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Game Monetization

The document outlines an "Evil Game Design Challenge" to turn the classic Super Mario Bros. game into a monetized mobile game targeting middle-aged women. It describes numerous predatory monetization strategies such as requiring in-app purchases for additional lives, energy replenishment, upgrades, inventory slots and timed gameplay sequences designed to extract maximum revenue from players.

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345 views

Game Monetization

The document outlines an "Evil Game Design Challenge" to turn the classic Super Mario Bros. game into a monetized mobile game targeting middle-aged women. It describes numerous predatory monetization strategies such as requiring in-app purchases for additional lives, energy replenishment, upgrades, inventory slots and timed gameplay sequences designed to extract maximum revenue from players.

Uploaded by

Aristotle Go
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as ODP, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Greg Costikyan

[email protected]
Casual Connect 2013
Evil Game Design Challenge

Target Demographic

Middle-aged women

IP appeals to 20-something males

Obviously need to change to...



Super MarioX
a
Bros XXXXSISTERS!
Image credit: Elor!sl

Super Mario Bros....

Is notable for crisp controls.

Reuires precise timing.

!ans decry modern games as "too easy"

In other words#
Way too hard for our demographic!

It's All Gotta be Clicks

$lic% to move.

$lic% to defeat enemies.


You know, like Indiana Jones
Adenture !orld.

...swipes to &ump in mobile suc%.

'nnoying confirm dialog for %eyboard use


when entering !lash full-screen.

$harge energy for every clic% ( )a-$hing*



Content Creation Costs "

+eed to spin out content for months of play.

,o we want players to grind levels repeatedly.


-e need#

Mastery stars*

.ate content# /0ou need 2 stars in stage 2-1 to


unloc% stage 2-2./

One of the core appeals of Super Mario Bros.

2ut incompatible with grind replay.

-e need# 'lgorithmically generated


traps3enemies.

,ayonara4 careful level design... but necessary


to support our business model.
Care#ul $eel Design

" #or %nerg&' $ies' (o)erups

5nergy and lives regen on timers4 but...

/0ou"re out of energy* 2uy more for 6 gems7/

/0ou died* $ontinue for 8 gems7/

/' ,uper Mushroom would help you here. 2uy


one for 10 gems7/
)a-ching*

Speaking o# (o)erups...

Mario can carry3use only one at a time...

2ut we want to sell you lots...

-e need an inventory.

Plus4 we can sell you#


More inventory slots*
)a-ching*

...And *ther (ermanent Stat Increases

/One more ma9 :ife for 20 gems./

/;riple-&umps for 60 gems./

/!aster energy regen for 80 gems./


)a-ching*

'Course' !e +eed ,irals

Invite !riends <li%e4 20 seconds into +=!>

?aily free gifts

5nergy @ Powerups4 inventory caps <buy but


not receive above them>

2rag shares <must unchec% tiny bo9 or shared


automatically>

,taffing...

Sta##ing-

/'s% three friends to staff your castle to unloc%


-orld 2./

/...or unloc% now for 10 gems./

Oh4 and /Maria is searching the castle for the


Princess AA. $ome bac% in 26 hours to see if she
found him*/

./ 0ours-

Only damn metrics your mgmt is going to care


about in geoalpha are 1-day retention and time
on site.

,o the !=5 gives you 20-B0 minutes of


gameplay C a hard stop and call to return
tomorrow.

"$ause we don"t even get to launch if we don"t


massage our metrics.

.aming the system is Dob One*



+e) !orlds Gated b&...

Mastery stars.

,taffing <or pay to bypass>.

:ater on4 an e9pansion resource

Rare drop4 or pay to buy.

;imer <or pay to bypass>.


)a-ching*

Consumables 1 B&passes Good' But...

-e need more )a-$hing*

2onus -orlds for hard currency only.

-ee% 2# a stage you +55? powerups to beat.

-e don"t give you enough.

M=,; spam or monetiEe to progress.



(lus2 Timed 3uest Se4uences

12C uests4 most reuiring grind.

+ew world4 available for 2 wee%s only.

2ig reward at the end# /Play as Princess Peach*


,he can ;riple Dump*/

5ach play reuires a new special resource.

Players seeded with some4 C rare drop4 C as%


friends for more.

?aily cap on F you can receive.



Timed 3uest Se4uence 5pt. .6

;uned so you will +O; have enough of the


special resource to complete in the available
time.

=nless you pay* )a-ching*

,uc% the mar%s in with enough seeded


resources... Gave them invest time and
emotional energy... Gold out a big reward...

?ouble )a-ching*

(lus the 7sual Crap

Gard currency3H ratio at some weird prime4 li%e


I4 so it"s harder for the mar%s to figure out how
much they"re actually spending.

?aily reward slot machine with G$ cost for


more spins.

/.et gems at B0J off but only if you act now./

/0ou"ve got 2 e9tra inventory slots for the ne9t


wee%/ <but have to pay to %eep them
afterwards>.

+ice $ittle Game 8ou Got There...

'h4 nostalgia...

.et over it*

;here"s money to be made4 boys.


)'-$GI+.*

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