In the past few years, the business model of mobile games has quietly changed dramatically. The profit-making methods that used to be based on “buyout system” or “in-app purchase card drawing” are being replaced by a more stable and sticky model – Subscription.
Have you noticed that more and more mobile games are launching “monthly cards”, “weekly cards”, “membership plans”, and even “season tickets”, and they often boast “super value rebates”, “daily rewards”, and “exclusive privileges”? This is no longer an attempt by a few games, but a trend shift in the global mobile game ecosystem.
The essence of subscription model: stable cash flow + strong user binding
Compared with a one-time payment or a highly random in-app purchase card drawing, subscription model has two core advantages:
More stable income forecast: developers can estimate monthly revenue based on existing subscribers, optimize operation and maintenance, and content update frequency;
Higher user retention rate: subscription plans are often billed on a monthly or weekly basis, binding user habits, making them “reluctant to quit”;
This is why top mobile games such as “Clash of Clans“, “Genshin Impact“, “Pokemon Go”, and “PUBG Mobile” have launched subscription content.
What are the common subscription forms?
1. Growth subscription (monthly card type)
You can receive a certain amount of diamonds, stamina, gold coins, or card drawing opportunities when you go online every day. Encourage “daily activity” and “lose” if you are absent.
2. Exclusive pass (Season Pass/Battle Pass)
Level reward ladders are opened with version updates, and rare props/skins are unlocked after completing tasks. The more players work hard, the higher the return.
3. VIP member privileges
Unlock features such as ad skipping, experience bonus, doubling idle income, priority matching, etc., creating a “sense of noble status”.
4. Content subscription (such as Apple Arcade)
Provides a whole package of games with free ads and in-app purchases, suitable for heavy game users.
Players’ perspective: cost-effective or disguised “kidnapping”?
Advantages:
It really saves money: Compared with a single in-app purchase, subscriptions can sometimes get 2~3 times the rebate;
Smoother experience: skipping ads and resource bonuses greatly improve the experience;
Clear incentive mechanism: go online every day → do tasks → get rewards, forming a positive feedback closed loop;
Controversy:
Unequal content: Some subscription plans have mediocre rewards, far below price expectations;
Forming a psychological burden: “If you don’t log in today, you will lose money” makes the game a burden;
Gradually P2W tendency: high-level members get powerful props, widening the difference in ordinary user experience;
For example: “Genshin Impact” “Empty Moon Blessing” gives 300 original stones + daily login rewards for 30 yuan/month, and is called the “king of cost-effectiveness for civilians”; but some games’ monthly cards only provide a small amount of gold coins and the right to watch ads, which is criticized by users as “collecting IQ tax”.
The future of subscription model: moving towards deeper content binding
The future subscription model may not only be “buying a rebate package”, but will evolve into a content service, such as:
Plot unlock subscription: Subscribers can unlock chapters, copies or exclusive plot directions in advance;
Personalized growth: The model provides customized reward content based on user gaming habits;
Cross-game universal subscription: Large companies (such as Tencent and NetEase) may launch “unified membership” to cover dozens of games under their umbrella in one stop;
Conclusion: Subscription model is not a scourge, but it needs to be treated rationally
From the developer’s perspective, the subscription model is indeed a good tool to improve profit efficiency and optimize user stickiness. But from the player’s perspective, we should be more wary of the psychological binding brought about by “habitual sunk costs”.
Reasonable subscription, do what you can, experience should be the protagonist, money is just a tool.
If you are considering whether to open a subscription plan for a mobile game recently, you might as well ask yourself three questions first:
- Am I willing to go online every day to insist on receiving rewards?
- Will not subscribing seriously affect the core gameplay experience?
- Is the content brought by the subscription what I really want?
The subscription model can be a catalyst for the gaming experience, but it can also be another form of “lock-in mechanism” – the key lies in your choice.
