Why I Have a Problem with Microtransactions and You Should Too

BY PHANTOM: Why should someone who has worked hard and grinded day in, day out to build up enough resources to gain quick repairs, be in the same game world as people who have purchased the kits with real-world money instantaneously?

[Hardiman]

One of the most well thought out and factual article I've read on micro transactions. I've hated the practice because to me it's just wrong unless it's a F2P title.

What gets me is the ones who say "if you don't like it don't buy it" well I don't but enough do, more than enough and it's really conditioning a generation to just accept it as "this is normal."

That's why I rally to those companies that still deliver solid FULL games. Games that are not only incredible to experience but are of some of the best quality. On the flip side that's why Im so anti certain companies. They want to deliver games that seem so sterile and cut content to sell to customers in the game stores.

I lump the GAAS, loot boxes and micotransactions into the same pile because they all exist together in one form or another.

The devs who came from the mobile game model really played s hand in getting the attention of the suits.

[TekoIie]

"I lump the GAAS, loot boxes and micotransactions into the same pile because they all exist together in one form or another."

I would disagree slightly there. GaaS model does not require loot boxes or MT's to work and a few good examples off the top of my head would be Total War: Warhammer 2 and Total War: Rome 2. TW:R2 was at launch considered to be one of the worst TW games of all time but because of mod support, updates and we'll timed free and paid content releases it has a strong community and is now a highly recommended game.

TW:W2 is the opposite at launch and is maybe the best TW game of all time and treats it's previous instalment as an expansion in a way (basically if you own the previous game it merges the maps to a degree). Like Rome 2 it's recieved great mod support, lots of updates along with free and paid content.

GaaS by itself isn't bad and in some ways I dislike lumping it altogether with MT's and
Loot boxes. I agree that many of the games that make use of the service have something questionable mixed into the model but the obvious answer there is stop supporting those games. You can in some ways see RE2 and DMC5 making use of the model too.

[Hardiman]

Doesn't require them and I get what you are saying but but I'd argue it's fertile ground for them. That's what loot boxes/micro transactions are about. Extending profits. Monthly subs are the same thing. Cheaper games to create but games that maximize profits. It doesn't take much imagination to see where this leads and why some companies push for subscriptions!

The same massive corps that all too often push micro transactions want the industry to be subscriptions based. Let's just say they come from the same mindset.

You are correct in that GAAS isn't bad in and of itself but again I don't see games like GOW, Spider-Man, HZD, Red Dead 2, Uncharted, Sekiro, TLOU, Zelda and any of the other high quality SP games existing if it's just GAAS. No I see games like Fallout 76, Anthem, State of Decay, Sea of Theives, Fortnite etc.

[TekoIie]

"You are correct in that GAAS isn't bad in and of itself but again I don't see games like GOW, Spider-Man, HZD, Red Dead 2, Uncharted, Sekiro, TLOU, Zelda and any of the other high quality SP games existing if it's just GAAS. No I see games like Fallout 76, Anthem, State of Decay, Sea of Theives, Fortnite etc."

Your list is actually very interesting because some of those SP games can actually be seen as using the GaaS model or at the very least portions of it in the eyes of some. To my knowledge Spider-Man, TLoU, Uncharted 3+4 and Zelda all had a season pass which can very easily be considered as something that comes under GaaS in that it creates an additional revenue stream beyond the inital purchase.

A lot of the DLC for games like Uncharted 3 and The Last of Us can very easily be categorized as Micro-transactions. Cosmetics definitely come under the MT umbrella so why are these games exempt from the criticism but not others? And are these games exempt from the term but not the others you listed? Also why would you rather not see games like Dota 2, Splatoon 2, Halo 3, Diablo 3, Apex Legends etc.? Point being there are many top tier games that are using the GaaS model and many top tier SP games doing the exact same.

[UltraNova]

This logic can be applied to the recent upheaval about an easy mode in Sekiro. Guy A, spends X amount of time grinding it out until he/she finally overcomes the difficulty and "gits gud". Guy, spends 1/3 of the time beating the game without breaking a sweat because of an easy mode( analogy: paid progression in online games). Both brag about beating the game. You get the rest...

[BlackIceJoe]

Microtransactions are the worst thing that has happened to video games this generation and because of them now games are being designed with them in mind.

[CrimsonWing69]

Here’s the thing, until people stop buying them they will always exist. It’s a market and a multi-billion dollar one at that.

If people didn’t buy them then publishers wouldn’t waste their time on them.

[UltraNova]

If they didn't add them people wouldn't buy them and get addicted to them. There is always two sides on a coin.

[CrimsonWing69]

But my point is that people feed it. People need to learn some self-control. It'd be like if people start getting pissed at publishers because people are addicted to video games or getting mad at card makers because people waste their money on collecting cards.

[rpvenom]

@Crimonswing69

This is the same concept of a casino.. do you think that casino's benefit people in general? No.. majority of people go there to lose money.. if they didn't exist.. or people didn't have access to it.. then we'd be better off.. but the reality is some can control or afford to lose the money.. while most cant.. and most cant even control that addiction or desire to gamble.. it's because of greed that people are willing to ruin other's lives to make a profit.. dont get me wrong.. i go to the casino's sometime just to hang out with my friends and maybe spend $100.. but i have some self control.. most people dont.

off topic but i see both casino's and microtransactions as a way of corporations to take advantage of consumers stupidity

[Lord_Sloth]

So long as they're just cosmetic or can be obtained for free in game idc.

[Kumakai]

no one loves micro transactions, but until you're ready to pay more than a base $60 for a game, youre going to have them. whether you like it or not or want to believe it or not, games are exponentially more expensive to make now, require way more people and the cost of games when adjusted for inflation has either stayed flat or gone down. when adjusted for inlfation, the original super mario bros game cost $87.

if you're one of those ppl that says "yah but games don't have to be big expensive things" i'll refer you to the comment section of any N4G article where people constantly compare graphics, textures, frame rates, resolutions, exclusives, exclusive content, what games launch with too little content, what games look like shitty last gen games, who gets more of what, and all the other things in a big huge list of nit picks. THAT's why games are expensive.

[AK91]

Where have you been the last couple of years? PLENTY of people have a problem with GaaS.