Mobile Games and the Bartle Taxonomy of Player Types

Introduction

The Free-to-play (F2P) model has extensively been used by all mobile games in the past few years and has led to the creation of a billion-dollar industry. The mobile gaming industry rose fast and has become a core part of the gaming industry. Many AAA companies are branching out to make mobile games that implement micro-transactions and the F2P model. Mobile games are much more accessible than console or PC games — they require a phone to play and are most of the time free; you can download any game from the app store and start playing it. The customer base is much broader, but monetizing such a vast base becomes difficult because it is tough to make someone pay for virtual things that are never worth their value. Hence, monetizing mobile games is a skill of its own. To handle such a vast base of customers, we must divide it into specific parts to serve them better.

Bartle Taxonomy of Player Types

In 1996, Richard Bartle wrote a paper that described four types of players that can be found in a multiplayer game. This classification was based on what they prefer to do while playing the game and what makes it enjoyable. These four types are — Achievers, Explorers, Socialisers, and Killers.

Achievers want to gain more stuff — they want to be at a higher level, they want to have more points, they want to unlock more of something, they want a particular set of armor; Achievers tend to play games with a business-like mind; they seek profit in activities.

Explorers want to explore every nook and cranny of the game — they are the ones who will find hidden secrets, they will do activities for the sheer fun of doing them, they want to gather information about the game, and they want to know everything present in the game. Explorers will tend to either boast about their knowledge or help other players. They will want more content over time.

Socialisers focus primarily on social interactions while playing the game — they like to talk, joke, laugh and cry with others. They will also use the game to discuss daily happenings in their lives and tend to get emotional. The game is more of a platform for them to socialize; they will spend more time with their friends or clan members rather than go on solo missions. The game often becomes a way to channel their emotions, and they value the bonds of friendship formed while playing the game more than a collectible item.

Killers thrive on the joy of destroying others; the more massive destruction they can cause, the happier they get. Seeing other players in distress often drives their purpose of playing the game. Killers are unique because they possess certain qualities of different types, but all of it is used to win over others. Killers tend to seek an overwhelming advantage over others.

Monetizing different player types

The above image summarizes the interaction of the types. Now, it is essential to realize that each type needs to be catered to differently — for example, achievers and explorers will have a completely different meaning for enjoying the game. Will Luton advocates in his book “Free-to-Play: Making Money From Games You Give Away” to give each Bartle type the thing they will want the most, and he divides in-app purchases (IAPs) into four types (the four C’s).

Content is supposed to be the core part of the game — it is what the entire game revolves around. A story, a mission, something that drives players to play, gives life to the game. However, this is also why monetizing content is complex: it is supposed to be “free”; without it, there is no game at all.

Convenience is the bread and butter when it comes to monetizing a game. Either time or progress is directly purchasable, and when offered at the correct time as the right amount, it provides a considerable incentive to players to spend some money.

Customization is aimed chiefly towards socializers and achievers. Skins, profile frames, profile icons, etc., are collectibles for achievers and increase interaction for the socializers.

Competitive Advantage is aimed mainly towards the killers, players who want to win over others using any means. Competitive Advantage can sometimes be challenging to monetize, as a slight imbalance can topple the F2P illusion of the game.

Conclusion

Utilizing the above four ways to monetize the Bartle types is essential for a “F2P” game to earn revenue. The interactions between the different player types can be tweaked to create new avenues for adding purchase options. F2P games thrive on the multiplayer system; be it a kingdom-building game or a battle royale, there will always be people who want to win and go ahead of others. By providing correct forms of purchase options, the interactions can be tweaked a lot. It’s necessary to have some competition in the game, and interactions need to revolve around this competition. The Bartle Taxonomy is an interesting way to look into the world of mobile games and see how clear distinctions arise due to human nature and behaviour and how F2P games use these distinct qualities to cater to different needs to increase their player base.