Don’t feel like you should deny it: The number of people who spend money on in-game purchases is growing. Juniper Research estimates that the revenue from last year will double by 2015, with pay-per-download revenues being taken over by money made by in-game purchases. (It also helps that companies like American Express are allowing you to trade points for Purple Cows – and worse, allowing you to exchange your “rewards” for Zynga game cash.) Developers make money by offering these games for “free,” but then asking for your credit card number if you want to get that special building or purchase that shiny new car.
I like my Facebook and iPhone games like any other person, but when it comes to paying for in-game upgrades, I refuse to fork over the money. I can see the reasoning behind paying for a mobile game, but I can’t justify paying a few more dollars so I can solve a level on Angry Birds with the Mighty Eagle or redecorating my farm with some of my hard-earned money. I guess it’s similar to buying points for Xbox Live accounts so it’s not exactly a new idea, but what ever happened to playing your wat to the top?
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