This is one lesson of the rise of free-to-play game monetization. In this business model, players are charged nothing to download and install a game—or even to play it—but are presented with optional in-game purchases such as an extra level or a cosmetic item. When it was first introduced in the 2000s, and even a decade later, many believed free-to-play would, at best, lead to lower revenues for a given game and at worst cannibalize the industry. Instead, it proved to be the best way to monetize a game and a core driver behind video gaming’s cultural ascendance. Yes, it led to many non-paying
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