Game Development
Ethical principles
Learn ethics and transparency in monetization.
Ethical Principles in Monetization
In-game revenue methods should respect players' rights and experience. Purchase options should be presented clearly, prices should not be hidden, and players should not be pressured into spending through misleading designs. Advertising and purchase design require extra care, especially in games aimed at children.
Clear price
Optional purchase
Honest description
Respect player choice
Ethical monetization values long-term player trust as much as short-term revenue.
Transparency and Fair Design
Transparent monetization explains in advance what a purchased product provides and how much the player will pay. Fair design should not make purchases appear mandatory or create misleading barriers for free players. Ad content and display frequency should also be planned without damaging the player experience.
Product: 500 Gems
Price: Clearly displayed
Purchase: Optional
It is important that players can easily change their minds and control their purchasing decisions.
Exercise Display Transparent Purchase Information
Create a MonoBehaviour class named PurchaseTransparency. In the Start method, store the product name and price in variables. Then print the information to the console together with a message indicating that the purchase is optional.
Show example solution
using UnityEngine;
public class PurchaseTransparency : MonoBehaviour
{
void Start()
{
string product = "500 Gems";
string price = "$4.99";
Debug.Log("Product: " + product);
Debug.Log("Price: " + price);
Debug.Log("Purchase is optional");
}
}
Test yourself
-
Which approach should be preferred in an ethical purchase screen?
- Constantly pressure the player to purchase
- Misrepresent the product features
- Hide the price until the final payment step
- Present the purchase option clearly and understandably
Show answer
Present the purchase option clearly and understandably — A transparent purchase screen clearly displays the product contents and price. Players should be able to make their decisions without pressure.
-
Complete the Transparent Price Information
Debug.Log("Price: ____");
Show answer
Debug.Log("Price: Clearly displayed");
-
Ethical Monetization Principles
- Transparency
- Clearly presents product and price info
- Fairness
- Treats players fairly
- Consent
- Respects the player's free choice
- Honesty
- Does not use misleading information
Next lesson: Summary - Monetization
