Metal Gear Solid V, Halo 5, Tomb Raider 2 to have MICRO-TRANSACTIONS atop of $60+ price tags, DLC and season passes

[ktchong]

It is a new trend for AAA games: put microtransactions into a game that already carries a $60-plus price tag.  Recently, publishers and developers announced that Metal Gear Solid V, Halo 5 and The Rise of the Tomb Raider will all have microtransactions atop of their $60-plus price tags.  In addition, they will have DLC and season passes - which may or may not include all the DLC; most likely they won't.

 

I do not plan to play Metal Gear Solid V and Halo 5.  So they are not my problem.  However, I enjoyed the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot.  I wanted to buy and play the Rise of the Tomb Raider when it comes out on the PC in late 2016.  Just this week Crystal Dynamics announced that The Rise of the Tomb Raider will have 300 microtransactions for multiplayer.  Many of those microtransactions are for "consumables", which means you will buy something, use it, and it will be gone - so you will have to buy it again.  You will pay for microtransactions for items that can only be used once so you will have to pay over and over again.

 

At the moment, all those microtransactions are for multiplayer segments of the games.  Even though I never play multiplayer or any online game, (and thank goodness for that,)  I am seriously thinking about skipping and boycotting Rise of the Tomb Raider.  I do not want this microtransaction trend to become a problem.  I know if we let those developers and publisher get away with adding microtransactions to the multiplayer segment of a game that will already carry a $60-plus price tag, it is just a matter of time before they will put microtransaction into single-player as well.

 

Already on YouTube, the anger is brewing...

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2015 by ktchong

[Tale]

Define new. Games were doing this last gen. I feel like I'm the only one who took a dislike to Mass Effect 3's microtransaction lottery system in MP.

 

I know there was much outcry about Dead Space 3.

[ktchong]

I have not played Mass Effect 3 so I have no idea what are in it, (I have stopped buying anything from BioWare for a few years now;)  I've never play any Dead Space game so I wouldn't know anything about it.   I supposed that's why I posted this same topic in BioWare, and they immediately removed it (literally within two minutes) and gave me a three-day ban, (i.e., "call for boycott of games is not allowed,") because EA/BioWare is among the biggest offenders of microtransactions.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2015 by ktchong

[the_dog_days]

Define new. Games were doing this last gen. I feel like I'm the only one who took a dislike to Mass Effect 3's microtransaction lottery system in MP.

 

I know there was much outcry about Dead Space 3.

I saw quite a bit of complaining about microtransactions for ME3, but it got lost in all the hubbub about the ending. I don't play multiplayer in single player games.

[ktchong]

There is another unsavory trend in mobile gaming that will soon make inroad to the PC and console:

Publishers/developers NOT telling people out-front that a game has microtransactions or IAP (in-app purchases), OR games that did not have micros/IAP at first but then added micros/IAP later AFTER people had already bought and paid for the apps, (i.e., Destiny.) Publishers/developers know a lot of people would not buy a game if they see that a game has microtransactions or IAP, so publishers/developers hide the fact.   (For example: if I see or know a game has IAP or micros, I definitely won't buy it.  Which is why publishers/developers try to hide IAP/micros from consumers.   I've been extra careful and read through the user reviews/comments before I buy an app - nowadays I have to find find alerts and warnings about IAP/micros in user reviews/comments.)  It's happening more and more in Google Play.

 

We all know that kind of business behavior is unethical and most likely illegal.  Unfortunately, I think a class action or FTC involvement will have to be the only way to stop them.

Edited October 15, 2015 by ktchong

[Blarghagh]

Based on what? Unless they remove content after you bought it, I don't think there's a lawsuit that stands a chance. If customers don't inform themselves, that's their fault. If gamers keep buying this stuff, companies will continue to make it. They make a game you want, but it has microtransactions in it and that pisses you off so much? Tough luck.

[the_dog_days]

Most mobile games I've seen are indie. Although I have a lot of respect for most indie developers, the microtransactions in mobile games are a soft scam (meaning it's very legal, but unscrupulous) to get people invested and then drop the bomb on them.

[HoonDing]

Wait a year or two then buy it on Steam Summer Sale. Problem solved.

[Mamoulian War]

Or stop buying games from publishers which are pulling this stunts. It's actually easier, the older you get. I am buying nowadays only indie and japanese games, and I still have such a big backlog, that I don't need to think about Wallet Raider or similar games :-P

[GhostofAnakin]

Maybe it's just me, but unless the microtransactions affect the main game (ie. certain quests can't be done without buying stuff, certain content for the main story is affected by them, etc.) I'm not bothered by their inclusion.

 

For instance, I just finished MGSV.  The only part of the game that was affected by the microtransactions was the FOB missions, which aren't even necessary to finish the game.

 

Personally, I see no issue with gaming companies adding them *as long as they don't impact the main game and you can play through it without being forced to do microtransactions*.

[Darkpriest]

well it seems i won;t be affected. Those games are not on my list... if I buy those games it's a couple years later with all DLC on some summer or winter sale when I am done with my previous backlog of unplayed games

[ktchong]

Wait a year or two then buy it on Steam Summer Sale. Problem solved.

Unless the publisher/developer pulls an EA/BioWare, i.e., refuses to put their games on Steam, and refuses to put together an all-inclusive Game of the Year or Deluxe edition of their games (Mass Effect, Dragon Age) to make sure customers would have to cough out every penny for every DLC, microtransaction and add-on.

 

Which is why I have refused to buy anything from BioWare for years.

Edited October 16, 2015 by ktchong

[Lexx]

lel, who would have thought. http://nerdist.com/kanye-west-goes-on-a-logical-twitter-rant-against-microtransactions/

[Silverfox]

Vote with your money. If you don't like these trends, then don't buy the games - for yourselves or relatives.

Or...

Be patient. Can you wait until next year when the GOTY version is released?

Otherwise, don't complain.

[Bryy]

Maybe it's just me, but unless the microtransactions affect the main game (ie. certain quests can't be done without buying stuff, certain content for the main story is affected by them, etc.) I'm not bothered by their inclusion.

 

For instance, I just finished MGSV.  The only part of the game that was affected by the microtransactions was the FOB missions, which aren't even necessary to finish the game.

 

Personally, I see no issue with gaming companies adding them *as long as they don't impact the main game and you can play through it without being forced to do microtransactions*.

 

Yeah, as long as you can play the game fine and dandy, I have zero issue with microtranscations being in there.

 

Anyone saying otherwise is concern trolling.

[Mamoulian War]

No.

 

 

 

To be more verbose, if you pay full price for a game, which is advertising microtransactions, you are showing the publisher positive acceptance of the trend, and make them more likely to put that crap into all of their releases. If you like the game, just wait for dropped price, you will still play it, but show to the publisher with your wallet, that you do not agree with this plague of the industry. Maybe now it does not affect the gameplay (which is bull**** imo), but it will soon enough affect everyones enjoyment unless they pay loads of money into it...

[Bill Gates' Son]

Most of this stuff is just flavor I don't care about.  Buying the base game for $60 is good enough.  However, I buy my AAA games when they coast $10 anyway.  =\

 

And save your rebuttals.  I heard them all already.

Edited October 26, 2015 by Bill Gates' Son