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The free to play business model can be extremely successful for game developers, especially if you are able to convince players to pay upwards of $500 for a single in-game item. Mobile phone game maker Glu offers a title called Gun Bros where the top weapon in the game can be purchased for the equivalent of $500 real-world dollars.
Gun Bros is an overhead dual stick shooter for iOS, Android and Facebook. The game was released for free in October 2010 and features a robust in-game marketplace where you can upgrade weapons and armor.
According to TouchArcade, users can purchase upgrades two ways. The first method is by utilizing a coin currency which is generated for you at the end of a level based on your performance.
Impatient gamers that want to advance through upgrades more quickly can purchase optional “war bucks” using real-world money. Additionally you can view in-app advertising or sign up for special offers to earn war bucks without paying anything.
If you have your heart set on the top gun in the game, called The Kraken, be prepared to view a lot of advertising or shell out a ridiculous amount of money to the tune of nearly $500.
The largest war bucks package sells for $99 and gives you 710 bucks to work with. The Kraken can be yours for 3499 war bucks, meaning you would need five $99 packs if you hadn’t already earned some through in-app ad participation.
Perhaps one of the eight people who bought the I Am Rich app a few years ago might be interested in The Kraken. At least this time they would get something useful for their money.
What is the most money you have spent on in-game purchases or DLC?
User Comments: 52
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$3.49 for the BFBC2 SPECACT pack (normally $4.99) because I wanted the M95 NOW.
And I still feel guilty about it.
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mcmurphy12 said:
Over the years, I've downloaded nearly 500 songs for Rock Band.
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Xclusiveitalian said:
lol 1 word, No
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Arris said:
I'd played the demo on Android of the original game. I wouldn't spend $1/£1 on an in game item for World Of Warcraft that I played on and off for 5 years, let alone $500 for an item in a casual game on my phone... Madness!
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i've spent $40 on LoL so far, thats about enough for me
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Tekkaraiden said:
$5 maybe but not $500.
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There needs to be federal investigations into these "free to play" companies and their games. These prices are completely insane and they are just milking people who don't know any better because they're new to gaming and don't realize what you USED to get for your money with games.
Zinga and this Glu should be under federal investigation, IMO.
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Would never buy a DLC, an Addon on DVD or maybe Steam yes but a stupid overpriced dlc no.
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Cool I am going to buy this now and be top dog instantly...MMmaaawwwwwaaaaahhh
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I don't pay much for games these days (or play them much), and I don't think at any point I would have been willing to pay $500 for an in-game item at any point.
That said, I don't have any problem with it. I don't see this as getting less value compared to paying $500 at an expensive restaurant, or any number of things that people with lots of money do. I know someone who paid $3,000 for a Voodoo 5 6000. He collects graphics cards, and apparently it was worth to him, and he had the money. Collectors often pay a lot of money for things that other people don't put much value in. For someone who can spare $500 like I spare $5, buying an in-game item for this sum is fine.
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Remember all the fools from 2004-2006 and maybe still today buying virtual gold on ebay (I think after 2006 Blizzard made ebay stop selling WoW virtual items and accounts) and on China websites for WoW? I bet most those players don't even play WoW anymore and look at all the real life money they wasted.
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BreakTheSilence said:
Thats the reason you jailbreak and download a DLC for it from Cydia. Suck up your pride and jailbreak people.
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Over the years, I've downloaded nearly 500 songs for Rock Band.Perhaps so. That really isn't the equivalent of paying $500.oo for 1 great song though, is it?
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I would if I was Steve Jobs !
- even then .. NO WAY! you have to be sick in the head!
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A hat in Team Fortress 2 (where hats provide only cosmetic value) has been sold for $1500!
So yes, I guess that some people would pay the $500.
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DEFINITELY ! AFTER i die.
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treetops said:
If I could resell the item for the same price within a year then maybe if I was making some major cash.
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I wouldn`t pay $5 never mind 500.If i buy a game then as far as i`m concerened, that`s it.
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If I could resell the item for the same price within a year then maybe if I was making some major cash.This logic places its faith on two premises; the $500.oo item is in fact, a limited edition, and more importantly, will the game itself be around within a year.
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Are these guys kidding ? 500 bucks for a virtual item ? I'd rather spend that money on something that could enchance the performance of the game on my PC like a top of the line graphics card.
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$500 for a virtual item? No. I understand people are quick to jump the gun,(pun intended) answering this question. Some people will spend the cash, but I feel compelled to ask them if the company will last beyond a couple years at best? MMORPG's have a limited shelf life with a few exceptions. The lifespan of games are as short as pop stars careers. I guess the company figures this flash in the pan will dive eventually and so they make the huge grab for cash before the inevitable "cash cow" dries up.
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They are asking for how much for an IN-GAME DLC, map/skin/sound packs are not in-game DLC.
Personally a couple times I bought some piles of max-hold limit in-game currency to get a few elite armours/stacks of materials and a couple weapons that there was no way possible for me to get otherwise because of my realisation of the extent on time and requirements to get them, and deemed them unobtainable otherwise.
I didn't buy them to give everyone I meet the finger for owning something to awe at, I bought them for my own personal enhancement.
I play co-op like 85% of the time so it's to the advantage of all around me I have these things.
Most I paid for anything in-game was 19.99
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I have this game on my droid and it make good for bad conversation.
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I'd rather spend that money on something that could enchance the performance of the game on my PC like a top of the line graphics card.
Make much more sense so +1.
But there are people who usually live in a bubble and would spend money on 'virtual' stuff.
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Make much more sense so +1.
But there are people who usually live in a bubble and would spend money on 'virtual' stuff.
....or inflatable stuff...I'm just say'in
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