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[matty2Dfraud]

For all the uproar that microtransactions cause... i have bought many games with them and never made a single purchase. i can't say i've ever felt forced to purchase them and knowing that they exist haven't hurt my enjoyment with said titles either.

Rather not have them, but whatever. I'll continue ignoring them and hopefully they go away.

 

[Huggers]

The problem with it is it cheapens the whole experience. Imagine if The Last of US was on hard by default, and there weren't enough scissors etc. But don't worry, you can buy more! Would have ruined the whole game completely

 

[kiyomi]

From Eurogamer's review of Ryse ;

Here's where Microsoft's blanket policy of micro-transactions for its first-party Xbox One games comes in, because equipment (and consumables) only come in random booster packs which you buy for game gold, and you guessed it, gold is earned slowly but is also available to buy. (You can also use game gold to buy the single-player upgrades if you like, but you won't really need to.)

Not sure if it's meant to be taken literally, but it almost sounds like it.

 

[matty2Dfraud]

The problem with it is it cheapens the whole experience. Imagine if The Last of US was on hard by default, and there weren't enough scissors etc. But don't worry, you can buy more! Would have ruined the whole game completely

I have never personally experienced anything like that microtransaction wise in a game... And I've played a lot of EA games.

 

[Stone Ocean]

I have never personally experienced anything like that microtransaction wise in a game... And I've played a lot of EA games.

It's funny how EA kind of does this shit "right". They give you the power boosters but they don't hamper people that don't want to buy them in order to coerce more sales out of frustration and boredom.

Now MS on the other hand goes "grind for 10 hours or pay 5 bucks."

 

[Vasili2K38]

At the end the problem is that if people bites, we'll see it in more and more games. That's how began the paradigm of this trend, Fifa's Ultimate Team..

 

[Billy Big Bollocks]

Addictive personality exploitation transactions?

I like it!

 

[Huggers]

I have never personally experienced anything like that microtransaction wise in a game... And I've played a lot of EA games.

No nor have I. But if this is successful and makes money, it may well become the norm

 

[QaaQer]

At the end the problem is that if people bites, we'll see it in more and more games. That's how began the paradigm of this trend, Fifa's Ultimate Team..

.

The execs see gamers as walking wallets and that is all. If this stuff increases profits, you'll see more and more. & don't confuse game devs with execs.

Btw, I just noticed GT6 has microtransactions, so obviously Sony is getting in on the gravytrain.

 

[robertsan21]

No nor have I. But if this is successful and makes money, it may well become the norm

this is why we need to stop this kind of shit!

Start tweeting Yoshida and tell him that we dont want this crap on PS4.

at the moment in most games, its just some extra bling on your weapons etc but it will become something bigger in the future if they see that they make a lot of money on it.

 

[Xater]

At the end the problem is that if people bites, we'll see it in more and more games. That's how began the paradigm of this trend, Fifa's Ultimate Team..

Even if most people don't bite the problem is that the whales will spend enough to warrant having this shit in these games.

 

[keit4]

What? Killer Instinct has microtransactions?

 

[Papercuts]

.

The execs see gamers as walking wallets and that is all. If this stuff increases profits, you'll see more and more. & don't confuse game devs with execs.

Btw, I just noticed GT6 has microtransactions, so obviously Sony is getting in on the gravytrain.

I can only hope all examples of it fall on their face. Namco has been doing it for awhile, I think Tales of Vesperia is the first game I played with it(back in...08?) as it let you buy gald and levels.

 

[JaggedSac]

Well, I'd think Killer Instinct technically counts, but the nature of the game makes it more permissible: it's not buying to get an advantage short of a larger character roster, and the base product is free. Basically it's just one of the potential models for F2P design and one of the more benign ones at that, not like something like Forza that seemingly does the opposite and demands them to make progress in reasonable time (though people say that's been overblown for the series? We'll see once a week passes perhaps.)

Money has never been an issue with Forza games. They even changed the way it works in this one where the top 3 places all get the same amount of winnings. Forza Horizon had boosts to buy with real money, but money comes quick in that too. Perhaps it is nice for folks who don't have much time for videogames but still want to enjoy the longer to get items.

 

[QaaQer]

What? Killer Instinct has microtransactions?

The model is free to play, so most definitely.

 

[Skeff]

You're surprised?

I'm surprised to see nothing, I would expect maybe 2 articles about this condemning it and then maybe another 10 saying it's the future and that we don't understand it and that it helps adults enjoy a game they don't have time to play like us internet nerds do etc etc.

