Apps & Games

What are the virtual in- game items? 

The term Virtual game items refers to digital goods created for an online game. Most commonly, they are used to distinguish between real money and premium currency within a game. Some developers refer to them as Online Content, Premium Items, Free-To-Play Games, Non-Fungible Tokens, Virtual Currency, etc. They may also be referred to as Digital Goods, Game Currency, In-Game Purchases, etc. In real life, we can buy different kinds of clothing from shops, but in-game, even though they look fancy, none of them exist. They are called in-game virtual goods. Virtual Goods are usually offered in games for entertainment purposes. There are two types of in-game virtual game items: consumables and non-consumable. Consumables are used by the player to complete quests or improve performance while using certain characters. Non-consumables are those that cannot be used directly as a weapon or armor. They are only used to enhance gameplay. Examples of such items are gold bars, gems, and experience points.

  1. Consumables-A consumable item is something that the player uses to advance while playing the game. Examples of these items are potions, elixirs, health kits, and scrolls. Consumables are very common in role-playing games. Most RPGs require players to purchase consumables to progress through the game. Consumables are also common in adventure games.
  2. Non-consumables-Certain items are not meant to be consumed by the player; they are merely used to enhance the gameplay. Examples of such consumables are mounts, pets, and vehicles. They are commonly found in RPG games and action games.

Virtual game items are items that you gain while playing any game online, but they never leave the game server. They are like real-world items where once you purchase them, they are yours forever.

Virtual Items can be anything from gold, experience points, or currency. Most online games give players the option to choose what type of item they want to receive at the time of purchase. Virtual items can be purchased using credit cards, PayPal accounts, gift cards, etc. A player marketplace allows players to list items they wish to sell at a price determined by the seller. The marketplace creates a safe environment for sellers, preventing fraud and ensuring fair pricing. A player marketplace encourages competition between sellers, which leads to better prices and increased efficiency. In addition to providing an avenue for new players to enter the market, a player marketplace enhances existing relationships with current players. Game Items are the physical objects that are purchased using your virtual currency. They may be different from game to game and some games allow you to trade in-game items for a real-world currency. Items are used to improve players’ skills and give additional powers while they play games. They can be earned through levels, achievements, and missions. Players can spend real money to purchase goods from the store using virtual currency. 

A common misconception about Virtual game items is that they only exist within a single game; however, this is incorrect. Developers may create separate accounts for different types of users, including players, community managers, moderators, and investors. Each account type would then receive its unique Virtual Goods. This is often done to reward certain activities performed by these users. Additionally, sometimes developers will offer different levels of access to different areas within the game as well as different features to users with various amounts of credits or coins. Finally, some developers may offer different Virtual Goods (game items) to different users based on the rules of the game. For example, certain items may be exclusive to a certain level of character or a certain faction within the same game.

Virtual Goods can take many forms depending on the game that they are being sold within. Some examples include avatars, weapons, vehicles, pets, clothing, furniture, and accessories. They may even be represented differently across different games. For example, some games may use icons while others may use images. A significant portion of Virtual Goods is purchased using real-world currencies such as US Dollars, UK Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, Euros, Chinese Yuan Renminbi, Japanese Yen, Indian Rupees, etc. However, most Virtual Goods are bought using in-game currencies. Virtual currency is a digital currency used to purchase in-game items in online multiplayer games. There are 2 types of virtual currencies: software-based (such as Microsoft Points or Nintendo Points) and real-world currency based (such as US Dollars). Developers usually classify Virtual game items into two main categories – those available for purchase and those accessible through gameplay. The former includes any item that requires payment using real-world funds. Examples include items sold through stores, advertisements, and microtransactions. Accessible through gameplay includes all items obtained during playtime without requiring the player to play using real cash. Many users prefer accessing these items through gameplay rather than spending real cash. This is because typically the latter provides fewer benefits than the former.

One of the most popular ways for developers to generate revenue from Virtual game items is by selling virtual currency. Users can acquire virtual currency using real dollars, which then allows them to spend their time and energy gaining additional currency. The most popular method of doing this is by purchasing game credit using real-world money. At times, developers may choose to implement another form of generating revenue. Such methods include selling advertising space on in-game objects, offering sponsorship opportunities, charging fees for special features, limiting the number of Virtual Goods that can be earned by a user, and offering promotional offers.

In addition to generating revenue, developers may want to incentivize the usage of Virtual game items. Doing so may help encourage users to buy better quality items, increase engagement, improve gameplay, and/or provide convenient options. Developers may accomplish this by implementing several methods. One of the simplest methods is to simply decrease the price of Virtual Goods when they are purchased. Another method is to give away free Virtual Goods to gain popularity. Yet another method is to award Virtual Goods to users who perform actions deemed beneficial to the developer or other users.