Freemium games are extremely popular because they allow people to play games without paying any money. However, there are different aspects to freemium games that mean they may not always be free.
The Basics of Freemium Gaming
A freemium game is free to download and play. It does not matter if you are playing the game using a console or a mobile device, freemium games operate in the same way. If you have played CSGO before, then you will have come across the freemium model and probably not even realised it.
The most popular freemium games are found in the Google Play and App Store and there are thousands of games from which to choose. Each game can be installed for free and played without having to spend any money. However, there are options within freemium games to pay for additional content and this is how the developer of the game makes money.
The basics of the game are usually free and it is possible to complete a freemium game without spending any money. The game could contain advertisements that you want to switch off and the developer will charge you to remove the adverts from the game. The game could contain characters which can be improved and there are items you can buy within the game to develop the character faster than you could by simply playing the game.
It is also possible to advance more quickly through the game by purchasing items, such as weapons for example. Sweepstake casinos are another good example of games that use the freemium model. Many sweeps cash casinos offer free play, with the option to buy gold or sweeps coins.
Freemium Games Can be Played for Free
There is no doubt that freemium games can be played for free. As they are advertised as being free, it must be possible to play the game without having to spend any money.
If you are happy to watch the occasional advert or take your time playing a game, you can play freemium games without spending a single dollar. It all depends on how tolerant you are when playing multiplayer games because that is where the freemium gaming model can come back to bite those who do not spend any money on the game.
Gaming Disadvantage
Some games are set-up in a way that will put you at a disadvantage to players who have paid for additional items. This is especially true in online multiplayer games where you could come up against someone who has paid a lot of money to develop their character.
As you would expect, if you have not spent anything on developing your character, it is going to be weaker compared to a character that has been built up using weapons that have been purchased by the other player.
Some freemium games come with a time limit and once the timer has ended, it is impossible to continue playing the game. This is a tactic than can get you hooked on a game and lead you into paying to extend your playing time.
If you are playing a single player freemium game, the time it takes to progress in the game can be made deliberately slow by the developer, thus tempting you to make in-game purchases to speed up the progress of the game. So, there are some disadvantages to playing freemium games for those who want to play without spending any money.
Children should always be monitored then playing freemium games and there have been instances where a child has used a parents credit card to pay for items within a freemium game. It is possible for parents to adjust the settings for freemium games so all transactions must go through them first but it can be tempting for children to spend a lot of money, especially if they are trying to keep up with friends when playing freemium games.
Are Freemium Games Really Free?
Yes, having considered the evidence, as they can be played for free, freemium games are classed as being free. However, you can find annoying adverts within freemium games and progress can be slow in a game for those who do not want to pay for extras. Freemium games are great for casual gamers who just want a bit of fun but for serious gamers, freemium games can still cost a lot of money to play successfully.