What sets apart a soft open-beta from a full-on release is the patches and bug fixes that occur anytime during the development phase of an MMO. For instance, after the beta phase release for Neverwinter, gamers could enjoy the Tarnished Coast on the Dungeons and Dragons environs. Neverwinter was the MMO from Perfect World and Cryptic. An interesting trend has been picking up on other games on Cryptic and Perfect World.
The psychology behind gaming is improving. Many online casinos have learned how to get the players’ attention quickly. Gambling has been a regular activity in several parts of the United States, including Philadelphia and Atlantic City. In other parts of the world, for instance, Finland, the gambling sector runs more like an oligopoly.
Like the online casinos, casual mobile gaming, and Free-To-Play MMOs, the number of gamers are increasing rapidly. As such, the MMO segment is expected to continue thriving. By 2017, the MMO market was projected to grow to almost $31 billion.
Watching Other Winners
Ever wondered why the alarms and noise go off whenever there is a win in a slot machine? Well, it is an intentional strategy aimed at drawing others to join the game. Games that utilize subscription models use Skinner Box for a similar purpose. It pushes you towards your next dosage of positive incentives. As for the Free-to-Play gamers, the easiest way to get to the winning side is through spending money.
MMO Adaptation
In Star Trek Online, anytime there is a win, the lockbox is opened. The whole player base receives an informatory message regarding the new winner. Every online gamer gets this message, and there is no way to disable the alerts. Providing such an option would prove detrimental to their income.
Watching others become winners is the most massive sales boost of the lockbox keys. Proceeds from these sales equal money on their side. With low winning odds and the rate at which players spend their money on lockbox keys, these games are here to stay.
Playing with Money Tokens
The universal way of gambling entails an exchange of money for clay chips. One of the reasons why casinos adopt this approach is because it is easier to move little chips than stacks of cash. However, the most significant reason is that the chips cease to be a money representation. The chips are viewed as a toy, a plaything used in gambling transactions.
How Have MMOs Adapted?
When it comes to MMOs, a similar method is used for storing points. The majority of the games do not adopt this approach. However, Zen in Perfect World has a one to one direct correlation ration with the US dollar. These bills are immediately changed into points; they cease to hold the same category as money in the player’s mind.
Others directly correlated with Perfect World’s Zen are Neverwinter’s Astral Diamonds and Dilithium from Star Trek Online. They are just another game currency, and consequently, they are easier to spend.
Future Prospects
Casino psychology is a concept that has been in existence for years and only seems to grow stronger. Even though Neverwinter is going out on a limb without any subscription provision, they are well aware of the psychology game. As such, it is not a significant risk for the Perfect World and Cryptic MMO.
