How do you monetize Minesweeper?
(The following is an excerpt from Kyle Orland's upcoming book Minesweeper, an in-depth look at the history and evolution of the classic puzzle game that has been a mainstay of Microsoft's since it came pre-installed with every copy of Windows 3.1. It is one of four titles in Boss Fight Books' "Season 6," which has a Kickstarter campaign running until 10 p.m. Eastern on March 7.)
For most of its existence, Minesweeper had only existed as a free add-on for the Windows OS. Originally, the pre-installed freebie served as a marketing tool, helping to teach players how to use a mouse and differentiating Windows from competing operating systems.
By 2011, though, no one was taking Minesweeper into account when deciding which computer OS would best fit their needs. Minesweeper had become a vestigial appendix in Windows's increasingly bloated body, contributing next to nothing to Microsoft's bottom line.
The Windows 8 version of Minesweeper changes this in some serious ways. While you can still download and play the game for free, you now have to endure a number of ads to do so. The first one appears right on the main menu screen, a small square banner of the type you might see on the side of a web site. Similar banners appear next to each individual puzzle and even on the results screens after you finish a challenge.
As if that wasn't enough, a new game is occasionally interrupted by a 30-second video ad that runs before you can play. In Treasure Hunt, the Minesweeper Adventure Mode spin-off, these video ads are even integrated in the presentation as a major event.
"Every time […] you find the entrance to a hidden level with treasures, you need to see a video ad," [Arkadium Director of Game Design Alexander] Porechnov said.
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