Putting some hard numbers behind what we’ve been thinking and believing for quite some time now, SnipClip trainee (read: intern) Matthias has poured over copious amounts of data over the past few months, and the results are in. The survey was conducted over 15 various virtual worlds, social games and non-game social applications, and found significant differences in purchasing trends. Most notably – sales of virtual goods in social gaming applications are ten times higher than those in non-gaming applications.
According to the study, social games generate an average of $3.65 per monthly active user (MAU) per year. Conversely, non-gaming applications have an MAU of only $0.37, with the highest average revenue being generated in virtual worlds, with an average of $8.04 per MAU per year.
Examining data strictly from social games and virtual worlds, the study found the average spend to be between $0.82 and $6.40, and $2.03 to $25.42, respectively. This data supports SnipClip’s theory that virtual worlds and gaming applications are more engaging, therefore users are willing to spend more on virtual goods if they offer special functionality or higher social status.
Looking forward, SnipClip’s study projects potential virtual goods sales in social games at around $340 million per year. Their non-gaming siblings should be looking at around $215 million. Virtual Worlds arrive at the party, just slightly ahead of non-gaming social application with projected virtual goods revenues of approximately $244 million. SnipClip does give a nod to the recent Tencent study, with their projections reaching into the billions mark, but does not include this data in their survey. Reason being, that Tencent did not make a distinction in their survey between the virtual goods applications, i.e. classical online games, instant messaging, and social networks.
It’s no secret that social gaming is rapidly becoming a driving force on social networks, and obviously the providers are carefully watching revenue streams generated from virtual goods sales. Facebook has been toying with microtransactions and a homogenized platform wide currency for years now. SnipClips’ survey points out that it’s more about the context in which virtual goods are sold and how this can clearly affect monetization rates.
Oliver Hanisch, heading the partnership and strategic alliance efforts at SnipClip recommends focusing on virtual goods applications that provide users with an engaging gaming experience and at the same time enable them to promote their social status within their community.
“Collecting branded virtual goods, as offered by SnipClip, provides both: a social gaming experience and a way for fans to express their passion for their favorite sports team, music group, or TV show. Therefore, we encourage community providers and content producers to consider the sales of virtual collectibles and provide our partners with an easy and ready to use solution.”
The SnipClip survey aggregated revenue and number of users data from 15 social games, social networks, and virtual worlds. Average values were weighted by the number of users to provide a better-balanced picture. Social games with 15.1 million or more active users and virtual worlds with 21.8 million or more active users were used. Social networks, including facebook, social games such as Mob Wars, and virtual worlds such as Habbo Hotel are included in the study.
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Tags: gaming applications, mau, microtransactions, online games, social application, social applications, social games, social gaming, social networks, virtual worlds
