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Pitchford vs Game Informer, Borderlands 3 won't have microtransactions (except for the microtransactions)

angelic

Banned
Randy's at it again on twitter, arguing with Game Informer's Andy Mcnamara for calling him out. B3 won't have lootboxes, except for the fact you can still buy mtx shit. Andy accusing him of either not understanding what they are, or just looking for that on stage moment of saying "we're not doing them!" (cheer), with Randy then acting hurt.

Basically, standard Pitchford.

pitchtdy.png

edit - tidied the image
 
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Geki-D

Banned
"I'm just so hurt right now. Andy, I have swallowed so much shit for so many years of folks on your side of this industry profiting off of making me out as if I'm some kind of profit-only, gamer exploiting liar."
I mean... Alien Colonial Marines... Come on, Randy. You still haven't actually apologised for that gamer exploiting lie, yet. In fact you doubled downed.

Also whats "your side of this industry" mean?
 
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klosos

Member
I am looking forward to Borderlands 3 ,i don't know when i will play it but ill get around to it at one point.However Randy Pitchford is a walking meme at this point , one part cringe inducing and other part a pathetic baby.

he is good to laugh at tho. Also like me , he is a fan of magic tricks to.
 
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Dibils2k

Member
while watching i understood what he was saying(that there are MTX but not game breaking kind), but the line about how they are not doing F2P crap was what ticked me off the wrong way because what they are doing is still a F2P model

if you have any MTX dont try to get praise by saying you only have certain MTX lmao
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
I FUCKING KNEW IT...

How fucking hard is it to release a full game.
Then months later add 4 huge dlc’s with hours and hours of content.

Look at diablo 3. They added chapter 5 + a new char and level boost. Then they added another char years later.

Look at borderlands 1 all they added was dlc that was great value.

Don’t fucking put “ITS JUST COSMETICS” in games that cost 100$
Keep that shit in F2P games. That is how those games earn money.

Fuck off randy.
 

iNvid02

Member
Its not a normal thought process to say no microtransactions when you have cosmetic mtx which are the defacto standard now btw. I reckon hes just trying to weasel out of it and guilt trip GI

You tried to make gamers swallow shit too with your alien game randy, eat some yourself
 
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CuNi

Member
Epic truly working with the "greatest minds of our time" so far.
So according to them, Steam invites all the "trashy games" into its, so if we are fair, Epic invites all the "trashy devs" into their store. :pie_thinking:
 
I dislike the man as much as anyone else... but as far as I can tell, the game doesn't have microtransactions. So he's not wrong there.

Was there some announcement of the addition of a premium currency, or speed up items, or paid for guns, or anything like that, that I was made aware of? Cosmetics aren't microtransactions.
 
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Helios

Member
I dislike the man as much as anyone else... but as far as I can tell, the game doesn't have microtransactions. So he's not wrong there.

Was there some announcement of the addition of a premium currency, or speed up items, or paid for guns, or anything like that, that I was made aware of? Cosmetics aren't microtransactions.
Microtransactions (sometimes abbreviated as MTX) are a business model where users can purchase virtual goods with micropayments.
Items and features available by microtransaction can range from cosmetic (such as decorative character attire) to functional (such as weapons and items). Some games allow players to purchase items that can be acquired through normal means, but some games include items that can only be obtained through microtransaction. Some developers[1][2] ensure that only cosmetic items are available this way to keep gameplay fair and balanced.
 

Lanrutcon

Member
I dislike the man as much as anyone else... but as far as I can tell, the game doesn't have microtransactions. So he's not wrong there.

Was there some announcement of the addition of a premium currency, or speed up items, or paid for guns, or anything like that, that I was made aware of? Cosmetics aren't microtransactions.

See, here we have the issue: most people (and the English language, apparently) disagree with you.
 

johntown

Banned
Hmmm Epic store check, mtx check.......seems the only thing this game is missing is a political agenda (unless I missed that somewhere).
 
