The Dark Side of Game Development: Ethical Challenges in Monetization (2/2)
🛠️ How to Monetize Without Losing Your Soul
#1. Make Value Clear
- Players should know what they’re buying, and why it’s worth it.
- No mystery boxes. No bait-and-switch.
#2. Never Punish Free Players
- Free-to-play players should have a complete, satisfying experience.
- Monetization should enhance experience, not rescue it from tedium.
#3. Use Cosmetics (Tastefully)
- Skins, emotes, music packs — great ways to monetize without altering gameplay.
- Don’t lock identity or self-expression behind extreme grind walls.
#4. Be Transparent with Timers
- If you use urgency, be upfront about returns or rotations.
- Better yet: design content that doesn’t rely on fake scarcity.
#5. Build Trust Over Extraction
- The more honest you are, the more likely players are to support you voluntarily.
- Respect = retention.
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