Microtransaction Revenue High As 90% In Korean Mobile Games

By Alicia Ashby On March 9, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Today Com2uS Senior Manager Joony Koo reported that revenue from post-sale microtransactions in Korean mobile role-playing games was being generated at rates as high as 90% of a title's initial sales in comments made during an interview with PocketGamer.biz. Koo reported that casual titles in other genres could expect to generate revenue at rates as high as 60% of initial sales.

"The developments in the industry demonstrate once again how lucrative the micro-billing model can be," said Koo.

Com2uS is itself a South Korean mobile game publisher that has released several mobile microtransaction titles. The company is looking to include microtransaction support in more of its games in 2009, with a particular emphasis on encouraging players to buy virtual goods that help foster a sense of community among players. Many of Com2uS's in-game virtual goods can actually be shared among a group of players in various ways.

"For example, in a multi-player home-run derby game coming from Com2uS
this April, items such as bats, clothes, helmets and baseball stadiums
can be purchased and sent to friends," said Koo. "Meanwhile in the sequel to the popular role-playing game Chronicles of Inotia: Legend of Feanor, coming this June, players are able to purchase and trade items and maps with each other via microtransactions."

Com2uS's microtransactions support RMT but also allow players to purchase virtual goods using virtual currency accrued in other ways. Players of Com2uS games can gain currency by purchasing multiple Com2uS titles, using official websites for the games, or interacting with a game's community.

In addition, Com2uS is currently developing a MMORPG for the iPhone and iPod touch that would support microtransactions through a built-in system if approved by Apple. Currently it is absolutely unclear whether Apple intends to permit any form of RMT microtransactions in iPhone apps in the future, or if Apple intends to design its own in-house microtransaction system. Most current publishers of iPhone apps that support virtual goods and currency have to use workarounds, similar to the ones described by Koo above, to compensate for the current inability to charge players for virtual goods and currency directly.