See, here we have the issue: most people (and the English language, apparently) disagree with you.
No, they don't. And ad hominems don't make your argument any more valid.

Microtransactions are referring specifically to "micro-payments". This involves things like paying for a premium currency, opening a lootbox, timers and speedup modifiers, getting a resource needed to progress a mission, etc.

When you pay a specific amount of money for a specific piece of content, one that isn't "micro" in nature, and you know what that content is before you pay for it, it stops being a microtransaction. If people are conflating cosmetics with microtransactions, that's on them.

Here's the perfect example.

Horse armour is not a microtransaction.
Overwatch loot boxes are microtransactions.
 
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Handy Fake

Member
No, they don't. And ad hominems don't make your argument any more valid.

Microtransactions are referring specifically to "micro-payments". This involves things like paying for a premium currency, opening a lootbox, timers and speedup modifiers, getting a resource needed to progress a mission, etc.

When you pay a specific amount of money for a specific piece of content, one that isn't "micro" in nature, and you know what that content is before you pay for it, it stops being a microtransaction. If people are conflating cosmetics with microtransactions, that's on them.

Here's the perfect example.

Horse armour is not a microtransaction.
Overwatch loot boxes are microtransactions.
I think, and I don't often say this, I think you're objectively wrong.
 

Lanrutcon

Member
No, they don't. And ad hominems don't make your argument any more valid.

Microtransactions are referring specifically to "micro-payments". This involves things like paying for a premium currency, opening a lootbox, timers and speedup modifiers, getting a resource needed to progress a mission, etc.

When you pay a specific amount of money for a specific piece of content, one that isn't "micro" in nature, and you know what that content is when you pay for it, it stops being a microtransaction. If people are conflating cosmetics with microtransactions, that's on them.

Here's the perfect example.

Horse armour is not a microtransaction.
Overwatch loot boxes are microtransactions.

Someone quoted the definition a few posts above yours. Your definition is nice, but like I said: the generally accepted one has some key differences.

Also: ad hominem? You think I attacked your use of the English language: I was referring to the literal definition of the word in question. Your English is fine.
 
Someone quoted the definition a few posts above yours. Your definition is nice, but like I said: the generally accepted one has some key differences.
They quoted a Wikipedia article. That is in interpretation, not a fact.

If people have begun to use the term in that manner, they are the ones using the definition wrongly. Words are regularly used incorrectly, even by the majority. It was always intended to refer to micro-payments. When a purchase is a specific piece of known content, it stops being a microtransaction.

I think, and I don't often say this, I think you're objectively wrong.
Using the word "objectively" in your sentence doesn't magically make your statement objective.

Even the term "micropayment" was supposed to refer to transactions under $5. This is clearly no longer the case. We could argue semantics back and forth all day. A known purchase for a known piece of content is not a microtransactions, unless you want to contradict what the term is referring to.
 
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Handy Fake

Member
They quoted a Wikipedia article. That is in interpretation, not a fact.

If people have begun to use the term in that manner, they are the ones using the definition wrongly. Words are regularly used incorrectly, even by the majority. It was always intended to refer to micro-payments. When a purchase is a specific piece of known content, it stops being a microtransaction.


Using the word "objectively" in your sentence doesn't magically make your statement objective.

Even the term "micropayment" was supposed to refer to transactions under $5. This is clearly no longer the case. We could argue semantics back and forth all day. A known purchase for a known piece of content is not a microtransactions, unless you want to contradict what the term is referring to.
Well... No, it, it doesn't make my statement objective.
A microtransaction is, by definition, a payment within the game using real money to purchase content. That's objectively what a microtransaction is.
Path of Exile's business model is built on microtransactions, for example. 90% being cosmetic, but that doesn't stop them being microtransactions.
I mean you might have a different idea in your mind what one is, but...
 

Lanrutcon

Member
If people have begun to use the term in that manner, they are the ones using the definition wrongly. Words are regularly used incorrectly, even by the majority. It was always intended to refer to micro-payments. When a purchase is a specific piece of known content, it stops being a microtransaction.

