Freemium games: great for choice, or a complete curse?

There’s a spiralling profusion of these titles, and they’ve spilled across from the Farmville genre into other genres, such as RPGs. Certainly the currently limited-release Book of Heroes is generating a lot of controversy.

Now there are some ways in which optional, paid items can enhance a game without breaking it, or being necessary to complete it. Here are three examples:

1. Kingdom of Loathing
Kingdom of Loathing is a pre-Facebook html-based RPG that allows a certain number of clicks/quests per day. It’s completely free. But players can buy premium items in the store that act as stat-increasing accessories - in the basic, casual mode of the game. They’re not equippable in the various “hardcore” playthroughs. It also isn’t possible to buy unlimited quests: at some point you’ll have to wait for the daily rollover.

2. TapQuest
TapQuest/TapQuest II is an entirely free game. It has three base character classes. But if you want, you can buy a fourth character (a dwarf). You don’t need the dwarf, but if you like it, and you want to see what combat is like with it, it’s there for a small cost. There are also some bundles of items (potions etc) you can buy: the value here is pretty terrible and I would be surprised if the developer has sold (m)any.

3. Mage Gauntlet
Mage Gauntlet offers premium items that can help a bit in play, but aren’t vital. They also offer wearable hats, solely for the fun/fan value. You can get some hats in game, but there are others than you can buy. None of them - in game or out - have any stat effects, they’re solely for style - digital merchandise. A great way for fans to show support if they want to.

Given that freemium is clearly here to stay in the RPG category, let’s hope more developers implement it like this, and also give players the choice of buying paid-upfront versions as well.