Microtransactions have been around since the advent of gaming itself, but the mechanic has evolved a lot to reach its present-day stage.
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With The Elder Scrolls 6 still far into the future fans have been taking matters into their own hands with projects like Skyblivion.
Let me re-introduce you to the scum of our industry.
Activision Blizzard
EA
Bethesda (you started it you son of a...)
Thanks, Bethesda! How fitting that you jumped into bed with the company that brought to us 'paying to play with friends', despite already paying the internet service providers. Awesome contributions, now standardised across this wonderful industry.
The rise of "DLC" started when Microsoft wanted to maximize profits by charging for online and allowing companies to sell crap like horse armor on the console space.
If it wasn't for Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony wouldn't be charging for online play and neither Sony nor Nintendo was putting any kind of "DLC" in their games until market pressure forced it upon them.
So thanks Microsoft from the beginning you have made console gaming worse.
Horse Armour - "Ahh don't worry it's just silly armour, don't like it don't buy it, you've got nothing to worry about"
Loot Boxes - "Ahh don't worry, if you don't like them you don't have to buy them, you've got nothing to worry about"
Microtransactions - "Ahh don't worry it's just an optional thing, don't like it don't buy it, you've got nothing to worry about"
GaaS Games - "Ahh don't worry, clearly the game isn't for you, don't like it don't buy it, there's other games out there you've got nothing to worry about"
And everytime it gets worse the same people will say
"How did this happen, we should have done something"
M$.