No, you're the one using it wrongly.

We got the majority, the literal translation of the word and Wikipedia on our side. You haven't got squat except the ability to bold specific words.

And we can do that too.

I'm just messing with you. You're welcome to your definition of the word. Randy is still an ass though for acting like the majority of people wouldn't be confused.
 
A microtransaction is, by definition, a payment within the game using real money to purchase content. That's objectively what a microtransaction is.
Path of Exile's business model is built on microtransactions, for example. 90% being cosmetic, but that doesn't stop them being microtransactions.
Then tell me, why is an expansion pack not a "microtransaction"?

Or new characters?

Or extra story content?

Or additional gameplay features?

Because nobody considers "X-Com 2: War of the Choosen" a "microtransaction". Or Destiny 2: Forsaken. Or Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps. Or the Mortal Kombat 11 Season Pass.
 
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Handy Fake

Member
Then tell me, why is an expansion pack not a "microtransaction"?

Or a new character?

Or extra story content?

Or additional features?

Because nobody considers "X-Com 2: War of the Choosen" a "microtransaction". Or Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps. Or the Tekken 7 Season Passes.
At least two of those can be considered microtransactions.
Story content and expansion packs/season passes tend to be lumped under DLC. Because they add more than a single item.
 

Iorv3th

Member
I dislike the man as much as anyone else... but as far as I can tell, the game doesn't have microtransactions. So he's not wrong there.

Was there some announcement of the addition of a premium currency, or speed up items, or paid for guns, or anything like that, that I was made aware of? Cosmetics aren't microtransactions.

Cosmetics are what started MTX or where you not around for the horse armor debacle for oblivion? Because that was the first shit wave of these MTX. It's called 'micro' because you only spend a dollar or two. How clever.


Then tell me, why is an expansion pack not a "microtransaction"?

Or new characters?

Or extra story content?

Or additional gameplay features?

Because nobody considers "X-Com 2: War of the Choosen" a "microtransaction". Or Destiny 2: Forsaken. Or Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps. Or the Mortal Kombat 11 Season Pass.

Expansion packs include more than just a single character skin. C'mon your just being obtuse.

Even the term "micropayment" was supposed to refer to transactions under $5. This is clearly no longer the case. We could argue semantics back and forth all day. A known purchase for a known piece of content is not a microtransactions, unless you want to contradict what the term is referring to.

You are thinking of lootbox. Microtransactions existed long long before lootboxes. So yes a microtransaction for a known piece of content is still a microtransaction.
 
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Goff2k

Member
Then tell me, why is an expansion pack not a "microtransaction"?

Or new characters?

Or extra story content?

Or additional gameplay features?

Because nobody considers "X-Com 2: War of the Choosen" a "microtransaction". Or Destiny 2: Forsaken. Or Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps. Or the Mortal Kombat 11 Season Pass.

What? Aren't those called expansion packs. I need an example of a game with a paid gameplay feature that's not introduced through a patch or an expansion pack?
 

Helios

Member
Then tell me, why is an expansion pack not a "microtransaction"?

Or new characters?

Or extra story content?

Or additional gameplay features?

Because nobody considers "X-Com 2: War of the Choosen" a "microtransaction". Or Destiny 2: Forsaken. Or Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps. Or the Mortal Kombat 11 Season Pass.
Why do you think they're called MICROtransactions? A 25$ expansion pack/DLC is obviously not a microtransaction.
Once again, Microtransactions (sometimes abbreviated as MTX) are a business model where users can purchase virtual goods with micropayments.
 
What? Aren't those called expansion pack?
Exactly.

His exact words were "a microtransaction is, by definition, a payment within the game using real money to purchase content." By by that definition, everything I just listed is - by his very own words - a "microtransaction".

Which "objectively" isn't the case.

