Online gaming an opportunity to immerse yourself in a world far different than your own, or come together with friends in the best social get-together you’ve had in a while.
Online gaming has found its place in the hearts of many and is becoming more and more of a mainstream hobby Rewind thirty decades ago when gaming platforms were limited, and look to now; more consoles and more gaming PCs have shaped the gaming landscape with their technological advances, making gaming more accessible to wider audiences.
When it comes to online gaming, we see how subscription services have molded and changed the industry with their exclusive offers and benefits, just think of PlayStation Network and Xbox Live (which we will cover shortly).
In this article, we’ll be focusing on incentives within gaming. Whether it’s discounts or bonus content, many major gaming platforms now use bonuses and incentives to reel in online players, and in this article, we’ll be exploring how this strategy is shaping this growing sector.
Console Gaming
PlayStation Network, or PSN for short, launched in November 2006 to coincide with the release of the PlayStation 3 console. Here, we would see a new era of gaming. And Microsoft had already kick-started that venture back in 2002 with the release of Xbox Live, their version of the PSN.
A platform that has continued to be updated, players are guaranteed bonuses and incentives for signing up for either service. These come in the form of discounted games and bonus content on already-existing games.
What’s more, these bonus offers change periodically, offering opportunities for players to experience new games with friends at a reduced price which they otherwise may not have purchased, this helps create ongoing fresh experiences for online players.
PSN currently has around 108 million users, and Xbox Live has roughly 122 million. A great achievement for both platforms, but it’s hard to understand its success without highlighting incentives as a contributing factor.
Online Casino Gaming
Due to their change of pace and additional features you can’t quite capture in a traditional setting, online casino gaming is growing in the digital world. You no longer have to suit up for the occasion or make the commute to hit the slots – with online casinos, you can do it from wherever.
Different in nature when compared to console gaming, online casinos still provide unique, extensive, captivating content, just like other major gaming platforms.
Many casino sites offer welcome bonuses, whether it’s a 100% matched deposit or 100 extra slot spins on some of the most popular high paying sites, it looks like online casinos aren’t missing out on what it means to offer customers something extra, and as online casinos continue to grow, it’s becoming clear that this is resonating well with players.
Like PSN and Xbox Live, these discounts and bonus offers will change every so often, mirroring that fresh experience that online gaming fans value. Online casino gaming can also be a social activity, so incentives can help shape slot experiences, not only for the individual player but for groups, too.
PC Gaming
The world of digital gaming started on the PC, and although there are now several different mediums where players can enjoy their hobby, PC gaming is still a prominent activity in the online gaming industry.
Steam is often the go-to for PC games. Not only is this due to their extensive catalog, but their frequent discounted games, too. On their store, they have a category for ‘specials’, this is where discounted games or bonus content can be found, with online gaming being a subcategory.
Players also earn Steam points for purchasing games, which they can use to acquire avatars, and different profile backgrounds, and alter the way you can leave reviews for other online players to see.
These points can help elevate your online presence in the online Steam community. There are currently around 120 million active users on Steam. Again, a clear indication of its success that is no doubt shaped by incentives and bonuses offered to new and existing players.
When reflecting on what we’ve explored, it’s clear that many online gaming platforms provide some level of incentive for players, whether it’s discounts, reward points, or bonus content.
These strategies help players see the value in their beloved hobby; it’s making online gaming more accessible by being more affordable and encouraging players to be more involved in an online setting, opening doors for players to experience extra content.
As time goes on, online gaming incentives will perhaps alter consumer behavior, redefining how fans measure value in the online setting. Either way, as online gaming continues to evolve, it’ll be interesting to see how these incentives will evolve with it!
