Start Building

Lesson Goal

In Lessons 1 and 2 you chose a revenue model and mapped it into your game loop.
In this lesson you will turn that plan into specific offers and prices you can implement and test.

By the end, you will have:

  • A small, prioritized list of offers (what you sell).
  • Initial price points for each offer (how much you charge).
  • A first version of “good, better, best” bundles you can A/B test later.

Step 1 – List What You Can Honestly Sell

Start by listing what players actually value in your game today or in your first launch scope.

Use these categories as prompts:

  • Access – full game, DLC, extra chapters, new modes.
  • Power / Progression – boosts, skips, resources, time savers.
  • Cosmetics – skins, animations, VFX, emotes, decorations.
  • Convenience – extra save slots, inventory space, loadout presets.

For each category, ask:

  • Does this make the game more fun or more flexible?
  • Would I feel okay if my favorite game sold this to me?

Cross out anything that:

  • Creates hard paywalls for finishing the main experience (unless you are premium/DLC by design).
  • Feels like a punishment for non-paying players rather than an enhancement.

Keep 3–6 items on your list that match your chosen model and game loop.

Step 2 – Define Clear Value for Each Offer

Players must understand at a glance what they get and why it matters.

For each potential offer, write:

  1. A short internal name – for example, Starter Gem Pack, Founders Bundle, Cosmetic Skin Pack 01.
  2. A one-sentence value promise:
    • “Get a strong early head start without skipping content.”
    • “Unlock three unique hero skins to show off your progress.”
  3. A player-facing description in plain language (no store jargon).

If you cannot explain why an offer is valuable without mentioning money, the design is probably weak.
Tighten the gameplay benefit first, then come back to pricing.

Step 3 – Sketch Your Pricing Ladder

Instead of random price points, design a ladder:

  • Low tier – impulse buys and “first purchase” offers.
  • Mid tier – solid value for engaged players.
  • High tier – whales / superfans, limited but premium.

Common starting points (adjust for your platform and region):

  • Mobile (USD): $0.99–$2.99 (low), $4.99–$9.99 (mid), $14.99–$29.99 (high).
  • PC/console DLC: $4.99–$9.99 (small packs), $14.99–$29.99 (major expansions).

Map your offers onto this ladder:

  • At least one low-tier offer to reduce friction for first-time buyers.
  • One or two mid-tier bundles that feel like the “default good choice”.
  • Optionally, one high-tier pack for superfans (but only if it is fair and non-exploitative).

Avoid having ten almost-identical prices; it makes choice harder and weakens your data.

Step 4 – Design 2–3 Starter Bundles

Bundles can feel generous while raising your average revenue per paying user.

Start with:

  • Starter Pack (low tier)
    • Slightly underpriced compared to buying items separately.
    • Designed to convert first-time spenders.
  • Value Bundle (mid tier)
    • Best “bang for buck”; include your most popular items.
  • Cosmetic / Supporter Pack (optional high tier)
    • Skews cosmetic or status-based (“Founders Pack”, “Support the devs”).

For each bundle, define:

  • Contents (exact quantities, cosmetics included).
  • Target price.
  • Where it shows up in your loop (for example, first-time store visit, after beating world 1).

Make sure players can still enjoy the game without buying any bundle.

Step 5 – Sanity-Check Fairness and Regional Pricing

Before locking in numbers, run a quick fairness pass:

  • Would a typical player understand why this costs what it costs?
  • Does any offer feel like it forces a purchase to fix a frustration you created on purpose?
  • Are cosmetic-only offers clearly labeled and not confused with progression?

If you plan to support multiple regions:

  • Decide whether to use store-provided price tiers (for example, Steam, App Store, Play Store).
  • Avoid copy-pasting USD prices into every market; local purchasing power differs.

Document any regional pricing rules you know you will need (for example, “use platform recommended tiers in each region”).

Step 6 – Define Your First Test Set

You do not need your final pricing today. You need a good-enough test set.

Pick:

  • 1–2 individual offers (for example, a soft currency pack and a cosmetic).
  • 1 starter bundle.
  • 1 mid-tier bundle.

For each, record in a simple table:

  • Internal ID (for analytics/events).
  • Price tier (low/mid/high).
  • Contents.
  • Where it appears in the game loop.

This will become the input for your IAP implementation and analytics events in later lessons.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Designing offers that only make sense to you, not to players looking at a store page.
  • Creating dozens of tiny SKUs with no clear structure or ladder.
  • Letting high-priced bundles quietly include power boosts that break balance.
  • Ignoring platform guidelines or store best practices around misleading pricing.

Keep your first lineup small, clear, and obviously fair. You can always add more variety after you collect data.

Quick Checklist

Before moving on, make sure you have:

  • [ ] A short list of what you are actually selling (items, access, cosmetics, convenience).
  • [ ] A first pricing ladder with low, mid, and (optional) high tiers.
  • [ ] 2–3 clear bundles with defined contents and target prices.
  • [ ] Notes on where each offer and bundle appears in your game loop.

In the next lesson you will start wiring these offers into real IAP and store implementations inside your engine, and prepare the analytics events you will need to measure whether players actually buy them.