In this article we will discuss the ways that game developers cover the costs of making all those great hidden object games that we love. These games take a long time to create and a lot of investment, and the developers will need to make the money back, or a small profit to keep making the games that we play.

Before we get going on how it happens, lets take a look at some of the terms used in this article. Firstly lets look at monetisation, the term looks quite big and important, but the idea is pretty simple. With monetisation you are taking an item or product and turning it into a currency. For example, the in game coins you spend on a booster can be sold for real money. These sales are known as micro transactions, a small amount of money for an in game item.

Having said that, perhaps the oldest method and one still used today is the outright sale of a game. Big Fish Games are a huge provider and developer of hidden object games, and most of the games they have are for sale. Once you buy the game it’s yours, with no extra payments or any micro transactions involved.

Buying a game up front is a simple and effective way to provide funds for further games, or cover the cost of the game purchased. The benefit for the buyer is that you know up front exactly what the cost is. And for the developers they have a target budget to work within and a solid idea of the potential income.

Another method that many games companies use is to have 1 or more parts of the game available both for free and for available to buy for real money. To cite an example Criminal Case is a game that you can play without ever spending any money on, but there are micro transactions that can be made.

The game uses several different parts, an energy system with items to recharge it. Coins and cash can be earned in the game, and used to buy special items or speed up certain aspects of the game. While all of these can be obtained in the game, or through friends they are all also available for purchase. If you wish to speed up the game, or want to finish a particular case you have the option to do so.

These micro transactions are becoming ever more popular, especially in the Facebook style games, but some of the games that can be played from other places are also following this idea. Giving the option to play faster or unlock items quicker is appealing to a lot of players, and this method of making money, while not quite as predictable is still a large source of revenue for the developers.

There are also games that are completely free to play, often smaller games without the large stories or stunning graphics that the paid games can provide. Although they still take time and money to create, even if it is on a smaller scale. These games are available from multiple websites, and can often be shared using a special code.

The way that the developers make money is to have adverts that appear before the game. Sometimes these adverts are for other games by the same company or for an entirely different product. This advertising space is used to pay for the games without the player ever having to pay any money themselves, providing a large source of free fun games for us to play.

These are the basic ways that developers make the money to continue to provide us with some fantastic games. There is a bit of variety in how each game works, and what micro transactions they have, if any. Being able to play these games is great, and we love to do it. By paying for a game, or for those little things you need you are able to support the developers.

We don’t know what the future holds, or how things may change, but by supporting those that create the games we are creating a brighter future for hidden object games, as more and more excellent games are being made every day. We look forward to sharing those games with you.