Amazon has just announced that it is expanding in-app purchasing to games for Mac, PC, and Web platforms, which lets players buy virtual currency, characters, expansion packs, subscriptions, and more for games that are in the Amazon Digital Games store using an Amazon account. In-app purchasing options are available for Mac, PC, Web-based games, Kindle Fire and Android.
In a statement, Mike Frazzini, Director Amazon Games, said:
“We’ll continue to build services that make monetization easier and remove undifferentiated heavy lifting from developers. Game developers build games that are used across multiple platforms and mediums. In-App Purchasing for Mac, PC and Web-based games is our latest service that helps game developers grow their business and increase their customer-base. For years, Amazon has focused on making the online shopping experience as frictionless as possible, and we are excited to share this expertise and technology so that game developers can offer customers this same great experience.”
Extending in-app purchases means a new source of revenue for Amazon and another link to developer communities. As of now, The Amazon Digital Games Store has around 3,000 titles.
Just like the in-app purchasing that Amazon added to Android and Kindle Fire apps last year, users can use credit cards, Amazon gift cards or other Amazon credit cards to make in-game purchases on the newly added platforms.
This also makes a good deal for developers in terms of marketing. Amazon promises that the in-app items on games that incorporate Amazon’s IAP “can show up on best seller lists, recommendations and merchandising campaigns, helping customers discover new games and items.”