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Pay-to-win
"Free-to-play" ("F2P" or "FtP") video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content for free. The term "free-to-play business model" or simply, "free-to-play model", refers collectively to business models that ultimately result in the creation of free-to-play games. Games that adhere to free-to-play business models are distinct from traditional premium games, which require payment before use. Free-to-play games are not to be confused with freeware games, which are entirely costless. Accordingly, free-to-play games are sometimes called "free-to-start" due to not being entirely free. Certain free-to-play games have also been labeled as " pay-to-win"—that is, that players can pay to obtain competitive advantages over other players. There are several kinds of ways that free-to-play games generate money, despite being mostly free. A common method is based on the freemium software model, in which users are incentivised to make small purchases, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freemium
Freemium, a portmanteau of the words "free" and "premium", is a pricing strategy by which a basic product or service is provided free of charge, but money (a premium) is charged for additional features, services, or virtual (online) or physical (offline) goods that expand the functionality of the free version of the software. This business model has been used in the software industry since the 1980s. A subset of this model used by the video game industry is called free-to-play. Origin The business model has been in use for software since the 1980s. The term ''freemium'' to describe this model appears to have been created much later, in response to a 2006 blog post by venture capitalist Fred Wilson summarizing the model:Give your service away for free, possibly ad supported but maybe not, acquire a lot of customers very efficiently through word of mouth, referral networks, organic search marketing, etc., then offer premium-priced value-added services or an enhanced version of y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Video Game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual feedback from a display device, most commonly shown in a video format on a television set, computer monitor, flat-panel display or touchscreen on handheld devices, or a virtual reality headset. Most modern video games are audiovisual, with Sound, audio complement delivered through loudspeaker, speakers or headphones, and sometimes also with other types of sensory feedback (e.g., haptic technology that provides Touch, tactile sensations). Some video games also allow microphone and webcam inputs for voice chat in online gaming, in-game chatting and video game livestreaming, livestreaming. Video games are typically categorized according to their hardware platform, which traditionally includes arcade video games, console games, and PC game, comp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Referral Marketing
Referral marketing is a word-of-mouth initiative designed by a company to incentivize existing customers to introduce their family, friends, and contacts to become new customers. Unlike pure word-of-mouth strategies—where customers independently share information without company involvement or ability to track—referral marketing actively incentivizes and rewards existing customers for referring new ones, allowing the company to influence, track, and measure the referral process. The process is distinct from multi-level marketing, in that there is no incentive for the original existing customer to drive or influence the subsequent referrals of the new customer – only the conversion of the initial, primary customer is rewarded. Overview Referral marketing is a tool used by businesses and corporations across various industries to grow and build their customer bases. In the past, referral marketing was purely focused on spreading information through verbal interaction with a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MapleStory
''MapleStory'' () is a free-to-play, 2D, side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game, developed by South Korean company Wizet. Several versions of the game are available for specific countries or regions, published by various companies (such as Nexon). Players travel the "Maple World", defeating monsters and developing their characters' skills and abilities as is typical in role-playing video games. Players can interact with others in many ways, including chatting and trading. Groups of players can band together in parties to hunt monsters and share rewards, and can also form guilds to interact more easily with each other. Players additionally have the option to visit the in-game "Cash Shop" to purchase a variety of character appearances or gameplay enhancements with real money. In July 2010, the Korean version of the game was revised in a patch named the "Big Bang". Other versions followed suit and have since received the Big Bang update. Later in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
QuizQuiz (video Game)
''QuizQuiz'' (), also known as ''Quiz Quiz'', was a massively multiplayer online (MMO) quiz video game created by Nexon which used a super deformed type anime graphical style to portray the players and the few environments or non-player characters (NPCs) it contained. The game was released as a free beta download off of the Nexon Inc. website but was later discontinued in North America due to low playerbase. Released in 1999, it was one of the first free-to-play games using a microtransaction revenue model. The game remained available in South Korea, Japan, and Singapore but the Singapore and Japan servers were later shut down as well in December 2004. General gameplay After signing up and logging in, players would be redirected to a lobby, where they could chat (limited, a more full-featured chat was available in player-created chat rooms) with other online players and view the currently open games. The games all were trivia-oriented or puzzle games such as '' Reversi''. Once ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. Like North Korea, South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and List of islands of South Korea, adjacent islands. It has Demographics of South Korea, a population of about 52 million, of which half live in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, the List of largest cities, ninth most populous metropolitan area in the world; other major cities include Busan, Daegu, and Incheon. The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Gojoseon, Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early seventh century BC. From the mid first century BC, various Polity, polities consolidated into the rival Three Kingdoms of Korea, kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Sil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nexon
