Monetization Strategies for Windows 8 Games

Shai HinitzSr. Program ManagerWindows PC Planning & Ecosystem

Agenda

Windows 8 and the store opportunity

Monetization facts and strategies

Windows 8 store tools for maximum return

Xbox LIVE gamer services trends

Got a Great Game?

Sell it to a large audience!

3 million downloads

400 million new PCs

450 million Windows 7

500 million Windows 8-ready devices

1.25 billion Windows users worldwide

Well-established industry numbers

Windows 8 Devices and Form Factors

Reimagined user experienceNew application modelForm factor diversityUser diversity

Unified commerceDiscoveryAnalyticsFlexibility

Windows 8

The Windows 8 Store

App listing

Editorial promotion Category

Internet Explorer integration

Web traffic (for example: search & social)

Windows 8 Store: Global Reach & Transparency Commerce in 200+ markets at launch

Store & apps in 100+ languages at

launch

Local currencies in 70+ markets at

launch

App submission in 40+ markets at

launch

Many market-specific catalogs

Predictable

Concise

Clear

Safe

Fair

Best Economics

Revenue sharing for new app: 70% to start

Revenue sharing after app grosses $25K: 80%

You control the pricing of your app: $1.49 - $999.99

Certification and Onboarding

Existing relationship

Subscriptions

Consumable purchases

Use your existing commerc

e

Time-limited trials

Feature-differentiated trials

One-time

purchase

Persistent purchases

Expiring purchases

In-App purchas

es & DLC

Flexibility of Windows 8 Store Commerce

Choice of ad services

Ad- supporte

d

Purchases roam across devices and CPU architectures

Some Monetization Facts

Source: The Windows Phone Developer blog, March 2011

10% conversion

70× downloads

10× revenue

Trials matter

Time-limited trials

Feature-differentiated trials

Trials

Trials the Easiest Way — No Code Required

Select a time period for your trial

Let the Windows Store handle the rest.

Initialize Settings for Trial Mode

Void Simple3DGame::InitializeGameConfig(){

// Initialize trial versionm_gameConfig.isTrial = true;// Allow Add-on offers in Premium version onlym_gameConfig.autoFire = false; m_controller->AutoFire (false);m_gameConfig.backgroundAvailable[0] = true; for (int i = 1; i <

GameRendererConstants::MaxBackgroundTextures; i++){

m_gameConfig.backgroundAvailable[i] = false; }

}

Trials In Action2/6 levelsNo Add onsPrompt for Upgrade

demo

Full Purchase: Implementation Basics

Check license

Get latest listing data

Prompt for

purchase

Check the Game’s License// Get the current license informationthis->m_licenseInformation = CurrentAppSimulator::LicenseInformation;

// Set up the event handler to be notified when the license changesthis->m_licenseInformation->LicenseChanged += ref new LicenseChangedEventHandler(this, &App::OnLicenseChanged);

// Populate the (available) information for display on the game’s store fly-outthis->m_mainPage->SetProductItems(nullptr, m_licenseInformation);

// Update the game by calling the license changed handlerthis->OnLicenseChanged();

// Get the current license informationthis->m_licenseInformation = CurrentApp::LicenseInformation;

Load the Game’s Listing Data// Load the listing informationtask<ListingInformation^> listingTask(CurrentAppSimulator::LoadListingInformationAsync());listingTask.then([=](ListingInformation^ listing) {

this->m_listingInformation = listing;

// Call OnLicenseChanged to update items as the information is availablethis->OnLicenseChanged();});

// Get the product’s name and pricem_title = listing->Name;m_formattedPrice = listing->FormattedPrice;

$ 5.99 € 5.99 ¥ 5.990

<ListingInformation> <App> <MarketData xml:lang="en-us"> <Name>Simple 3D Game</Name> <Description>1st person shooter</Description> <Price>5.99</Price> <CurrencySymbol>$</CurrencySymbol> </MarketData> </App></ListingInformation>

Prompt For Purchase

// Confirm the license is active and a trial version

if (m_licenseInformation->IsActive && m_licenseInformation->IsTrial)

{

// Make an asynchronous call to the store to purchase the full app

task<void> purchaseTask(CurrentAppSimulator::RequestAppPurchaseAsync());

purchaseTask.then([this](task<void> previousTask)

{

// Update the game title UI to “Full Version”

});

}

Trials In Action6/6 levelsAdd ons optional

demo

Some Monetization Facts

Source: Distimo, August 2011

72% of revenue comes from apps that feature in-app offers

48% of revenue is solely from in-app offers

In-app offers matter

In-App Purchases in Action

UI prompts for purchasePurchase Add ons

demo

Check the Game’s Add-on Features License// Get the current license informationthis->m_licenseInformation = CurrentAppSimulator::LicenseInformation;

// Extract the license information for the list of featuresProductLicense^ productLicense = m_licenseInformation->ProductLicenses->Lookup(m_productId);m_isProductActive = productLicense->IsActive;

// Populate the (available) information for display on the game’s store fly-out  this->m_mainPage->SetProductItems(nullptr, m_licenseInformation);

// Update the game by calling the license changed handlerthis->OnLicenseChanged();

Load the Listing Data// extract the listing information for each specified featureProductListing^ productListing = m_listingInformation->ProductListings->Lookup(m_productId);m_title = productListing->Name;m_formattedPrice = productListing->FormattedPrice; 

<Product ProductId="AutoFire"> <MarketData xml:lang="en-us"> <Name>Automatic Firing</Name> <Price>1.99</Price> <CurrencySymbol>$</CurrencySymbol> </MarketData></Product><Product ProductId="NightsBackground"> <MarketData xml:lang="en-us"> <Name>Nighttime Background</Name> <Price>1.99</Price> <CurrencySymbol>$</CurrencySymbol> </MarketData></Product>

Prompt for Add-on Purchase

// Confirm active and non-trial licenseif (m_licenseInformation->IsActive && !m_licenseInformation->IsTrial){ // Full version of the game, so OK to purchase the add-on if (!m_licenseInformation->ProductLicenses->Lookup(productId)->IsActive) { task<void> purchaseTask(CurrentAppSimulator::RequestProductPurchaseAsync(productId)); purchaseTask.then([=](task<void> previousTask)

{// Update the game UI to reflect new features});

}

?40,000,000 users

2,100,000,000 hours played per month

>6,300,000,000 achievements granted

176,802,201,383 gamer points scored

Microsoft Entertainment Platforms

Monetization: Best Practices

One app for both trial and full functionality

Tell users about limitations of the trial

Register callback for license changes

Encourage additional purchases

Increase engagement = grow game value over time

Time to Act

Biggest opportunity. Ever.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview is now available.

Check out the store.

Go build great games.

http://dev.windows.com

Talk to Xbox LIVE representatives about your game.

Related Sessions, Reading and Documentation

GDC Sponsored Sessions

Developing a Great Metro Style Game for Windows 8

Xbox LIVE Multiplayer Gaming on Windows 8 and Other Devices

//build Sessions

Introducing the Windows Store

Enabling trials and in-app offers in Metro style apps

Documentation Making money with your app Choosing monetization opportunities

Thank You

© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be

interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.