Before the Free2Play gaming platform practically took over the gaming world, gamers had to generally pay an upfront fee for the games they wanted to download and play unless it was specifically Freeware, Shareware, or No-ware. These games are known today as Premium or Premium Mobile Games, and since Free2Play, has generally dropped down in popularity and distribution. Today, they are making a comeback! Let's have a closer look.

Pay First, Play Later

Whenever the word "Premium" comes to mind, the words "especially above the rest" would generally follow. In terms of games though, it simply means that these "Pay First, Play Later" games are of higher quality and require minimal to no hassle after paying for and acquiring or downloading them. No more in-game ads, or additional purchase requirements just to get ahead or through the game. Regardless, as developers and publishers are generally first and foremost profit focused, some of them maintain in-game stores as well.

Premium games differ from the current Free2Play gaming platform structure in that they deliver a full and balanced gaming experience without distractions from the time you start playing. Gamers just have to pay an upfront single fixed-fee to download the entire self-contained game or adventure, and mobile online game stores like the Apple App Store and Google Play have available titles such as these. What's more, many Premium Mobile Games work smoothly offline without the need for an internet connection.

Also, many of these titles are mobile ports of popular and successful PC and Console games of which both Minecraft and Stardew Valley come to mind. These are games that rely on rich gameplay, awesome narratives, and artistic design over frequent and repeated psychological hooks or timers to keep the gamer playing and wanting for more. In essence, premium mobile games provide the gamers a high-quality direct-oriented self-contained gameplay under a single initial paywall.

Return of the Premium

Recently, the wear and tear of many free2play, but in actuality, pay-while-you-play gaming platforms are starting to show and get on the nerves of many gamers. Playing and investing time on a supposedly free2play game while continually encountering relentless psychological monetization hooks and progress-hindering paywalls actually ruins the game in terms of continuity, immersion, and simply having fun. What’s more, the repetitive nature of many of these games, the sudden breaks in gameplay for an in-game ad or 2, in addition to the constantly nagging for money wear most gamer’s patience thin.

This frustration has started many gamers thinking of just purchasing a game outright and paying once for a self-contained and respectful title that guarantees a complete and uncompromised gaming experience. With the current rise of bundled subscription platforms changing player access to these premium titles, services like Netflix Games, Google Play Pass, and Apple Arcade have removed the friction of upfront individual game payment costs. By paying a flat monthly subscription or using an existing video streaming membership, gamers have instant access to curated libraries with hundreds of premium games with no ads and optional or no micro-transactions.

Distributing Premium games this way provides developers with stable and predictable financial backing while in turn enabling gamers to discover and acquire high-quality self-contained games risk-free. What’s more, the rapid development of mobile gamming quality experiences with respect to both PC and Console gamming enhances the potential of mobile games in today’s gaming world. This has encouraged more PC-to-Mobile ports as well as the continuous release of mobile competitive Indie titles per year generating millions in mobile revenues not to mention the gaming flexibility and convenience that mobile gaming provides.

The free2play platform still currently dominates the online gaming scene but with all the baggage that come with simply trying to enjoy a game for free, with the games providing massive and intensive repetitive grinding experiences just to get the “Whales” to pay big, something will have to give sooner or later. Gamers play to enjoy the game and would rather go for as little or no distractions while immersed in it, something the current-day free2play platform structure could never provide. With “Premium Mobile Games”, and a one-time fee, gamers can have a rewarding and non-distracted gaming experience they can take with them anywhere.