“After seeing some recent examples of live service games doing thinks right and doing things wrong I thought it would be interesting to talk about how SC is going to wash it’s face and keep the lights on in the long term. I don’t have hard answers, but I think it’s worth considering the options, starting a bit of a debate and asking more questions about CIG’s long term plans!”
The video discusses the future monetization of Star Citizen, focusing on how the game will sustain itself financially in the long term. The content explores various potential monetization strategies, such as ship sales, microtransactions, subscriptions, and battle passes. Ship sales are highlighted as a contentious issue, with pros including allowing new players to start on an even footing and providing incentives for developers to create new content. However, there are concerns about power creep and the risk of alienating players who may feel pressured to buy new ships that offer advantages.
Microtransactions are another option discussed, with the potential to offer affordable items like skins and paints to support the game. The video emphasizes the importance of avoiding pay-to-win scenarios and ensuring that items offered for purchase provide value to players. The discussion also touches on the negative aspects of premium currencies in games and praises Star Citizen’s current direct purchase system for in-game items.
Subscriptions are considered a reliable revenue stream for live service games, but implementing a subscription model for Star Citizen could be challenging given previous statements ruling it out. The video suggests potential ways to introduce a subscription model without alienating players, such as offering different benefits for early backers and new players. The importance of not attaching too much in-game convenience to subscriptions is also highlighted to prevent creating artificial inconveniences for non-subscribers.
Finally, the video explores the concept of battle passes as a potential monetization strategy for Star Citizen. While battle passes can incentivize gameplay and provide rewards, there are concerns about their impact on the overall game experience and potential for player burnout. The video suggests that if Star Citizen were to implement battle passes, they should be integrated organically into the game world and not disrupt the immersive experience. Overall, the video encourages discussion and debate within the community about the future monetization of Star Citizen, emphasizing the importance of finding a balance between generating revenue and maintaining a positive player experience.