Coin-op games – more commonly known as Arcade games in the UK – are somewhat of an antiquated pastime. You’ll still find arcade cabinets at the likes of bowling alleys and seaside resorts, however there’s no denying their popularity has dwindled. Platonic Partnership hopes to bring back the feel of coin-op games however, by modernising the formula for modern gamers.
Bone Dust is a new game that monetises very different to anything you’ve played on your PC before. It’s not a premium upfront payment as is traditional, nor is it a free-to-play game supported by microtransactions. Instead, it’s a pay-per-play model. And even then, you only need to pay if you wish to be ranked on the leaderboards.
“While the game is free for all to download on Steam, the leaderboard runs in the game will require a token to be deposited before the run starts. This is essentially the same monetisation from the arcades of the 80’s, but now done in a digital setting” said Toko Midori, the artist behind Toko Midori Games.
Bone Dust is a bullet-hell first-person shooter. The game has been created by Finnish developer Platonic Partnership. The game invites players to battle nightmarish circus-inspired foes with rapid-fire playing cards, all while evading a relentless barrage of projectiles. Set within an expansive corridor like arena, players must confront terrifying waves of bullets and conquer the challenges ahead.
Bone Dust’s Coin-Op Monetisation is the Start of a Trend
“We’re beyond excited to launch Bone Dust and see how players embrace our one-of-a-kind visuals and exhilarating gameplay,” stated Jussi Loukiainen, co-founder of Platonic Partnership. “We’re also exploring novel ways to monetise gaming by drawing inspiration from arcade machines and their paid leaderboards.”
Available via Steam now, a set of 10 tokens in Bone Dust costs $2 USD/€ 2 EUR. This is less than a quarter ($0.25) per run. Bone Dust is set to continue the arcade legacy in the modern era of home gaming. Do you think this is an interesting proposition? Would you like to see more games taking this route to market? Let us know in the comments below!
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