Amazon expanding digital services for the game industry
Internet retail behemoth Amazon has begun expanding its digital services into the game industry, with a particular focus on mobile gaming. The Amazon Digital Games Store has become a very promising marketplace for such games, giving developers yet another avenue through which to find success in an increasingly crowded market. Amazon has announced the activation of micro-transactions through in-app purchases for the games that are part of the company’s digital store.
In-app micro-transactions will receive more support from Amazon
Mobile game developers often rely on micro-transactions to generate some kind of profit with their titles. Most mobile games are either available for free or for a very small price, making their ability to generate revenue through initial purchase very limited. In-app micro-transactions are seen as the best way for these games to find commercial success, as the majority of these transactions are very inexpensive, thus making them more attractive to gamers.
Company expands services to PC, Mac, and web-based games
The Amazon Digital Games Store has had the ability to facilitate in-app micro-transactions for some time, but Amazon has been disinclined to fully support the service across all gaming platforms. The service has typically been reserved for mobile games for the iOS and Android platforms, but Amazon has begun expanding its availability to PC, Mac, and even web-based games. Amazon expects that expanding its service to these platforms will help game developers build their businesses and reach new audiences.
Developers relying heavily on micro-transactions
Game developers often create games for a wide variety of platforms in order to engage the largest number of people possible. This can be a costly endeavor because of the fundamental differences that exist from platform to platform. Micro-transactions therefore take on a greater importance for developers, as they not only represent a way for a studio to generate profit, but also recover from the costs associated with game development.