 

[QaaQer]

Money has never been an issue with Forza games. They even changed the way it works in this one where the top 3 places all get the same amount of winnings. Forza Horizon had boosts to buy with real money, but money comes quick in that too. Perhaps it is nice for folks who don't have much time for videogames but still want to enjoy the longer to get items.

Why not have an easy setting where money comes faster? why charge? oh yeah, to make more money. And you are naive if you think it doesn't affect game design.

I'm surprised to see nothing, I would expect maybe 2 articles about this condemning it and then maybe another 10 saying it's the future and that we don't understand it and that it helps adults enjoy a game they don't have time to play like us internet nerds do etc etc.

haha, yeah.

 

[keit4]

The model is free to play, so most definitely.

Can you give examples of monetization in the new Killer Instinct?

 

[JaggedSac]

Why not have an easy setting where money comes faster? why charge? oh yeah, to make more money. And you are naive if you think it doesn't affect game design.

It didn't affect Forza Horizon.

 

[QaaQer]

Can you give examples of monetization in the new Killer Instinct?

I believe you buy characters @ $5 per. I think there are 8 buyable ones.

 

[Stone Ocean]

The model is free to play, so most definitely.

It's not microtransactions, you buy as much as you want, there's a difference.

If you pay 20 bucks on the whole game you have the whole game. I think not even costumes are paid DLC. It's not an abusive model.

 

[NullPointer]

Addictive personality exploitation transactions?

Skinner bucks.

 

[Huggers]

this is why we need to stop this kind of shit!

Start tweeting Yoshida and tell him that we dont want this crap on PS4.

at the moment in most games, its just some extra bling on your weapons etc but it will become something bigger in the future if they see that they make a lot of money on it.

This would ruin gaming for me in many ways and I'd be drawn to anything old fashioned that gave me the whole game for 40 quid.

 

[Nightengale]

Btw, I just noticed GT6 has microtransactions, so obviously Sony is getting in on the gravytrain.

At the same time, Killzone is literally avoiding it with free maps, and only different type of DLC, so I'd like to see how they're moving forward with it first.

Besides, we know that every decision on the GT franchise is left to that crazy Kaz.

 

[FunkyPajamas]

I'm not making a case for microtransactions, honest question: are they optional? If not, damn.

 

[keit4]

I believe you buy characters @ $5 per. I think there are 8 buyable ones.

They are just giving options. You can buy the whole package for 20 bucks. I wouldn't call that microtransactions.

 

[QaaQer]

It didn't affect Forza Horizon.

It obviously made MS money and is probably one of the reasons they are putting micro-transactions in a bunch of games now. So thanks Forza Horizon IAP buyers.

 

[Gangxxter]

Xbox Pay2Win

 

[Xater]

It's not microtransactions, you buy as much as you want, there's a difference.

If you pay 20 bucks on the whole game you have the whole game. I think not even costumes are paid DLC. It's not an abusive model.

Yep the Killer Instinct model is fine.

 

[QaaQer]

Skinner bucks.

I like this name.

 

[Saty]

What's in Lococycle and Golf?

 

[JaggedSac]

It obviously made MS money and is probably one of the reasons they are putting micro-transactions in a bunch of games now. So thanks Forza Horizon IAP buyers.

And yet, is an example of a game that had it and there was no big uproar. And as such, has a pretty good following here on gaf. So we have an example of a game that has it, where the gameplay did not suffer for it, and we have a bunch of games that have it that we have not played yet. And the people who HAVE played them, did not seem to care much. So, please continue.

 

[QaaQer]

What's in Lococycle and Golf?

golf:

Another unfortunate addition is the presence of microtransactions. For a fee, you can buy "booster packs" that will randomly grant you outfits, one-time boosts, and permanent pieces of equipment (read: golf clubs). Now, in some games (mostly PVE or co-op based titles), the addition of microtransactions wouldn't bother me so much.

But in a competitive title like Powerstar, it simply feels wrong to offer players the ability to get ahead if they spend a little bit of cash. If you're the kind of person who just wants to enjoy the game by yourself, it's entirely possible here with a bit of grinding, but for everyone else you may feel the sting of this DLC model.

I'll see if I can find anything about loco specifics.

 

[QaaQer]

And yet, is an example of a game that had it and there was no big uproar. And as such, has a pretty good following here on gaf. So we have an example of a game that has it, where the gameplay did not suffer for it, and we have a bunch of games that have it that we have not played yet. And the people who HAVE played them, did not seem to care much. So, please continue.

I'm sure there will be no big uproar over these games either. And thanks for giving me your permission to continue.

