Microtransactions as a Power Tool of the Three Major Gaming Production Companies (Ubisoft,Electronic Arts, Rockstar)
Kolovrat, Denial (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025120231605
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025120231605
Tiivistelmä
This study examines the significance of microtransactions within the revenue structures of three major video game publishers: Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Take-Two Interactive.
By integrating financial data with theoretical perspectives on monetisation models, consumer behaviour, and revenue diversification, the research provides a comprehensive view of both the economic impact and behavioural mechanisms underlying microtransactional strategies. The research is mostly approached from a financial analysis perspective with psychological data providing supplementary data. The findings show that microtransactions have evolved into a core revenue stream for all three companies, with live-service features and in-game purchases representing a substantial portion of their total annual income.
The analysis further explores the strategic use of different microtransaction types, including cosmetic items, DLC and expansion packs, in-game currency, battle passes, and loot boxes, demonstrating how each model supports long-term engagement and recurring revenue. Additionally, the study highlights the psychological factors that influence spending behaviour, such as self-expression, impulsivity, convenience, and the appeal of reward uncertainty (gambling model similarities).
These insights display how financial incentives and behavioural design combine to shape modern monetisation practices in the gaming industry. Overall, the results indicate that microtransactions are not only profitable but have become structurally essential to current video game business models. Microtransactional revenue is in addition becoming a measure for competitiveness in the industry due to its significance.
By integrating financial data with theoretical perspectives on monetisation models, consumer behaviour, and revenue diversification, the research provides a comprehensive view of both the economic impact and behavioural mechanisms underlying microtransactional strategies. The research is mostly approached from a financial analysis perspective with psychological data providing supplementary data. The findings show that microtransactions have evolved into a core revenue stream for all three companies, with live-service features and in-game purchases representing a substantial portion of their total annual income.
The analysis further explores the strategic use of different microtransaction types, including cosmetic items, DLC and expansion packs, in-game currency, battle passes, and loot boxes, demonstrating how each model supports long-term engagement and recurring revenue. Additionally, the study highlights the psychological factors that influence spending behaviour, such as self-expression, impulsivity, convenience, and the appeal of reward uncertainty (gambling model similarities).
These insights display how financial incentives and behavioural design combine to shape modern monetisation practices in the gaming industry. Overall, the results indicate that microtransactions are not only profitable but have become structurally essential to current video game business models. Microtransactional revenue is in addition becoming a measure for competitiveness in the industry due to its significance.