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http://dx.doi.org/10.5392/JKCA.2014.14.11.883

The Boundary Conditions of Free-to-Play Business Model in the Economic Perspective: a case study  

Yoo, Changsok (경희대학교 문화관광콘텐츠학과)
Jung, Jaeki (FG인베스트먼트)
Lee, Sachiko (경희대학교 문화관광콘텐츠학과)
Publication Information
The Journal of the Korea Contents Association / v.14, no.11, 2014 , pp. 883-892 More about this Journal
Abstract
Free-to-play business model, which first commercialized in Korea, now becomes crucial sales drivers in the game industry, but the theoretical background is not well known that most of free-to-play content business models are developed based on the guts and trial-and-errors. In this study, we verified that the price discrimination theory in economics is the backbone of the free-to-play business model, and we also derived the three boundary conditions that should be satisfied in the business model design. We reviewed the three boundary conditions of free-to-play business model using case studies of previous games, and showed how the boundary conditions should work in the actual business. Through case studies, we tried to suggest the theoretical basis of free-to-play business model design, and sales enhancing techniques in free-to-play business.
Keywords
Free-to-Play; Micro-transaction; Price Discrimination; Business Model; Virtual Goods;
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Times Cited By KSCI : 6  (Citation Analysis)
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