There are arguments why casual games fit the browser-based platform quite well... no explicit download/install process being the main one, as well as cross-platform functionality and being able to play on any PC. But is it feasible to use a similar model with browser-based games, even single-player ones. as with normal download games... e.g you actually sell the game for $10? It seems slightly weird, and I imagine piracy of such games would be very easy... but is that a factor? Do casual gamers go looking for cracked versions of games? For an online game, MMO or otherwise, payment or subscription seem quite natural since you have to login to play. But what about single-player games? Is it viable to treat the browser as simply a way to avoid installation?

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Original post by JDXSolutions Ltd But is it feasible to use a similar model with browser-based games, even single-player ones. as with normal download games... e.g you actually sell the game for $10?

You mean like Fantastic Contraption? The game is free to play, but you get some additional features including the ability to load the large repository of player-created levels for a small (I seem to remember $10) cost. Essentially you're actually paying for an account rather than a copy of the game, but it otherwise very closely resembles the traditional shareware model of trying to upsell you a fancier version of the game.

I'm sure there are other examples out there; I've no idea how viable they are but would guess that as with most of the shareware out there the vast majority are probably dismal failures and only the best examples would actually turn a decent profit.