In-game purchases explained: currencies, subscriptions and chance
Games sell things in a handful of recognisable ways. Once you can name the model in front of you, it becomes much easier to work out what you are paying, in Australian dollars, and what you are getting for it.
The main purchase models compared
| Model | What you pay for | Do you know what you get? | Does it expire? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct purchase | A named item, character or expansion | Yes | Usually not, while the account exists |
| Premium currency | Units of a currency, spent later | Only once you spend it | Rarely, but it can only be used in that game |
| Premium account | A period of improved progress or rewards | Yes, for the stated period | Yes, at the end of the period |
| Battle pass | Access to a reward track for one season | Yes, if you play enough to reach them | Yes, at season end |
| Loot box or container | A chance at one of several items | No | The box may not; the chance is spent when opened |
| Downloadable content (DLC) and expansions | Additional content for the game | Yes | Usually not |
Many games combine several of these. A shop might sell premium currency, which buys a battle pass, which contains containers with randomised contents. Each layer makes the real cost a little harder to see, which is why it helps to take them apart.
Working out the real price in AUD
When an item is priced in an in-game currency, its cost in dollars depends on the bundle you bought the currency in. Larger bundles often give more units per dollar. The steps below give a figure you can compare with anything else you might spend the money on.
Worked example, with illustrative figures
A game sells 1,000 units of its currency for A$15.00, and 2,500 units for A$32.00. An item costs 1,200 units.
- Cost per unit in the small bundle: 15.00 ÷ 1,000 = A$0.015.
- Cost per unit in the large bundle: 32.00 ÷ 2,500 = A$0.0128.
- The item needs 1,200 units, more than the small bundle holds. You would have to buy the large bundle, or two small ones.
- Large bundle: you pay A$32.00, the item uses 1,200 units, and 1,300 units are left in the game.
- Two small bundles: you pay A$30.00, the item uses 1,200 units, and 800 units are left.
The item's "price" is roughly A$15 to A$18 depending on how you count, but the amount leaving your bank account is A$30 or A$32. Both figures are worth knowing before you buy.
These figures are invented to show the arithmetic and do not describe any real game. Real prices vary, change with promotions and may differ between storefronts.
Chance-based purchases
A loot box, container, crate or pack is any purchase where the item you receive is decided at random. Some games publish the odds of each outcome; others do not. Even when odds are published, a low chance multiplied across many attempts can add up quickly.
Chance-based items that can be bought with real money are treated seriously in Australian classification. The Australian Classification Board is the authoritative source on how in-game purchases and simulated gambling affect a game's rating, and the consumer advice on a classification will note in-game purchases where relevant. We do not paraphrase the classification rules here because they can change; check the Board's website for the current position.
This site never presents a game that sells randomised items for real money, or that simulates gambling, as suitable for children. If a game in your household has those features, the classification and your own settings should guide who plays it.
A question worth asking
Instead of asking "what are my chances of getting the item?", ask "how much am I willing to spend if I never get it?" Decide that figure before opening anything, and stop when you reach it.
Subscriptions and renewals
Time-limited purchases such as premium accounts may be sold either as a one-off period or as a subscription that renews automatically. The difference matters: a one-off period simply ends, while a renewing subscription keeps charging until you cancel it. Before you buy, check which kind it is, where it can be cancelled, and whether cancelling ends access immediately or at the end of the current period. Set a calendar reminder a few days before any renewal date.
Setting spending limits you control
The most reliable limits are the ones outside the game, because you control them.
- Remove saved card details from the game, launcher and storefront, so each purchase needs a deliberate step.
- Use a prepaid gift card for a storefront if you want a hard ceiling on spending.
- Turn on purchase approval in the family settings of the operating system, launcher or storefront for children's accounts.
- Check whether your bank lets you block or limit transactions with particular merchants, or set spending alerts.
- Keep receipts. They help with refunds, disputes and proving account ownership.
For families, the eSafety Commissioner provides guidance for parents and carers about online gaming, including in-game spending.
When a purchase goes wrong
Buying a virtual item is still buying something from a business. If an item you paid for never arrives, does not work, or is materially different from its description, the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law may apply. The ACCC is the national regulator for those guarantees. Change of mind is a different matter; refunds for that depend on the seller's own policy.
Our guide to digital games and consumer rights sets out how to raise a problem with a seller and what to do if that does not work.
An unauthorised purchase, such as a child buying something without permission, is usually handled first through the platform's own refund process and then, if needed, through your card provider. Act quickly; many platforms have short time limits for refund requests.
Design features to notice
Some shop designs make spending feel more urgent than it is. They are not unlawful as a category, but they are worth recognising so you can make decisions at your own pace.
- Timed offers that disappear after a countdown. The same or similar items often return.
- Bundle sizes that never match item prices, leaving a leftover balance.
- Daily login rewards that encourage play on a schedule.
- Prices shown only in currency, with no dollar figure next to them.
Noticing a design feature does not mean you should never buy anything. It means you buy because you decided to, not because a timer was running.
Common questions
If I stop playing, can I get a refund for unused currency?
Usually not for change of mind, but check the game's terms and the storefront's refund policy. Consumer guarantees are about faults and misdescription, not unused balances.
Are cosmetic items different from items that affect play?
For your spending decision, yes: cosmetic items change appearance only. For classification and consumer law, what matters is how the item is sold, not just what it does.
Do gift cards protect against overspending?
They set a firm limit, because nothing beyond the card's balance can be spent. Buy them only from the storefront or established retailers; scammers sometimes ask for payment in gift cards, which is a warning sign in itself.