0When you sign up to play your favorite video game, it makes sense to see if there are any freebies, promos, or incentives available. Sometimes, you can try out a game for a weekend. Other times you can add entire games to your inventory for free. You already know to keep your eye out for loot boxes and chests, but you may be able to save money or add game time depending on when you make your purchase.
There are numerous basic gaming incentives that are commonly offered, including the following:
MMO Login Rewards
MMORPGs often feature a monthly subscription fee, although some are free to play. Often, the base game is free up to a certain level cap, and then players must pay a subscription fee in order to continue. Examples of these games are World of Warcraft, RIFT, The Secret World Legends, and Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.
Many of these games feature free weekend events, holiday events, and daily login rewards that are randomized. The items, boosts, and bonuses given out in these rewards may be higher for subscribers than for free members. In addition, gamers may receive a discount on purchasing in-game items if they subscribe to the game on a monthly basis.
Loot Boxes
Other games offer rewards in the form of randomized Loot Boxes, which drop specific items at predetermined drop rates. Overwatch allows players to purchase these boxes, then utilize the items that drop at random.
The Call of Duty Series, as well as other popular video games, drop loot boxes, caches, and chests in-game as rewards for killing specific bosses or completing specific tasks. Some drop these at a higher rate for paid subscribers, while others drop more keys to these items (which are needed in order to open them) for paid subscribers.
While Loot Boxes are popular with many players, others and some politicians and regulators have expressed concern that in some instances they stray into the realm of gambling, a row which reached its highest public profile following pre-launch demos of EA’s Star Wars Battlefront II.
While the developer pulled paid for Loot Boxes before the full game launched, its initial implementation of them could still have serious long-term implications for the industry.
EA Access
EA Access is a video gaming subscription service that lets gamers try new EA games before launch day, with 10% off of digital purchases. EA Access membership is just £3.99 a month; if you buy one new EA game, your membership pays for itself with the 10% discount.
Online Casinos and Bookmakers
Online gambling is a highly competitive sector but, unlike some other examples listed here, the firms operating in it don’t control the content and don’t have a suite of products or services they can bundle together. Instead they offer discounts, free plays and welcome bonuses, including cash-back offers, meaning that whether you’re a sports enthusiast or casino gamer, there are countless sign-up perks for you to take advantage of.
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus is the network’s ongoing game membership. It allows members to play multiplayer games online, and provides them with special discounts that are only available to paying members. Members also receive two free games per month, which they can keep for as long as their membership is active.
This is a great way to boost your library of games inexpensively, but make sure that you take the time to download your free games each month before they change over, or you’ll lose the opportunity.
Gaming is about fun, skill, and a little bit of chance. If you spend your free time playing video games, it makes good sense to get as much for your money as possible. Read up on the promotions, discounts, and bonuses that your favourite games offer so that you can utilize them effectively each month.