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Study finds that 75% of online gamers purchase virtual goods
Are you one of the steadfast, stalwart gamers who absolutely refuses to shell out money on cash shops, microtransactions and virtual services apart from subscriptions? If so, you're in the minority -- a study by VGMarket showed that three out of every four online gamers purchased a virtual good in the past year. This shouldn't come as a surprise, however. The survey isn't strictly indicative of MMORPG gamers; it was taken from over 2,200 players who were either part of PlaySpan Marketplace, Facebook, or purchasers of Ultimate Game Cards. Still, the results are fascinating, as a whopping 64% admitted to spending money on cash-shop items at least once a month, with 9% going so far as paying for virtual goods on a daily basis. Other statistics from the survey are equally interesting. PC gamers spent an average of $37 a year on virtual goods, and PayPal is by far the most popular method of payment. Oh, and the most-purchased good? In-game currency. (There, that shouldn't be too controversial, right? Right?) You can read the full survey results over at VentureBeat!
Time running out on Dragonica Online promotion
Last month, we announced that Dragonica Online was so confident that they had a quality free-to-play product that they decided to put the myth to the test. It takes a certain amount of guts to say that not only is your game the best, but that you'll give customers cash towards their game of choice if they don't think so. Fortunately for players of free-to-play side-scrolling MMOs, publisher THQ*ICE did just that. Since February 23rd, the promotion has resulted in thousands of eager new players taking up the challenge. Over 95% of the players involved in the challenge have named Dragonica Online the winner in the showdown, giving THQ*ICE more than a little bragging rights. Still, all good things must come to an end, and the chance to earn a share of the $50,000 prize runs out on March 31st. All you need to do to get in on the action is to head over to the official Dragonica site, register a new account, and tear up some mobs with some friends. Once you've hit level 19 and banked a few friend points, if you think that whatever side-scrolling MMO you played before Dragonica was more fun, THQ*ICE will hook you up with a $5 Ultimate Game Card that you can use for numerous free-to-play titles. If you liked what you saw during your time playing Dragonica, they will give you $5 towards Dragonica's online store plus a free in-game gift pack. If you've never had the chance to experience Dragonica Online but were always interested, now is the time to check it out. With only 6 days left, time is running out fast to get in on the deal. %Gallery-63222%
Majority of buyers use game "gift cards" for themselves
PlaySpan, creators of the Ultimate Game Card, released findings on March 20 that nearly 80 percent of those purchasing the gift cards are using them for themselves. The UGC, which sells alongside other gift cards on store shelves, has a special code redeemable online at the company's website that can be applied toward over 200 online games. The games supported range from triple-A MMOGs to casual, browser-based games. PlaySpan's research notes that nearly 50 percent of their customers are age 14-18, and they likely purchase the cards because they're too young to have credit cards of their own. Virtual Goods News has crunched the numbers further.
The ultimate game card covers every game you play
PayByCash have been more and more in the news lately, especially with their recent acquisition by Arjun Metha's Playspan in-game commerce network. Despite being only in sixth grade last year (no, you read that correctly), Metha's Playspan business pulled in over six million in series-A funding last September. The acquisition of PayByCash seems to close the circle nicely on their revenue streams, as PayByCash acts as a payments broker for those without credit cards, currently servicing more than 150 games. Now those payments are going to be even easier, as PayByCash's Ultimate Game Card pre-paid cards are launching in 7-Eleven stores throughout the USA. Want to burn some time in Age of Conan's hyborean lands or delve D&D Online: Stormreach's dungeons, but don't have the credit-card to support your epic adventures? Want to give your favorite MMO gamer a gift? It looks like these colorful cards are the loot you've been looking for. One of the biggest advantages of game cards like this is that they let you pay for your MMO when you've got the cash, rather than being enslaved to the MMO operator's billing cycle. Buy them when you've got the cash free (and hey, it's a 7-Eleven! Grab some Cheetos and soda!) and redeem them when and where you need to. No word yet on whether PayByCash can do the deals to get these into stores elsewhere in the world, but if they can swing it, it will be a big deal for gamers everywhere -- especially in many countries where credit cards are quite rare.
