Mobile & Social Game Design: Monetization Methods and Mechanics (Paperback, 2)

Introduction
The Changing Tide
What This Book Is Not

What Is a Social Game? Are Mobile Games Social?
Meet Your Competition
BBS Games and MUDs
MMOs
Just Being Multiplayer Doesn’t Make You Social
Great Mobile Games ARE Social
Interview with Words with Friends Creators, The Bettners

History of Game Monetization
What Do We Mean By Monetization
A Brief History of Game Monetization
Interview with Richard Garriott, "The Three Grand Eras of Gaming"

Social and Mobile Games Put a Lot of Power in the Hands of the Developers
Social Games Make the Developer Responsible
Social Games Give Power to the Users
Used Retail Game Sales: Friend to Social and Mobile Developers
Interview with Jason Decker of Pocket Legends, "Love Letters from Your Community"

Industry Terms and Metrics
Industry Terms and Metrics
Measuring Player Population
Measuring Monetization
Social Network Advertising
Mobile Terms
General Terms
Why These Metrics Matter
Case Study: Ravenwood Fair and the Use of Metrics in Game Design
Interview with Everett Lee of OMGPop, "The Science of Social Game Design"

What Is a Social Network?
What Is a Social Network?
Who Is the Average Social Gamer? Who Is the Average Mobile Gamer?
What Social Networks Are Popular Today?
Games Are Global
It’s All about Scale
Using Social Networks to Extend Traditional Games
Creating Social Networks as a Platform Holder
Is Apple’s Game Center a Social Network?
Conclusions
Interview with Janus Anderson, "Gaming and the Social Graph"

How to Acquire, Keep, and Regain Users
How to Build it So They’ll Come
The Purchase Funnel
Acquisition: How to Get Players
Acquiring New Users on Facebook
Acquiring New Users on Mobile Platforms
Advertising Efficiently
The Rising Cost of CPI
Virality
Redirecting Users for Increased Virality
How to Retain Users
Tracking Retention
Using Leaderboards and Messaging to Add Stickiness
Using Messages to Remind Users to Return
Only the Last Inch Matters
Interview with Exploding Barrel: "Give Them What They Want"

Monetization Strategies
Show Us the Money
Classic Premium Download Models
Subscriptions
"Freemium"
Play the Numbers
Combinations
Case Study: Hunters Episode I and Different Monetization Methods
Why You Should Avoid Giving Players Real Money
Transitioning Models
Which Models Fit Best for Which Type of Game?
Interview with Ryan Cleven: "Social Platforms"

Virtual Goods
Fake Estates
Selling Premium Goods
Functional Advantages
Game Balance Considerations
Aesthetic "Vanity" Items
Rarity
Interview with Dimitri Delattre, Founder of Deadpan Dodo?"Indie Perspective"

Currency
Greenspan for the Win
Single Currency Models
Dual Currency Models
Closed and Open Economies
Addressing the Matter of "Honest" Gameplay
Interview with Ben Lamm?"Controlling Chaos"

Conclusions
The Plentiful Tide
Review
A Fond Farewell to Friends