This lecture will illustrate the evolution of different revenue models in the games industry over the past 30 years, explain their various underlying principles, and show how each of them has intimately influenced game design.

So far, five dominant revenue models have characterized the interactive entertainment industry. They are Arcade, Retail, Subscription, Digital Download and Virtual Goods. In this lecture, Joost Van Dreunen will argue that each of these has had a profound effect on game design and the industry's ability to grow, even when other entertainment sectors did not. By looking through this unique historical lens, we will come to better understand the relationship between innovative game design and sound business practice, and its implications for the current generation of industry professionals.