Why do you think they're called MICROtransactions? A 25$ expansion pack/DLC is obviously not a microtransaction.
Once again, Microtransactions (sometimes abbreviated as MTX) are a business model where users can purchase virtual goods with micropayments.
But every single one of those things is a "virtual good".

So if the expansion is cheap, does that suddenly make it a "microtransaction"? Clearly not.

People are arguing against my choice of words, but you're not being consistent either.
 
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Handy Fake

Member
Exactly.

His exact words were "a microtransaction is, by definition, a payment within the game using real money to purchase content." By by that definition, everything I just listed is - by his very own words - a "microtransaction".

Which "objectively" isn't the case.


But every single one of those things is a "virtual good".

So if the expansion is cheap, does that suddenly make it a "microtransaction"? Clearly not.

People are arguing against my choice of words, but you're not being consistent either.
To be fair, you're arguing semantics though.
There's no way that buying, say, a hat doesn't come under the term "microtransaction".

EDIT: In game, obviously. I mean you could probably get away with buying a fetching bowler in town without that being levelled at you..
 
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Words are regularly used incorrectly, even by the majority.

This is interesting and I would disagree as I believe language, especially spoken, takes care of itself, and cannot be used with the wrong meaning en masse.

If I can use Rocket League as an example. It has many different types of in-game purchases, both consumable and durable:

- cars (including themed car packs including goal explosions, skins etc) 0.99-3.99
- keys (used to unlock premium Rocket Pass and also unlock crates) 0.99-19.99 (RP is 9.99)
- tokens ("Items from the Esports Shop will require a new currency called Esports Tokens.") 0.99-19.99
- MLB fan packs (separate to all of the above) 2.99

That's four ways of buying solely cosmetic items of varying prices that have dramatic affects on the social aspect of the game, despite not changing the core solid values of Rocket League.

It's hard to ignore these micro-transactions even though you know exactly what you're getting.

So the term micro-transaction is quite broad and refers to anything bought in-game, consumable or durable, for any price, and it can often be undesirable for the consumer despite the core quality of a game.
 
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Woo-Fu

Banned
I don't understand people confused about cosmetics being microtransactions. Small real-world fee for a virtual item in a game. There's nothing that is more of a microtransaction in this context.

What the item does has no bearing whatsoever on your means of acquiring it.

Pitchford should have just said there is no pay-to-win in their mtx scheme. That wouldn't have gotten him a cheer from the crowd though, would it? The temper tantrum he threw when a media outlet pointed out his misleading statement doesn't help his position.
 
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Handy Fake

Member
I don't understand people confused about cosmetics being microtransactions. Small real-world fee for a virtual item in a game. There's nothing that is more of a microtransaction in this context.

What the item does has no bearing whatsoever on your means of acquiring it.

Pitchford should have just said there is no pay-to-win in their mtx scheme. That wouldn't have gotten him a cheer from the crowd though, would it?
Probably should have just started the argument with this post and we could all have gotten on with our day. ;)
 
Personally I think it just comes down we need a better word for stat boosting (currency, lives etc) purchases. Micro transactions sounds too broad and also the micro part isn't relevant. You can spend a dollar on something that adds a bit of content (new outfit or something) or spend 100 dollars on a big lump of in game currency.
 

demigod

Member
Then tell me, why is an expansion pack not a "microtransaction"?

Or new characters?

Or extra story content?

Or additional gameplay features?

Because nobody considers "X-Com 2: War of the Choosen" a "microtransaction". Or Destiny 2: Forsaken. Or Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps. Or the Mortal Kombat 11 Season Pass.

Looks like you don't know the word MICRO in microtransaction.
 

Pejo

Member
Always relevant in a Randy thread:
C38xKobUEAAPfZ9.jpg


Seriously I'm surprised he still uses Twitter with all the shit he gets himself in. He's clearly in the wrong here, and I barely ever stand up for game journos.
 

TacosNSalsa

Member
It seems like being misleading and twisting things is damn near a language to this guy ..even when he's trying not to do it he still does it .
 
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