The core principles of building prosperous game economies

gamesindustry.biz:

Crafting a robust game economy is no small feat; it's a multifaceted challenge that demands careful consideration. The goal of game economy design is to maintain the vitality of your game in the long run. Economic problems can cause entire projects to collapse.

In this article, we'll delve into the three pillars you need to worry about when designing a game economy:

While the spotlight often falls on currency stability, it's essential to understand that each pillar is necessary, but not sufficient – you have to have all three. Neglecting any one of them can undermine the overall stability of your game economy.

Before we dive deeper, let's address a pertinent question: why should you care about your game's economy? A well-crafted economy, when functioning seamlessly, wields the power to breathe life into your game world, making it feel dynamic, relatable, and real.

Granted, not all games place the same emphasis on their economies. Some are laser-focused, while others incorporate economic elements more subtly – a trading mechanic between players or perhaps a virtual store where players can buy items.

Regardless, most games involve some form of transaction. Much like a soundtrack that sets the mood without drawing attention, a successful game economy operates almost unnoticed but significantly enhances the player experience.

Game economy design ties into making your game fun. Even if the economy is not directly part of the fun creation, it shouldn't get in the way of it, it should function in the background. By building a well-functioning game economy, you're doing something that is both good and in your interest: you're making your players happy, and you might be able to pay your bills. A lot of projects fail because