 

[Derrick01]

A lot of the 3rd party games have them too. I know AC4 has packs to speed up various elements and they're particularly egregious in NBA 2k's GM mode. You can't even set a damn lineup in the game unless you buy the upgrade with in game currency.

 

[Epcott]

KI is F2P so that's understandable. But for a retail game that you pay full price for, that's pretty bad. There's going to be a lot of pissed parents bugged by their children for IAPs. Maybe this is to recoop the money they hoped to make during the DRM fiasco?

Come to think of it, the UK's Office of Fair Trading may eventually have an issue with this if it gets out of hand.

A lot of the 3rd party games have them too. I know AC4 has packs to speed up various elements and they're particularly egregious in NBA 2k's GM mode. You can't even set a damn lineup in the game unless you buy the upgrade with in game currency.

Wow, so more money to put into AC4 in addition to DLC? Yikes.

 

[TideTime]

I'm not making a case for microtransactions, honest question: are they optional? If not, damn.

The problem is, especially when optional, the games balance has been altered to make you at least consider the need for purchasing them.

 

[LTWheels]

Can you give examples of monetization in the new Killer Instinct?

There is no micro-transactions in KI like there is in other MS games. There is no buying currency or anything like that.

The way the game is structured is that it's a free download with one character. You can then buy the entire game for $20, or buy the character's individually for $5 each. My understanding is that once you have purchased $20's worth of characters, the rest become free downloads. There is also a 'collectors edition' for $40, that also contains some alternative costumes and the original arcade game.

 

[Guerilla]

Microsoft introduced microtransactions and DLCs at the beginning of this gen and even forced them on devs (see Gears) and now they're taking it a step further. Didn't expect any better from them tbh.

 

[Massa]

I'm not making a case for microtransactions, honest question: are they optional? If not, damn.

They're never optional, in each case you're getting a game designed to make you spend more than the original $60 you already paid for it.

 

[FunkyPajamas]

They're never optional, in each case you're getting a game designed to make you spend more than the original $60 you already paid for it.

Oh, that's bad. Thank you and TideTime for answering. Hopefully this is testing the waters and people vote with their wallets. Let's not have a "Horse Armor redux".

 

[zomgbbqftw]

Microtransactions in full priced games leave a very bitter taste in one's mouth. Horrible practice. What's worse is that as time goes on games will be changed to encourage in-game purchases rather than earning gold/currency by playing. Imagine Forza 6 with car prices doubled but the accumulation rate stays the same. It would leave people with little choice but to buy currency for real money. :/

 

[RaikuHebi]

Apple of the living room indeed.

 

[artist]

Apple of the living room indeed.

No, EA of the living room.

 

[Camp Freddie]

Microtransactions are anathema to good game progression mechanics.

Microtransactions can only exist if a game is annoyingly grindy and annoying. Because why would anyone pay for stuff if they had all they wanted for free.
If a game is fun to play, and your character/car/team progression is at the right pace to keep you entertained, then there would be no point in microtransactions. You'd only be cheating yourself out of the lower-level gameplay.

Microtransactions also destroy game balance. How do you create a game that is fun if one player is using the +5 vorpal Ferrari of Destruction and another player is using the rusty iron Yugo of Dave the scrap-merchant. It's going to be tediously boring or impossibly hard for at least one of them.

The only time microtransactions can work without harming gameplay is if they are purely cosmetic. And even then you end up with most people using default brown pants while other players while anything that looks cool requires payment.

 

[Rei no Otaku]

The fact that they are in Crimson Dragon is depressing. I've been waiting for a Panzer Dragoon successor for so long and this is what MS does to it? Ugh...

 

[RaikuHebi]

No, EA of the living room.

1 out of 3 games man. The gamers have spoken lol.

 

[megalowho]

A lot of the 3rd party games have them too. I know AC4 has packs to speed up various elements and they're particularly egregious in NBA 2k's GM mode. You can't even set a damn lineup in the game unless you buy the upgrade with in game currency.

It's extremely disappointing in NBA 2k. I feel like I don't have or can earn enough currency to enjoy focusing on one particular mode, let alone GM+MyPlayer+MyTeam all together. I'm constantly thinking about the in app purchase model and being held back, and it's twisted the design of a reasonably fun game.

 

[DopeyFish]

They are just giving options. You can buy the whole package for 20 bucks. I wouldn't call that microtransactions.

Yeah, while I do expect there to be microtransactions later (around costumes/accessories) there isn't really anything now that can be classified as such.

 

[Doug Heffernan]

I don't know why some people are assuming Microsoft has some sort of mandatory microtransaction policy for all of their first party games; it's simply not true.