Gaming Monetization: A sociological examination.

• In Event: 41021 - Student Forum Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Roundtable 16: Open Topic

Abstract

Objectives
The video game industry is dominated by two monetization strategies: (a) Premium Strategy, requiring an initial purchase, and (b) Freemium Strategy, offering free access with in-game purchases. At the micro-level underrepresentation in gaming negatively impacts affects self-perception among gamers of color. At the macro-level, gaming communities reflect and reinforce social inequalities. The rise of microtransactions intensifies racial representation issues, often forcing minority players to either play as default white characters or pay for diverse representation at a higher rate. This paper aims to (a) highlight gaming as a sociological space and (b) inform sociologists about (re)production of social inequalities about the related concepts and constructs that have emerged from this emerging literature (c) analyze the spending habits of marginalized gamers.

Methods
This mixed methods study is concerned with the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality and the impacts that these factors may have on online gaming practices, primarily representation and spending habits with modern freemium and premium video game. Representation and spending will likely differ by the business model under which specific video games are developed and marketed. While representation has grown in gaming, it’s primarily based on the monetization of minorities.

Findings
Coding is ongoing, with thematic analysis beginning soon. Consistent with previous research, I expect default in-game characters to be white males and additional minority characters available for purchase. Players of color have been found to spend more on skins compared to their white counterparts (Reza et all 2022). This study hypothesizes that while both Premium and Freemium strategies rely on monetizing representation as a form of DEI. The shift toward these monetization models prioritizes profit over equitable representation. More attention is needed for gamers who do not fit the "Gamer Boy" mold. This study will propose strategies to address this issue based on its findings.

Author

• Dallis Leno Wallace, University of Kentucky