PlaySpan Publishes Downloadable Report on Microtransactions and Virtual World Economies

New Insight Into Alternative Payment Methods and Commerce Enablement Models for the Buying and Selling of Digital Goods

(SANTA CLARA, CA) – March 10, 2009 – PlaySpan, the leader in monetization solutions for online games, virtual worlds, and social networks, today announced the publication of a free downloadable report that addresses market opportunities for developers and publishers to optimize revenue streams by including integrated microtransactions and pay-as-you-go revenue models. The report can be found at http://corp.playspan.com/.

Until recently, online games and virtual worlds have been monetized primarily through subscription-based revenue, where users pay a monthly fee to play or participate. But that model has started to erode, forcing publishers to begin evaluating more flexible payment options that provide for richer, in-game player experiences. Among the myriad choices of games and virtual world environments, the report cites up-front subscriptions as a large barrier to acquiring customers, as well as unreliable advertising models that are highly subjectable to seasonal and economic fluctuations.

“If you look at subscriptions as a reliable way to derive revenue from games, we have to understand that this model is stagnant, and it really limits choices for gamers,” said Karl Mehta, CEO of PlaySpan. “Using microtransactions and a secure in-game commerce platform, players have more flexibility in terms of their overall experience, and it helps establish a safe environment that eliminates issues related to fraud and gold-farming. Not only does this give publishers greater control of the game environment but it also increases their ability to monetize in-game content more effectively. Furthermore, it legitimizes the in-game commerce market and alleviates a number of the most common billing hassles for game creators.”

Gartner expects U.S. broadband penetration to increase to 77 percent of households by 2012 from 54 percent in 2007, and according to entertainment industry research firm DFC Intelligence, the total PC game revenue is expected to reach $19 billion by 2013.

To download a copy of the white paper you may visit http://corp.playspan.com/ for more details. Additionally, if you’d like to set up a time to speak with PlaySpan at GDC, you can visit booth # 6028, or contact Eric Hartness, chief marketing officer, at (408) 617-9155 to schedule an appointment.

Karl Mehta will also be speaking at the Montgomery Technology conference on Tuesday, March 10th in Santa Monica, California, delivering an overview of the company, emerging areas and current market opportunities for publishers and developers.

About PlaySpan, Inc.
PlaySpan™ is the leader in monetization solutions for online games, virtual worlds, and social networks. PlaySpan’s patent-pending in-game virtual goods commerce and micropayment platform enables game publishers and developers to generate new revenues, acquire new users, and extend the loyalty of existing users. Leading publishers, including Aeria Games, Gamers First, Gravity Interactive, Inixsoft, Saga, and Ntreev selected PlaySpan Marketplace as their official virtual goods marketplace.

PlaySpan also offers global payment solutions through its subsidiary PayByCa$h® with 70+ payment methods in 180 countries and ULTIMATE GAME CARD® available for 200+ games in over 21,000 retail locations across North America. For more information about PlaySpan, visit http://corp.playspan.com/

PlaySpan is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in Charlottesville, Va, Cincinnati, Ohio and Mumbai. Investors include Easton Capital, Menlo Ventures, STIC and Novel TMT Ventures.

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