GameRevolution » News »

GAMING NEWS

Tell Valve Why 30% of You Are Buying Hats

Posted on Wednesday, October 26 @ 11:14:04 Eastern by danielrbischoff

You'd think that a company as successful as Valve knows what's going on when all that money flies right into their collective wallets. I mean, you'd think one another 10 spot floats through the window and into their back pockets, they'd know what law of man governs that event.

But they don't. Gabe was talking to people and he was like, "We don't understand what's going on." 20-30% of people who play Team Fortress 2 end up spending money on various microtransactions. That's 10x as many people than those who end up spending money in other free-to-play games.

There seems to be something about the content that significantly changes how your monetization occurs, with apparently much broader participation than you would see out of something like FarmVille. You have to start thinking about how value creation actually occurs, and what it is that people are valuing, and what the statement that something is free-to-play implies about the future value of the experience that they're going to have.

Hats! HATS! That's what people are spending money on! WHAT THE FUCK!

[Source]
Related Games:   Team Fortress 2
Tags:   Team Fortress 2, Valve, DLC


More from the Game Revolution Network


POST A COMMENTComments
  • 213EDD
    213EDD - Joined: Sep 7, 2007
    Its clearly because they made their game like a drug. First u get one hat Then u manage to unlock another. MUST HAVE MORE NOM NOM NOM
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 11:43 am
  • tinymhg
    tinymhg - Joined: Jun 22, 2011
    Funny you should mention drugs... The first one's free...
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
  • wildmario
    wildmario - Joined: Jan 17, 2007
    I just see hats as memes; everyone's gotta do it or they look like a tool.
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
  • TheJx4
    TheJx4 - Joined: Jun 20, 2011
    I've never found TF2 to be a fun game. or....any Valve game besides L4D/Portal for that matter.

    I'll be damned if I ever pay for in-game hats.
    1 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff - Joined: Nov 13, 2009
    What the hell is the matter with you? Have you ever really given TF2 a try?
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 2:27 pm
  • TheJx4
    TheJx4 - Joined: Jun 20, 2011
    Sorry for having a different taste in games and not foaming at the mouth for Half-Life 3 and cross-promotion accessories.
    1 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff - Joined: Nov 13, 2009
    No one is talking about Half-Life 3... have you really not tried Team Fortress 2? I'm just surprised you don't like it. You're such a shooter-kind of guy.
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 6:33 pm
  • De-Ting
    De-Ting - Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    I cleverly implied a negative reaction to this post by thumbs-downing it.
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
  • CaptainPicard
    CaptainPicard - Joined: Sep 29, 2010
    lol Valve is like my favorite game company, everything they touch turns to gold!
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 27th, 2011 at 12:10 am
  • warmaster670
    warmaster670 - Joined: Jun 15, 2007
    What the **** indeed, if this was any other company the internet would be in flames with how evil it is and how if you buy from them your money goes to murdering puppies.
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
  • warmaster670
    warmaster670 - Joined: Jun 15, 2007
    Ah bullshit, you can swear and I can't =(
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
  • De-Ting
    De-Ting - Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    I never want to see the Scout without a hat. Ever. Again.
    0 2Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
  • TurinAlexander
    TurinAlexander - Joined: Sep 29, 2006
    Actually, I did spent $0.99 on TF2 after it went free to play. I bought the Pyro starter kit, or whatever the hell it's called. I only did it to get the larger inventory though.
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
  • OdiousLupous
    OdiousLupous - Joined: Jul 14, 2011
    I bought a key once, one single key, did get a rare spy hat but I never play spy. I might buy the larger inventory space one day tho, Im starting to run outta room. If I ever win the lotto Ill buy everything, till then stop asking for trades random strangers!
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Oct 26th, 2011 at 9:49 pm

Post a Comment
LOGIN or REGISTER to post a comment or rate this article.