Microtransacton Mania

So I never thought I'd breakdown and pay for a spiffy suit for my robot and a fun emote, but here I am confessing to you my sins. Being an original Killing Floor fan and having recently bought a PS4, I've been all about KF2. I love my new armor. It was $2.50 for a key to unlock a crate. No regrets.

Have you ever used a microtransaction? Do you happily use them now? Or do you scoff at the practices of gaming today?

1000 bucks for gacha rolls in Fire Emblem mobile game.

I did a few times when I was addicted to fallout shelter for a week. Thankfully I got over that fast.

I remember when I was playing Fallout new vegas, I felt like I was struggling at the start a bit so I purchased a bit of stuff to help me out. But I'm not sure if it was technically microtransactions.

But I generally avoid cosmetic micros like the plague.

No never, I've used mods or trainers to get resources that you could buy with micros but that's only if resources collecting became tiresome. Online I still haven't and never will.

Yes.

Do you happily use them now? Or do you scoff at the practices of gaming today?

So here is the difference, many games give all kinds of DLC. If I find value in the product I purchased and interested in a purchase cosmetic? I may put forward the small funds towards a game that has already given me so much. To me it's like when super or special editions come out, it adds just a little something extra. Take example of (Divinity: Original Sin II) with the squirrel companion.

However; if we look at a terrible company (EA) and a garbage game (Anthem) that dared to be full retail price. Then them adding micro transactions comes across as an insult, not just because of the volume, but because they tricked a lot of simple-minded Gamers with a heavily flawed and wronged product. Not only that but if games are full retail price have an entire model build around micro transactions; while being an unfinished, bad, "early access" game? Well we have a problem.

Meanwhile that totally finished and awesome game I mentioned in the first paragraph also gives free DLC and continues to do so throughout 2019. Which is much what Capcom does with Monster Hunter.

I think the real thing with micro transactions is where do you draw the line/ and are you foolish enough to support a trash company like EA?

@RSM-HQ: Good answer. I love what Tripwire Interactive does, so I have no problem with them taking my money. The bigger developers maybe not so much.

I paid for a character boost in WoW. Not a very micro transaction though.

If it's a cosmetic item and you know exactly what you are buying, then I have no particular issue with it. If it buys you an advantage in the game or it's a random crate, then it's a cancer on the gaming industry and I think people should revolt against it.

Nope and never will.

If i go out and buy a drink (alcohol) just because I'm socializing or whatever, that can cost anywhere from $6 to $18 to even more than that. I mean, it's fairly typical if I get wine that a glass can cost almost as much as a bottle at the state store, but we get it anyway. Because it's in the moment, it's fun...no real nutritional value or purpose. And I'm just going to piss it out in a few hours. At least that cosmetic will be with me for the many hours I'm playing that game, making it a bit more fun.

I've never seen the issue with this sort of thing and I think it's mostly the whining of people who don't have the money to spend but really want the item. A lot of games that do this are free to play or use it to sustain content offerings, so I'm happy to chip in a few dollars to a game I like. We can argue the price (some games are way too expensive with their cosmetics) and certainly the fairness of random lootboxes, but the general practice is fine and gives a way for those of us who really like a game to show how much we like and continue to support it. Pricing models like this have allowed games with smaller populations who love those games very much to keep those games going despite the lack of mainstream appeal...and it's nice, because it means my own gaming habits aren't as vulnerable to the majority, who often like games and game design that I do not.

Bought some keys for CSGO and TF2 but the randomness just made it feel like gambling for fake prizes. Wouldn't mind paying for cosmetics if they weren't so expensive. Like 10-20 quid for one outfit. That could buy a whole DLC or two just a few years ago.

I agree, it's only bad if money poorly spent. And while can be a narrow line is very visible if the customer checks sources and doesn't fall in drift into denial.

Some AAA Publishers do it right but certainly not EA. They don't even sell the product they promote, making them liars. As well as con-men.

I don't have any issue of microtransactions are limited solely to cosmetic items, but I do find it sort of disgusting. I will say, however, that I have issues with anything that has a practical effect on the game, doubly so if it's multiplayer.

XP boosters and gear packs in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey don't really bug me because I don't need them to play the game, but it's a slippery slope; what if without the XP booster, the level was a laborious grind? What if, despite being filled with hundreds of types of armor and weapons, you were limited to one outfit the entire time unless you paid extra?

Sometimes you have to object to the practice before it happens, not after.

*I also find the whole gambling-addiction mechanic a bit disturbing, too. Play for two hours, get a battle chest with cool loot. Hey that felt good. I think I'll play for four more hours! What?!?! Only one battle chest, not two? Hey what's this, I can get 10 battle chests for 20 dollars? And 20 for 35?!?!?!? oooooooooo just stick it in my veins!

