Releasing HTML5 Games for Windows 8

Chapter 7. Monetization

The Windows Store monetization is on par with all other major App Store publishing models, which will be very appealing to developers looking to get the most out of their time investment. To better understand some of the ways you can monetize your game on Windows 8, I have decided to highlight 3 of the key ways outside of the standard flat rate for your game:

• Trial Mode: On Windows 8, you can add trial mode into your game, which not only allows players to try out the game but also keeps them from having to install a separate app with the un-purchased features. Windows 8 allows you to lock out specific parts of your app based on if it is in trial mode or has been fully paid for, so you can maintain one app with a single codebase.

• Ad Support: Finally, an approach that has been falling out of favor over the years is to monetize your game with ads. Since HTML5 games on Windows 8 can run any JavaScript ad SDK, you will find it very easy to quickly set up ads in your own game. We will talk about how to use the Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows 8 later in the chapter.

• In-App Purchase (IAP): This has become one of the most popular ways to monetize your apps on iOS and Android. The good news is that Window 8 apps support IAP as well. Generally, you can offer your game for free and let players buy new levels or open up the entire game and use in-game currency then allow players to buy that currency with real money.

As you can see, you have lots of options to help monetize ...