In games, revenue is the total money your game earns — from purchases, ads, subscriptions, or full-price sales.
It’s not just a business goal — it’s the outcome of how well your systems generate, structure, and sustain value.
1️⃣ Definition
Revenue = The sum of all income from players or platforms
Source | Examples |
In-App Purchases (IAP) | Currency, bundles, cosmetics |
Ad Revenue | Rewarded video, interstitials |
Subscriptions | Battle pass, VIP membership |
Premium Sales | Full-price game purchase |
DLC / Expansions | Extra content beyond core game |
LiveOps Offers | Event-limited monetization |
Merch / Licensing | External partnerships (optional) |
📍Revenue ≠ greed. It reflects how players show appreciation for your game — with real money.
2️⃣ Why Revenue Matters
Use Case | What It Enables | Design Insight |
Sustainable dev | Funds updates, LiveOps, new projects | Can you grow without outside funding? |
UA scaling | Determines max CPI via ROAS | Can your game afford new users? |
Segment targeting | Tracks which players monetize how | Is your design too reliant on whales? |
Monetization balance | Evaluates offer design, shop UX, ad strategy | Are systems helping — or hurting — engagement? |
📍You don’t just design for revenue — you design systems that deserve it.
3️⃣ Types of Revenue
Type | Description |
IAP | One-off purchases: gems, skins, boosts |
Ad Revenue | View-based income: rewarded, banners |
Subscriptions | Recurring value: battle pass, VIP access |
Premium Sale | Full game purchase (one-time) |
LiveOps Revenue | Time-limited bundles, rotating shops |
DLC / Expansions | Optional paid extensions of content |
📍The more diverse your revenue mix, the more stable your game’s financial health.
4️⃣ Key Metrics Tied to Revenue
Metric | What It Reflects |
ARPU | Average revenue per user (all) |
ARPPU | Average per paying user |
ARPDAU | Daily revenue per active user |
LTV | Total long-term value per user |
Conversion Rate | % of users who pay at least once |
ROAS | Revenue ÷ Ad spend — marketing ROI |
📍Revenue metrics are compound outputs — they reflect the success of your retention, economy, UX, and trust systems.
5️⃣ Design Levers That Influence Revenue
Area | Design Actions |
Value clarity | Show why something is worth the price |
Offer timing | Surface bundles after high engagement |
Store UX | Highlight best deals, segment offers |
Progression friction | Soft paywalls, not hard locks |
Cosmetic economy | Satisfy personalization without pay-to-win |
LiveOps cadence | Refresh purchase motivation via events |
📍Good monetization design aligns with motivation, not manipulation.
✅ Revenue Checklist
Summary
Term | Revenue |
What it tracks | Total money earned across all monetization methods |
Why it matters | Funds growth, stability, UA, and content production |
Generated by | IAP, ads, subscriptions, DLC, sales |
Paired with | ARPU, ARPPU, LTV, ROAS, Conversion, Retention |
📍Revenue is not just money — it’s a reflection of player trust and systemic value. Design with that trust in mind.