Monetization · mobile games
Limited-time offer
An offer that disappears after a set time, shown with a countdown to push a decision now rather than later.
Also called: timed offer, countdown timer, flash sale, fomo timer, time limited offer
A limited-time offer pairs a discount or a bundle with a clock. When the timer ends, the offer is gone or replaced. The deadline is the whole point: it turns maybe later into now or not at all.
Offers usually fall into two kinds. Event offers run on a calendar that every player shares. Personal offers start for one player after a trigger, such as running out of currency or finishing a level, and last a short window.
A deadline adds urgency, but only while it is real. Once players learn that a timer resets, it stops meaning anything.
In mobile games
On mobile, countdowns usually sit on a pop-up after a win, a loss or the start of a session, and again on a banner on the home screen or in the shop that keeps counting while the player does something else.
What to watch for
- False urgency. The FTC's 2022 staff report on dark patterns describes countdown timers on offers that are not really time-limited as a deceptive design. Rules differ by country, so check where you sell.
- Stacking pressure. A timer, a pop-up and a one-time label on the same screen is a lot at once. Test whether it improves purchases or only makes players close the pop-up faster.
