Global video game commerce company Xsolla has announced a collaboration with Mastercard to improve the payments experience for gamers. The press release details that the two companies plan on powering frictionless, secure, and rewarding payments for the gaming community, ranging from improved checkout experiences leveraging credit card loyalty points to simple in-game currency gifting, and better creator processes, amongst others.

The partnership is set to combine Mastercard’s technology, network-level expertise, global scale, and connections with Xsolla’s platform for the creation of customisable and increasingly accessible payment experiences for players, developers, and creators alike. Payments within the gaming industry and what the partnership entails Based on announcement information, mobile devices have been propelling gaming growth within all demographics and regions, with almost 3. 2 billion people (approximately half the world’s population) having been estimated to play games in 2022.

Despite this, digital commerce experiences that power developer’s innovation within gaming have not kept up with the growth, with over 40% of consumers needing help when buying in-game currency, and more than 30% saying it takes too many steps to carry out online gaming purchases. Additionally, almost 30% state that the gifting process could be more efficient. Having this knowledge as their basis, Mastercard and Xsolla will collaborate to enable innovative card and account-based solutions and services, looking to improve digital experiences for gamers in payments and beyond.

As part of this partnership, Mastercard cardholders will have the option to use Pay with Points to redeem loyalty points for in-game purchases in a simplified manner, with the solution set to be integrated into Xsolla’s Pay Station product. Additionally, players will also have the option to gift in-game currency to friends and family. The goal of this partnership is that of solving challenges within the gaming industry and prioritising consumer protections, including Mastercard’s authentication and fraud detection capabilities to offer parents control prior to their child carrying out an in-game purchase.

Mastercard representatives stated in the announcement that the enterprise is a ‘strong supporter’ of the gaming community, and they believe the partnership with Xsolla to enable cardholders to ‘tap into their passions’ and to help shape the future of commerce within the gaming industry. They also added that due to the fact that mobile devices increase accessibility for video games, a digital experience that is rewarding is believed to be essential for fostering a loyal gaming community and building a payments ecosystem that offers choice across platforms and dimensions. Xsolla officials added that the partnership is testimony towards their commitment to innovating so as to benefit developers and players, and they believe that by combining their payments solution with Mastercard’s loyalty capabilities, cyber solutions, and card and account-based payments technology, they can create both avenues for revenue creation, as well as increased lifetime value for developers.

As per press release information, players will have the option of redeeming loyalty points from Mastercard’s participating partners for in-game purchases later in 2023. For more information about Mastercard, please check out their detailed profile in our dedicated, industry-specific Company Database. .