And here we thought subscription-based online gaming was on its way out. Facebook has announced that subscriptions will soon be available to all game developers. Those that are interested in joining the likes of Zynga and now Kixeye in charging players a monthly fee for exclusive bonus content will get to do just that as of this July.Game subscriptions on Facebook are nothing new to Zynga, which most recently offered a VIP program for Pioneer Trail to the tune of a whopping 20 smackers a month. Kixeye today unveiled its own subscription plan for its flagship strategy game, Backyard Monsters. For $9.99 a month, players can receive perks like 1,000 Shiny--the game's paid currency--every month, stronger monsters, cosmetic items like a gold statue and customizable yard tiles.
So, correct us if we're wrong, but isn't one of the main draws of Facebook games the fact that they're free to play? Especially where competitive games like Backyard Monsters are concerned, don't services like these offer those in a position (or simply those willing) to pay an advantage?
Of course, in-game subscriptions aren't geared toward folks like this writer. They're aimed at those that already pay an average of $10 or $20 a month in their Facebook game of choice. Our last question is, are there enough paying social gamers out there to make such a feature worth it? You tell us!
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