How do you Monetize Chess?

We are going to do so by analyzing one game that has one of the longest history: Chess. This is an analysis for Chess by Chess.com on the Google Play Store. The analysis is done by comparing aspects of the game to Roger Dickey’s monetization master plan. This version of chess employs some monetization strategies featured in the master plan with peripheral features that surrounds the topic of playing chess.

This is a chess game that is hosted by Chess.com, which has more than 7 million members. The game is pure chess with no modification. Players can play with npc, random players, or friends. In addition to playing standard chess matches, players are able to go through challenge scenarios, study chess tactics, and host tournaments.

The progression of the game is a number ranking system which starts out at 1000, drops if the player loses to a player of similar rank, and ups otherwise.

The closest feature of negative reinforcement is the mandatory rating system which tracks player rank in every game mode. Players who care about the ranking system would be compelled to play, since it is common to compare ratings with friends and other players online. However, there is no mechanic for the rank to drop if the players do not play the game for a while, so there is no reinforcement for engagement in that regard. Contrastingly, players who achieve high ranks would choose to not play the game in order to prevent losing rating points.

Fairness does matter in this game, given that’s the original appeal of chess. In some game modes, players are put into disadvantageous situations against computer opponents; yet, these puzzle modes are aimed to challenge players in finding the few moves that will turn the tides of the game.

Since the game does not explicitly have usable items, there are no apparent consumable components.

There is no clear tracking of energy in the game; however, there is a limit to how many challenges, learning videos, and puzzles a player can do in a day. This makes the players come back every day to try new content inside the game outside of the general matches.

There are themes to player boards and chess pieces. They are free for players to switch around at any time. The game does not monetize them in any way.

The long term plan of chess is to be more skilled, which is represented by the rating points of players. There is no territorial means to the points since they are unlimited and couldn’t be affected by other players.

There are seasonal matches and tournaments being held in the game, but they are all free to participate and host.

The premium membership of this game provides a plethora of perks to players. It removes all of the daily limits in solving puzzles, taking lessons, and browsing statistical reports.

The Diamond yearly plan is featured more prominently than the monthly plan and has a lower per-month cost of $8.33 per month, compared to $13.99 per month for the monthly plan. It is very easy to ignore the Platinum and Gold plan, which are listed with small fonts and easy to ignore. This subtle setup will push players to purchase the yearly plan since it seems to be the ‘better deal.’ In combination to several blocks made by the daily limitations, the game constantly reminds the player of this great deal in order to engage in the extracurricular activities in the game.

The game has ads that are sparsely placed when players play. It does not feel intrusive.

The game does not offer virtual currency. Every purchase in the game is made with real money.

However, if treating the free attempts to challenge puzzles and end-of-match reports as free currencies, the game is in fact filled with free currencies for players to engage in extra activities outside of the core chess playing.

Even though there is no collectible in the game, the game does offer players a sense of ownership with their account from the rank they have achieved. The ranking system in this game is a common metric for chess skills in the broader chess community. For high level players, a highly-rank account provides a huge sense of accomplishment. Yet, this is not monetized in any way. There are no roadblocks that prevent players from achieving a higher rank, aside from themselves.

There are no first time incentives to spend money in the game. Players who paid for the premium membership for the first time are paying the same as other players.

There is no wagering in this game. Even though there are spectator functions to watch professional matches, which are opportunities for the game to monetize wagering, there is no such monetization.

Chess, while certainly deviates from completely following the maximum monetization scheme, is more clever in its ability to earn money. One of the reasons that this game is the number one chess game on the Google Play Store could be its simplicity in monetization. The core gameplay of chess is not monetized in any way. However, the extra features of the game, ranging from match report to daily challenges, are barred off from players after the first few attempts. Players who constantly engage in these extra activities are more likely to be reminded about the possible purchase of the premium membership. Yet, this does not affect most of the player base, which simply wants a complete experience of online chess.

The game positioned its monetization around the core game. This makes the game seem very consumer-friendly for players who just want to play. For other players who care to enjoy other game modes, Chess acts more like a proper freemium game. This clever balance of charging for almost all features aside from the core gameplay gives player complete control over their play, yet subtly hints at the possibility of becoming a better chess player from participating in extra features and the pressure of the online rating system, is what keeps Chess a competitive game in terms of freemium business models. After all the history of chess, it looks like we can still learn from this ancient game.

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