How does real monetary value translate inside a game? Can developers truly make in-game monetisation organic and natural? Dive into these questions and more in this session from Pocket Gamer Connects London 2022.
How real economies worked in virtual worlds in the past
At the online conference Pocket Gamer Connects London 2022 (January 2022), Ben Cousens (ZEBEDEE) discussed the nuances of monetisation and how real-life value translates inside games. From Mario to Grand Theft Auto, games have always involved money intrinsically. The issue was when the money that players inserted into an arcade game didn’t actually translate into actual value inside the game.
When money became digital, developers finally had a way of overcoming the costs of sending money to players. Money was no longer a burden, and in-game currencies began to have value in virtual environments.
Monetisation with ZEBEDEE
Cousens also shared insights on how money has become programmable in today’s world. He shed light on how ZEBEDEE works, and how money can be used in a game inherently and natively.
As an example, this includes collecting in-game coins that are worth certain amounts of Bitcoin, as well as having sponsored areas that offer special perks and superpowers to players. ZEBEDEE can also help developers integrate money by allowing players to earn Bitcoin when they score and so on.
Toward the end of the session, Cousens answered a few handpicked questions from the audience. This 20-minute talk is ideal for anyone who’s always been curious about the outlook of monetisation in video games. It’s also a good watch for anyone who’s eager to see how ZEBEDEE’s systems can create entirely new experiences for both developers and players alike. You can see conference panels like this in person by attending our upcoming partner events.