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The second is the realisation that players will happily pay real money for virtual goods.
第二，玩家將更愿意為虛擬商品支付真實資金。
These can be upgrades, costumes or weapons for their in-game characters,
虛擬商品可能是游戲內角色的升級、皮膚或武器，
or (more cynically) a lottery-style “loot box” whose contents are unknown in advance, but might prove valuable enough to resell to other players.
或者（更諷刺的是）彩票式的“戰利品箱”，其內容事先未知，但可能證明其價值足以轉售給其他玩家。
Since the marginal cost of creating virtual items is zero, they are very profitable for developers.
由于創建虛擬項目的邊際成本為零，因此對開發人員來說是非常有利可圖的。
That has given rise to a “freemium” business model, of which Tencent was a pioneer, whereby games are given away cheaply or free but players are constantly nagged to spend money on in-game items.
這其中催生了一種“免費增值”的商業模式，騰訊就是先驅，游戲本身非常便宜甚至免費，但是玩家卻經常受營銷蠱惑把錢花在游戲內的虛擬物品上。
All this has been supercharged by smartphones, which mean people can keep playing—and paying—at all hours of the day.
這一切都由于智能手機的出現再次強化，意味著人們可以一直玩游戲，一天24小時都可以玩游戲。
The result is an unhealthy loop.
結果就是病態循環。
Firms strive to keep players hooked, because the more time they spend in a game, the more money they will spend on baubles within it.
游戲公司努力讓玩家上鉤，因為玩家在游戲上花的時間越多，在游戲里的小玩意兒上花的錢就越多。
Whizzy data analytics let developers tweak their products to do just that, using psychological tricks and nudges familiar from social-networking sites and the gambling industry.
開發者通過高技術數據分析，使用心理學技巧、社交網站常見的推廣以及博彩業，稍加改進游戲產品。
All this can be extremely lucrative.
所有這些都有利可圖。
Sensor Tower, an analysis firm, reckons that “Candy Crush Saga”, a popular game in the West, made $930m last year.
移動應用市場研究公司“感應塔”，預估西方流行游戲“糖果粉碎傳奇”（類似中國的消消樂）去年盈利9.3億美元。
The keenest gamers, known as “whales” (a term coined by casinos to describe high-rolling customers), can spend thousands of dollars a year.
最狂熱的玩家“鯨魚玩家”(賭場用來描述高收入顧客的術語)，一年可在游戲上花費數千美元。
Tencent is trying to placate the Chinese government.
騰訊試圖安撫政府。
It is expanding its age-verification scheme and limiting screen time for children.
所以正擴大其年齡認證計劃，限制未成年人登錄游戲時間。
Its counterparts in other countries should take note.
其他國家的游戲巨頭也應學習這一點。
This newspaper does not generally believe governments should tell adults how to spend their money.
本刊一般認為政府不應控制成年人消費方式。
But the industry could do more to protect children and addicts from its increasingly sophisticated products.
但游戲產品日益多樣化，游戲行業應在保護兒童和游戲成癮者不失控方面有所作為。
It is in its own long-term interests to do so.
這種做法也是考慮到游戲公司的長遠利益。
Video games now rival the film industry for clout.
如今，電子游戲與電影行業平分秋色。
Gaming is thought to be worth around $140bn annually worldwide, and is growing at 13% a year.
每年，世界范圍內游戲價值約1400億美元，并以每年13%的速度增長。
But society’s attitude towards technology is hardening.
但社會對待科技的態度卻越來越嚴苛。
In a world of fake news and hyper-targeted advertising, voters and politicians have awoken to the danger that devices and data may be manipulating people in harmful ways.
在充滿虛假信息和超精準推送的世界，設備和數據可能會以有害的方式操控人，選民和政客已清醒意識到這種危險。
A little voluntary forbearance now could save a lot of regulatory pain later.
現在一點自主克制可省去之后許多監管痛苦。
譯文由可可原創，僅供學習交流使用，未經許可請勿轉載。