Nexon Co., Ltd. (formerly ) is a South Korean video game developer and publisher. It develops and publishes titles including ''MapleStory'', ''Crazyracing Kartrider'', ''Sudden Attack'', ''Dungeon & Fighter'', ''The First Descendant'', and ''Blue Archive''. Headquartered in Japan, the company has offices in South Korea, the United States, Taiwan, and Thailand. Nexon was founded in Seoul, South Korea, in 1994 by Kim Jung-ju. In 2005, the company moved its headquarters to Tokyo, Japan. However, its largest shareholder is an investment and holding company NXC, headquartered in Jeju Province, South Korea. History Nexon was established in Seoul, South Korea, on December 26, 1994. It developed and published its first title, ''Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds'', in 1996, which the company continues to service. Numerous other games followed, such as ''Dark Ages: Online Roleplaying'', ''Elemental Saga'', ''QuizQuiz (video game), QuizQuiz'', ''KartRider'', ''Elancia'', and ''Shattered ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
PCGamesN
''PCGamesN'' is a British website with articles about PC gaming and hardware. History Parent company Network N was founded by James Binns (formerly of Future Publishing) in late May 2012. ''PCGamesN'' launched the following month. PCGamesN's first website was designed to host traditional games coverage alongside aggregated and user-created content, which was presented to the reader in channels dedicated to major gaming franchises. Over the course of two redesigns since launch, it has evolved to fully embrace a more traditional approach, and now produces original coverage across the gamut of PC games and hardware. The launch team included Tim Edwards, former editor of ''PC Gamer''. ''PCGamesN'' added ten new channels and two new writers for a total of seven staff writers in August 2012. The website added editorial staff from '' GamesMaster'' and the '' Official PlayStation Magazine'' in 2015, most notably new editor-in-chief Joel Gregory. Gregory brought in staff from ''Edg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iron Realms Entertainment
Iron Realms Entertainment (formerly known as Achaea LLC) is a computer game development company that has created the MUDs '' Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands''; ''Aetolia, The Midnight Age''; ''Imperian, the Sundered Heavens''; ''Lusternia, Age of Ascension''; and ''Midkemia Online''. Matt Mihaly is its founder and CEO and Jeremy Saunders is its president. Games Games developed by Iron Realms Entertainment include: * '' Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands'', a high fantasy text-based MUD operating continuously since 1997. * ''Aetolia, The Midnight Age'', a roleplay-intensive text-based MUD set in a Gothic fantasy world with numerous player-run political organizations. * ''Imperian, the Sundered Heavens'', a fantasy MUD set in a world ravaged by natural catastrophe. * ''Lusternia'', a text-based MUD game set in a fantasy sword and sorcery world revolving around four city-states and two nature communes. * ''Midkemia Online'', a text-based MUD game based on author Raymond E. Feist's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Achaea, Dreams Of Divine Lands
''Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands'' is a roleplay-focused, text-based multi-user dungeon (MUD) released on September 9, 1997. It was published by Achaea LLC, now known as Iron Realms Entertainment. Achaea is operated by collecting the revenue through a microtransaction system, which allows payment for the acquisition of in-game benefits. Gameplay In the game, players explore a fantasy sword and sorcery world revolving around six city-states and their respective Houses. As in most role-playing games, players can fight monsters for experience points and treasure, perform quests for non-player characters and interact with other players. One of the major forms of interaction is player vs. player combat, where the dynamic conflict, especially the conflict between Good and Evil plays a dominant role in Achaea. The other play mechanics include the free market economics, which allows the players to design and craft goods, and the player-run social structure, including Houses (for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matt Mihaly
Matthew Mihaly (born June 21, 1972) is an American CEO/founder of Iron Realms Entertainment, a game designer, executive, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and former CEO of Sparkplay Media. He is known for pioneering the sale of virtual assets and virtual currency in online games, dating to the late 1990s. His MUD pseudonym is Sarapis. Biography Mihaly attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, receiving a bachelor's degree in political science in 1994. During college, he became involved with MUDs, especially '' Avalon: The Legend Lives'', where he was a god, as well as '' BatMUD''. In 1996, Mihaly founded Iron Realms Entertainment and served as lead designer and producer on ''Achaea''. In 1997, he pioneered the Virtual Asset Sales (VAS) model, holding auctions for virtual weapons and armor in ''Achaea'', the first business to use this business model. In 1999, he built the first hard to soft currency exchange in an online game, allowing players to exchange earned in-game ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