Depends on how exactly a microtransaction is defined. I think the closest things I've bought to microtransactions are those weapons pack DLC things in Fallout: New Vegas and an unlock key for collectibles in LittleBigPlanet Karting. I think the first purchase was somewhat okay, not that I would normally pay for weapons and whatnot. But I played the game a lot and some of the items, particularly the water canteen on Hardcore, was quite helpful. LittleBigPlanet Karting... idk, it was a cheap thing to do but I was going after the platinum and couldn't be assed to actually spend the time to get all the collectibles. So I just spent the $5-10 to save me the trouble. No real regrets, it's just not a purchase I tell anyone about except for right now lol.

By definition it's file(s) within the kilobytes, some slightly leaning to megabytes territory. Usually a unlock data 'key', or just small added string of files.

If the weapons in Fallout are completely remodelled, I would image they are leaning more as MB files, though if they're just overlay skins to pre existing weapons? KB micro transactions.

@mrbojangles25:

Sometimes you have to object to the practice before it happens, not after.

But you also have to be careful of people who say things like "i'm going to take this away before someone abuses it!" Games have already crossed those lines you mention in some cases. For XP, pretty sure that's what killed Archeage (if you want the whole story, pretty sure Death of a Game on YT covered it in detail). And there's your answer. This is just videogames. As long as the transaction is clear, and competition can fairly exist, let the market sort it out.

Cosmetics are fine. I generally only buy them in games where I can build and maintain my own character (so, MMOs) as a way of further customization, but also a way of supporting a game I like. I much prefer this to sub fees and I'm all for encouraging a game I like to keep it up. I know in Path of Exile I just dumped $100 in the game store on nothing in particular just to show my support.

On the other hand, game companies have shown they can't be trusted with loot boxes. They have been given warnings, including today when the latest anti-loot box bill was introduced by Congress. We'll see where it goes. While i think the Senator is a bit misguided in his language (over focused on "the kids"), his overall ideas seem to be okay. Loot boxes are basically slot machines with no oversight, no posted odds, etc. Some kind of regulation needs to happen. I don't like them, but then you won't catch me at the slots, either. I don't think they should be gone, just treated like the gambling they are.

I hate game where you have to grind for hours and you still don't collect enough shit but then they sell you the shit you need for real money. Which is a little bit the case of MK11. At least they don't put the store in your face all the time.

So yeah so far I bought some DLC but never skin or weapon for whatever.

So I bought level and caracters but nothing else.

Fortnite : Multiple battle passes for both me and my son. Multiple 30 bucks skins pack for him as well.

Warframe : about 300 bucks worth of fashion frame stupidity.

That's about it. If i like the game and i play it on a semi to regular basis, i will throw a few bucks their way in appreciation, every once in a while.

Not a huge fan of Fortnite, but i get to play it with my son. This alone makes it worth playing.

I’ve never purchased micro transactions and I don’t think that I ever will. I just can’t bring myself to purchase them, even in free to play games.

No. Never have, never will. I detest the existence of it, and those who purchase it. You buy fucking colors. In a videogame. For real money. Developers are lucky gamers are stupid as hell.

I like your passion but seems a bit transparent.

Not all micro transactions are color swaps. Though I do agree they're some of the worst that I would not tolerate, along with weapon skins.

Would state in-game currency that can be naturally earned, and lootboxes are just a little bit worse though. Seeing as they're RNG and force games to have a P2W model; which is ok if the game is F2P but in a full retail? "No"

I personally don't mind buying the likes of extra NPCs, and gestures in my favorite games. So long as they're reasonably priced. The squirrel in Divinity: Original Sin II made an extra playthrough drastically 'different' to say the least.

I have been tempted to micro-transact only twice.

I bought all the adventures at Hearthstone and bought raw materials in some shitty mobile game.

In total, I spent maybe $ 50, but I did not feel good about it anyway.

Ehh. that was a great game

I have a lot of disposable income. So yeah, i bought a lot of DLC, season passes, cosmetics and even LootBoxes in games I really enjoy.

Yeah, if I really like the game. I don’t do loot boxes though. I hate RNG. If I’m paying real money I want a real return, not a chance of return.

Just to be clear, I don’t mind buying actual dlc like characters in fighting games, expansion packs, season passes, etc. I won’t purchase cosmetic items especially if I can get them through normal gameplay. I also won’t buy lootboxes. If the grind for that in game stuff gets to be too time consuming then I’ll simply stop trying to get it even if that means not playing the game anymore.

I was very addicted to the mobile runner-game Spider-Man Ulimited for a couple of years. It recently shut down it's servers, but I spent a lot of money on it.

I got tempted to buy Helix point for AC Unity, but I found out they were useless; at least since I only played single-player. I've never made that mistake again with AC-games.

Besides from those two, I don't spend a lot on microtransactions. I buy DLC if they can expand on the single-player campaign with more story. I don't care for extra skin or weapons, although I was tempted to get some cool skins for the Batmobile in Arkham Knight, but I never did.

Yeah I used to buy Overwatch and COD microtransactions, but I havn't in over a year and now detest the idea.

Only idiots actually spent money on something like Love Live or BanG Dream outside Japan. Bushiroad is an an Electronic Art's evil but "talented" stepchild.