2P) model, which not only provides everyone with the chance to enjoy games free of charge but also produces substantial revenue through in-game purchases. The potential threats to the player experience posed by intrusive monetization methods, in particular, loot boxes and pay-2-win mechanics, can result in decreased user engagement and long-run dissatisfaction. This survey studies the ways in which a game developer can achieve the balance between monetization optimization and a player experience – maintaining a high-quality player experience. A research that used a mixed-methods approach was carried out by the authors, including surveys, interviews, and sentiment analysis. The preliminary results support the idea that ethical, viable monetization schemes, like digital clothes in shop and game passes, are good methods for revenue generation and maintaining the player base. On the contrary, those that use exploitative measures will often encounter dislike and a high churn rate, as well. -seen in the gamers' reactions to this interaction. The strategies include the most suitable ones for fair, transparent, and sustainable monetization in F2P games.
