Monetization overload: Difference between revisions

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Editor's note: written on phone, will need refs and details added later when on PC...
https://www.bringintim.com/corcorans-business-of-law/2015/07/over-monetization


Monetization overload happens when a company puts too many features within their product behind a paywall, or focuses too much development on a product's monetization over the functionality of the product.
https://createifwriting.com/pitfalls-of-monetization/


==How it works==
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monetization
{{Placeholder box|How the practice works.}}Simply put, this practice...
 
https://www.conradbastable.com/essays/monetization-amp-monopolies-how-the-internet-you-loved-died
 
>> FOR FINDING COUNTERPOINTS ONLY!
https://alexandremacmillan.com/2019/01/30/focus-on-monetization-not-retention/
 
>> NEEDS MIRROR! https://clockwork-labs.medium.com/our-thoughts-on-game-monetization-909976b5287d
 
https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/player-retention-should-be-prioritized-over-monetization/83717
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_monetization
 
https://thearrowheadonline.com/4812/opinion/over-monetization-ruins-gaming-industry/
 
>> MAY NOT BE RELEVANT! https://greattransition.org/publication/monetizing-nature-taking-precaution-on-a-slippery-slope
 
https://digiday.com/media/media-briefing-apple-news-ad-monetization-still-abysmal-for-some/
 
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2056305120969877?icid=int.sj-full-text.similar-articles.7
 
https://medium.com/@GWBycer/what-is-dark-side-monetization-3b82347fe19f
 
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/726732-rustys-real-deal-baseball/69017277
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhz9OXy86a0
 
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/when-good-monetization-meets-bad-ethics
 
>> USE AS POINT FOR MALICE! https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32097752
 
https://forum.enlisted.net/en/t/this-game-has-one-of-the-worst-if-not-the-worst-cosmetic-monetization-system-ive-ever-seen-in-a-videogame/133831
 
https://economics.td.com/gbl-debt-monetization
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g16heGLKlTA
 
https://m.youtube.com/live/Ku6YJQrZ2cg?t=0s
 
https://www.threads.net/@kmarford/post/DA4DkBaPjVq
 
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9768720/
 
>> USE AS EXAMPLE! https://x.com/gwillem/status/1805741224189739170 -->'''Monetization overload''', or '''over-monetization''', is when a company focuses on heavily monetizing a product or service, usually at the cost of consumer engagement or even functionality. Over-monetization may come in the form of [[advertising overload]], [[Predatory microtransactions|microtransactions]], unjustified [[Subscription service|subscriptions]], locking core features behind a paywall, etc. While its understood that products and services require compensation in some form, even when they're "free", the degradation of quality, limits of functionality, and loss of consumer engagement are often symptoms of excessive monetization of the product or service.  


==Why it is a problem==
==Why it is a problem==


=== Genericide ===
===Genericide===
Editor's note: may delete section
When a product, more specifically a [[Games as a service|live service game]], focuses extremely on monetization, it retroactively dulls the experience of the product, even going so far as to devalue the product itself. This especially can damage the core purpose of the product, since an event entirely unrelated to it could effectively block consumers from the full functionality of their product.
 
Often when a game faces genericide through monetization, publishers are biased against development on core features and even bug fixes, instead opting for implementing more generic or otherwise unrelated products to sell on the in-game storefront. For example, the Call of Duty Squid Game promotion overtook the spotlight of development for the game,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Armughanuddin |first=Md |date=Published Jan 3, 2025 |title=Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Confirms Bad News About Squid Game Crossover Event |url=https://gamerant.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-squid-game-crossover-premium-battle-pass/ |access-date=Apr 3, 2025 |work=GameRant}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kain |first=Erik |date=Jan 06, 2025 |title=‘Warzone’ Is Completely Broken After ‘Squid Game’ Update |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2025/01/06/warzone-is-completely-broken-after-squid-game-update/ |access-date=Apr 3, 2025 |work=Forbes}}</ref> rather than the development of the game's anticheat, despite promises from [[Activision]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zhou |first=Andrew |date=Jan 3, 2025 |title=Fans Are Not Thrilled About The New Black Ops 6 Squid Game Event Due To The Premium Reward Track Price Tag |url=https://screenrant.com/black-ops-6-squid-game-price-premium/ |access-date=Apr 3, 2025 |work=ScreenRant}}</ref><!-- Placeholder so I don't lose source:


When a product, more specifically a live service game, focuses extremely on monetization, the identity of the product is diminished or drowned out. It often undercuts the value of the entire product, especially for consumers who invested in the product early on. Rather than attempting to introduce features that relate to the core of the game, the publisher would rather see the product's identity be excluded for advertising promotions, such as how call of duty unnecessarily was driven into focusing on features seen from Squid Game to help advertise the show rather than maintain the core military shooter experience.
https://www.reddit.com/r/blackops6/comments/1ht3ost/am_i_the_only_one_thinking_cod_squid_game_event/


=== Monetization Bias ===
u/yosark
Often when a product's monetization achieves a point of overload, the development of said product often ends up having new development for it favor actions and features that are paywalled.


This bias may also favor neglecting the responsibility of resolving defects in the product, such as patching bugs in software, maintaining anticheat in competitive games, moderating communities, and more.
Am I the only one thinking Cod squid game event is lame?


=== Monetizing mundane features ===
Jan 3, 2025
Some product features that may have been normal and free to access for consumers could also be monetized in absurd ways. Free to play (F2P) titles could see experience progression be slowed down to encourage purchasing "experience boosts".


This can be further applied with mundane monetization, where products could have barely different variants being sold at the same time. This is especially seen with cosmetics for games, where even a simple reshade could be sold.
accessed apr 3, 2025


r/blackops6 -->


{{Placeholder box|If the theme or common term is positive for the consumer this section can be omitted.
===Monetization Bias===
Often when a product is over-monetized, the development of said product often ends up being biased towards features that increases transactions from consumers or advertising promotions from other companies. This kind of bias also does not favor developing features and fixes that do not directly incur revenue for the publisher, including but not limited to patching bugs, tweaking balance, repairing product defects, and moderating communities.  


===Point 1===
===Monetizing mundane features===
Some product features that may have been normal and free to access for consumers could also be monetized in absurd ways. Free to play (F2P) titles could see experience progression be slowed down to encourage purchasing "experience boosts".


===Point 2===
This can be further applied with mundane monetization, where products could have barely different variants being sold at the same time. This is especially seen with cosmetics for games, where even a simple reshade could be sold.
}}
 
===Advertising Overload===
{{Main|Advertising overload}}
In an effort to make money from consumers, companies may integrate advertisements into their products to generate revenue. This can become adverse if the company is hasty to integrate advertisements.
==Examples==
==Examples==
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=== Gaming ===
===Gaming===
EN: To be worked on
====Mobile games====


==== Mobile games ====
====Microsoft - Halo Infinite's armor customization====


==== Microsoft - Halo Infinite's armor customization ====
====Activision - Call of Duty's battle pass overload====


==== Activision - Call of Duty's battle pass overload ====
====Epic Games - Fortnite's genericide through paid cosmetics====


==References==
==References==