Decreasing Secondary Virtual Currency for Player Engagement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing online game monetization systems fail to effectively incentivize players to spend virtual currency by not providing a time-sensitive mechanism to encourage frequent purchases and usage of secondary virtual currency, leading to stagnant currency balances and reduced engagement.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system where a secondary virtual currency, obtainable through primary virtual currency purchases, decreases over time, encouraging players to make purchases with the secondary currency and replenish it by acquiring more primary currency, thereby enhancing engagement and spending behavior.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If secondary virtual currency is distributed with primary virtual currency purchases, then player engagement and spending motivation are improved, but currency balance stability deteriorates due to automated reduction over time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayer engagement and spending motivationVSAvoidcurrency balance stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the secondary virtual currency balance change over time through automated reduction. The currency balance is not static but dynamically adjusts based on elapsed time since distribution, creating a time-sensitive incentive system that encourages players to spend or replenish currency within specific time windows.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic action through scheduled automated reductions of the secondary virtual currency balance. The currency decreases at predetermined time intervals or after specific time periods elapse, creating periodic incentives for players to engage with the game and make purchases before the currency value diminishes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If discounted virtual currency exchange rates are offered to incentivize spending, then player spending increases, but currency distribution control worsens due to focused exchange rate incentives

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayer spendingVSAvoidcurrency distribution control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by distributing secondary virtual currency in advance with primary currency purchases, before players need to spend it. This upfront distribution combined with subsequent automated reduction creates a pre-positioned incentive system that guides player behavior over time without requiring continuous exchange rate adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by introducing time as a variable that affects currency value. Instead of changing exchange rates to control spending, the system changes the secondary currency balance parameter over time through automated reduction, creating a dynamic incentive structure that adapts automatically without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10286324B1System and method for providing virtual items through virtual purchases with a decreasing secondary virtual currency

Publication Date: 2019.05.14 ELECTRONIC ARTS INC

AI summary

A decreasing secondary virtual currency is used in a system for providing virtual items through virtual purchases. Physical processors may be configured by machine readable instructions to execute the online game, manage user accounts, effectuate presentation of offers to sell primary and secondary virtual currencies, decrease the virtual currencies over time, and effectuate presentation of offers to sell virtual items. User accounts may include virtual inventories of virtual items and virtual currency balances. The user may be presented with offers to buy virtual currency which includes a primary virtual currency component and a secondary virtual currency component. The secondary virtual currency component may decrease over time. Certain virtual items of the online game may only be purchasable with the secondary virtual currency.