Game Studios Shift to Direct Sales to Bypass App Stores
遊戲工作室轉向直接銷售以繞過應用程式商店
In recent years, the mobile gaming industry has witnessed a major shift as studios increasingly move toward Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) web stores.
近年來，行動遊戲產業經歷了重大轉變，遊戲工作室越來越傾向建立「直接面對消費者」(D2C)的網頁商店。
Traditionally, game developers rely on mobile giants like Apple and Google, who charge significant transaction fees—often taking 30% of all in-app purchases.
傳統上，遊戲開發者高度依賴蘋果(Apple)和谷歌(Google)等行動領域巨頭，這些平台會收取高額交易手續費，通常佔據應用程式內所有購買金額的30%。
This "app store tax" limits the profit margins developers can use for reinvestment, especially as the cost of acquiring new players rises.
這種「應用商店稅」限制了開發者可用於再投資的利潤空間，尤其在獲取新玩家的成本日益攀升的情況下更是如此。
By launching their own web-based shops, developers can retain up to 95% of their revenue.
透過開設自有的網頁商店，開發者最多可保留95%的營收。
This change is partly driven by legal battles, such as the Epic Games versus Apple case, and new regulations like the European Union’s Digital Markets Act.
這項改變部分歸因於法律爭訟，如「Epic Games 對決 Apple」一案，以及歐盟(European Union)《數位市場法》(Digital Markets Act)等新法規的推動。
To convince players to use these external sites instead of the convenient one-tap in-app purchase, studios offer incentives like exclusive discounts and bonus virtual currency.
為了說服玩家捨棄便利的「一鍵式」內購，轉而使用這些外部網站，工作室提供了專屬折扣與紅利虛擬貨幣等誘因。
Companies like Xsolla provide the infrastructure for these stores, handling global payments and taxes.
像 Xsolla 這樣的公司則為這些商店提供基礎架構，處理全球支付與稅務事宜。
By "owning" the customer relationship, developers are moving toward a more resilient, multi-channel business model that secures their future in a highly competitive digital landscape.
透過「掌控」顧客關係，開發者正朝向更具韌性的多通路商業模式邁進，以確保他們在競爭激烈的數位環境中立足。
