MGSV Pay to Win – are Microtransactions in Full Price Games Ever OK?

In this weeks Gamers of the Lost Spark Podcast : Another great game drops and with it comes great controversy as the Spark’s discuss the news of microtransactions lurking within the most eagerly awaited title of the moment – Metal Gear Solid – The Phantom Pain. We suspected already but have Konami officially revealed that they are MGSV’s real Evil Boss? Antony and Darren debate if this can ever be acceptable and at what point have these cash siphoning (allegedly optional) transactions crossed the line to intrude upon the players enjoyment.

Questions are also asked regarding using the RockBand 4 legacy adapter to use 360 controllers on the Xbox One, a disk-less Nintendo NX being a good thing and Just how much time have we Wasted on Destiny.

[Kalebninja]

I like microtransactions but I feel it should be limited and companies should have a balance between free and paid.

[Satyre28]

Excuse me.. you LIKE microtransactions? Whaaa?

[rdgneoz3]

Hey, don't judge. Some people are masochists and like being bent over by for more money (on top of the $60+ they already spent) on the game for content that's already in the game and locked behind a paywall.

As for MGS, hopefully they don't gimp the FOB with the micro-transactions.

[Kalebninja]

I don't like pay to win but i do like extra content, whether its paid for or free.

[DafunkyRebel]

You should have a chat with all the sports gamers who shell out tons of money to get credits and players in their games. Like Madden, Fifa, or MLB

[ThunderPulse]

I bet EA paid him with a free microtransaction to say that.

[Sir_Simba]

https://media.giphy.com/med...

Microtransactions are put there for a reason.

[s45gr32]

Yes, greedy reasons. Microtransanctions should not be on $60.00 plus tax games period.

[Sir_Simba]

@s45gr3

I think I'm saying the samething as you.

[s45gr32]

How is microtransanctions ok with $60.00 plus tax games . I am dying to know since free to play games are a cancer to gaming.

[TheWackyMan]

No. Why is that even a question?

[ryuuzakibjorn]

Because games are stupidly expensive to make and unless you want to pay more for the games - Then it's a small compromise to keeping games the price they are. Even though development costs + inflation = Games that we should be paying more for but we're not.

[TheWackyMan]

Games do cost a lot, but they usually spend just as much or more marketing the game.

[The_KELRaTH]

As with all things it depends on the effect, you dont want microtransactions in multiplayer games where it can have an effect on the outcome of a match.

Also worth remembering that current gen console players are paying quite a bit more compared to playing the same game on the previous gen consoles.

[s45gr32]

So why are PC games cheaper than console games. I just bought Mortal Kombat X for $8.00 via g2a. Not only that how is it possible that Amazon is allowed to sell Console Games dirt cheap like say Witcher 3 for $30.00. No the only reason why console games are expensive is one console gamers allow it, two retailers don't compete with one another. Finally console games should be cheaper if sold online.

[Lord_Sloth]

Unless they're giving out insta-kill rapid fire guns with auto-headshot or curving bullets or armor twice as strong as what I have then idc. I'm not buying any of it anyways.

If it's costumes it's fine with me.

[chrisx]

Microtransactions are total BS and I will never support it ever

[KryptoniteTail]

100% unacceptable. No exceptions.

[Tankbusta40]

I hate when they are used to subvert a grind...cosmetic things are fine...but when they are used to take hours away from gameplay thats just wrong...because you know the grind was made for the micro transactions

[aquaticDonut]

Nope.

[Summons75]

No but when they put them in and it's completely option and you don't have to pay a single cent if you are planning to put in the 40/50 hours to unlock everything then there is also no reason to complain. For the case of MGSV they were only put in because unlike you who has an infinite amount of time to put into the game, there are people who don't but would like to play the game and take part in FOB battles so it's there to give them a boost to keep up with you the person who has 50 hours of spare time in the week when they maybe have 4 hours for the week. It's called balancing so people aren't turned off of the game.

Generally I don't like microtransactions 99.9% of the time they are typically more damaging then they are helpful but they can be used tastefully like in MGSV. COD has microtransactions in their last couple entries....things that give players HUGE advantages in multiplayer, that is bad, but it's COD so no one complains about it there.

[SuperRaccoon]

So they are doing us a favor by charging us for content that could simply be unlocked with a cheat code? Great, putting in those codes is too grueling, I'm glad they are taking us into consideration.

[Summons75]

True, but if you haven't noticed most games particularly major games haven't had cheat codes in over 10 years...

[ShaunCameron]

@ Summons75

Cheat codes are largely pointless now due to how easy the games have gotten to beat.

[s45gr32]

Microtransanctions should not be in $60.00 plus tax games period

[SuperRaccoon]

Also true, but why can't we go back? While I'm mostly ok with the model (because in some cases it is accompanied by unnecessary grinding, Mortal Kombat X), it is the fact that they make it sound like they are doing us a favor that bothers me. If they cared about the players not having time to go through the game then I'm sure they could find a way to solve the problem without including microtransactions.

At least MGS will be good enough to offset the inclusion of microtransactions. I'm still salty about MKX, though.

[secretcode]

Depends. I'm fine with cosmetic stuff that would most likely not exist otherwise. There will always be those that completely ruin something that could have been just fine otherwise.

[s45gr32]

No microtransanctions should not be in $60.00 games due to the game developer has already made profit. Second, the only reason why SOME gamers are ok with microtransanctions on $60.00 games is because we are talking about the most popular, famous, highly rated, etc type of games. For example Gran Turismo 6, Forza Horizon, Dead Space 3,etc. Not new ips or unknown ips.....

[MasterD919]

Just another tier to make money off of gamers.

[ShaunCameron]

Well, developers and publishers gotta make back their money somehow some many gamers are not willing to pay more upfront.

[Tdmd]

If it's cosmetic, I don't really care that much, but if it's not, it's bs.

[Ristul]

Remember Fable 3, you could basically select outfits and dye them, then they charged you to use the color black.

What was once free we now have to pay for, things that was free before and cost next to nothing for developers to ad to the game. Yeah, microtransactions are bullshit.

[EDKICK]

No. I don't care for cosmetic DLC or smaller 4.99 or so DLC packs. But the microtransactions in recent games like AC Unity, Mortal Kombat are absurd. Bad DLC has been a big topic recently but thankfully more and more developers are also figuring out how to do good DLC. Good DLC is good even if it's just cosmetic stuff if it's consumer friendly it's good, it's good to support our favorite game our favorite developers I think most people like to do that. I had absolutely no problem buying DLC for Dishonored because it was 2 reasonably priced, well made story packs and because I wanted to support the game, developer and publisher. Yes games are expensive and developers need to make money but they can do it without holding us up against a wall and shaking us down then getting surprised when we don't like them.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

I would rather have free cheats codes.......