Ever since the first video game, Tennis for Two, emerged in the late 1950s, the gaming industry has been on a journey of rapid technological advancement and economic growth. Anyone over the age of 67 will have been alive when the first video game was released and will have been a witness to the gaming world’s constant evolution.
One point that has recently changed a lot in the gaming industry is in-game currency. It started with a simple point system and arcade tokens, and now the most advanced form of currency, cryptocurrency, is being used in games.
In this article, I am going to cover the details of this evolution of in-game currency in detail. Let’s start.
The Evolution of In-game Currency
The idea of in-game currency was born during the days of arcade gaming when players would earn or purchase real, tangible arcade tokens and use them to access the games.
Since then, the gaming world has grown steadily but noticeably. It now includes the conventional gold coins of RPGs. Premium in-game currencies that are bought with real money, and even, more recently, cryptocurrencies.
It isn’t just the classic video games, played on consoles, that make use of in-game currency either. Virtual currency can be found in mobile games, massive multiplayer online games, and even within the online casino world.
One example of this is the emergence of Bitcoin casinos. which exists as a natural extension of gaming’s ongoing flirtation with digital currencies.
The success of these casinos, which, as explored by PokerScout, gift players with impressive bonuses alongside rapid withdrawal speeds and massive game libraries, is a testament to how effectively cryptocurrency can be integrated into the gaming world.
Here’s a detailed overview of in-game currency:
1. Arcades
One aspect of arcade gaming that carries the most nostalgia is the arcade tokens that gamers need to trade in in order to access the arcade games.
These tokens were purchased within the arcade itself, usually from a cashier, but sometimes using a vending machine, and then crammed into the pockets of kids, teens, and adults alike, all looking to escape the world for a while.
Each arcade game required a certain number of tokens to work, with some of the more complex or longer games needing more than one. It was the purchasing of these tokens that helped keep the arcades afloat and allowed this phenomenon to be as popular as it was for as long as it was.
However, all good things must come to an end, and as video games evolved and started to be brought into homes on early consoles like the Atari, the need for arcade tokens, and the demand for arcades for that matter, began to fade away. Then came virtual currencies.
2. Gold Coins
As more and more people began to play games at home, and more companies set to work on building new and exciting consoles and developing the games to be played on them, a new form of virtual currency emerged.
Unlike arcade tokens, these coins did not have to be purchased by the player using real money, but could be earned and collected by playing the game and then used to trade with in-game vendors for goods and boosts.
Gold coins and items like them have been a defining factor of many role-playing games (RPGs), from the very first Legend of Zelda to Games to the immensely popular contemporary RPGs like Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate: Three.
This idea of trading within a game was carried across genres, and these days it is rare to find one that doesn’t have some kind of in-game trading service fuelled by a currency that can be earned simply by playing the game.
Another genre of games that took the idea of in-game currencies and ran with it is Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG). This makes sense, as MMORPGs were the natural evolution of RPGs after online play emerged and quickly took off.
Popular games such as World of Warcraft include various virtual currencies that players can earn in the game and then use to purchase additional items as well as services within the game itself.
3. Premium In-Game Currencies
Premium in-game currencies are a clever evolution from the old gold coins you can do playing games. These types of in-game currency don’t exist to replace gold coins, but to exist alongside them.
The difference between gold coins and premium in-game currencies is their actual value. Where gold coins can be earned simply by playing the game and completing quests, premium currency can be purchased with real money.
This is a great way to appeal to players who can want to part with more of their money so as to access bonuses and extras, without taking away from the experience of players who cannot be able to afford to do the same.
These kinds of currencies work especially well on popular mobile games like Candy Crush and Monopoly Go. They let players buy products to level up faster, keep their streak going, and escape commercials.
4. Cryptocurrency
The idea of purchasing premium in currencies brings us to the final, and most recent form of in-game currency available, crypto. Cryptocurrency is not solely tied to gaming but is a form of digital asset that, in many parts of the world, is a type of legal tender.
Including cryptocurrency within games is a match in heaven. Allowing people not only to purchase items in the game, using cryptocurrency, but also enabling them to earn crypto simply by playing the game is an effective way to increase engagement, bring attention to specific coins, and appeal to a wider audience.
Final Words
Game currencies have come a long way since the days of arcade coins, but have managed to do so without ever forgetting their roots. These kinds of currency help bring a level of realism to games, especially those that engage heavily with fantasy themes.
They also enable items to be given clear and different values, letting gamers see how useful an item might be depending on how much it costs. Not only that, but the introduction and evolution of in-game currencies have enabled both game developers and players to earn from the games.
People Also Ask
What Is The In-Game Currency System?
The in-game currency system is the use of virtual currency to buy in-game items and upgrades. Different games provide these systems so that players can upgrade their characters and profiles to have a better gaming experience.
What Was The First Game Currency?
The first game currency is widely recognized to be “arcade tokens”. Players used to purchase these tokens physically with money and then use them to play arcade games.
Why Do Games Use Game Currency Instead Of Real Money?
Using real money in games directly is somewhat of an impossible thing to do. So, companies utilize the virtual in-game system in order to help people spend money on games and have fun.
What Currency Is Used In PUBG?
The PUBG game has two different in-game currency systems. The first system is BP (Battle Points) and is used to purchase crates, skins, and other accessories. The second system is UC (Unknown Cash), which is used to buy exclusive items within the game.
