Free, it turns out, can be a great business.
When Shigenori Suzuki played video games in high school, he spent a few hundred dollars a year on titles like "Final Fantasy." Now the 42-year-old Tokyoite plays free games including Sony Corp.'s "Fate/Grand Order" — but spends more overall. He forks over thousands of dollars a year for in-game extras like rare characters and special outfits.
Players like Suzuki have transformed the video game industry in recent years, giving companies from Sony to Electronic Arts Inc. new ways to profit without charging upfront. Companies give away games, then sell digital goods and services through so-called microtransactions. Since smartphone game developers demonstrated the technique's profitability, publishers have been applying similar approaches to console and PC titles like "FIFA" and "Grand Theft Auto."