Valve could be introducing a dynamic payment model for DOTA 2

A lot has been discussed on the payment policy that Valve will follow on DOTA 2 and many has been speculated. Gabe Newell comes to deny all the rumors and explain the innovating dynamic payment model they will implement. In particular Valve's Managing Director said that the models currently used by most companies on (retail price / subscriptions / micro-transactions) are all "broken"! He went on explaining that [Valve] they are looking into a new more dynamic payment model based on customers participation in the community.

In a lengthy interview with Develop, Newell said: "The industry has this broken model, which is one price for everyone. That's actually a bug, and it's something that we want to solve through our philosophy of how we create entertainment products."

Rather than pricing a product based purely on what that product is worth, Newell talks about pricing a product based on what the customer is worth to the community as well. "Some people, when they join a server, a ton of people will run with them," Newell continued. "Other people, when they join a server, will cause others to leave."

"So, in practice, a really likable person in our community should get DOTA 2 for free, because of past behavior in Team Fortress 2" Newell added. "Now, a real jerk that annoys everyone, they can still play, but a game is full price and they have to pay an extra hundred dollars if they want voice."

Newell also talked about how Valve is already charging high-value customers "negative" amounts, such as those that were paid royalties for creating Team Fortress 2 items. "Their cost for Team Fortress 2 is negative $20,000 per week," he said. "You're never going to see that in a retail store ... It's people who make hats get paid. People who are really popular play for less, or free."

This could very well be a big step towards having a healthier, more mature and friendly community for DOTA 2. We all know how the genre suffers from one of the worst online gaming communities and I am not surprised to see it is Valve's, and personally Newell's, intention to purge it and keep it clean – as they have always done with their gaming communities.

What is a bit unclear for me is whether this evaluation of customers can happen for all of the fans intending to buy the game; meaning that if they are members of a Valve gaming community then they can be "evaluated" but what if they haven't had any kind of relation with any Valve game? How are they going to assess their contribution to the community?

In any case, it is a very interesting move on behalf of Valve and one that shows their devotion, understanding and respect to what matters the most, the gaming community. Having said that, I am sure that if Valve has delved so deep into – attempting – to solve such a huge community issue, then there is no question as to how well they will have thought and tackled the in-game issues of the game. Once more great news from Valve!

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