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While Microtransactions add a few zeroes to the end of EA's bank account, millions of
die hard gamers are left swearing in frustration.
Nowadays if you're offered something for free there's more than likely a large chunk of
unreadable text roping you into some shady deal. Remember the time where Apps were genuinely
free, well, I don't. A hoard of apparently free games have taken over the mobile industry
with hidden payments and pay to win mechanics behind every button. The idea that before
we did actually gain something for free got me thinking, is it really the concept of microtransactions
or the way in which people abuse the (not literal) pay to play system that an apparent
99.9 per cent of all free games have adopted?
Dungeon Keeper was revived recently on smartphones with microtransactions heavily and I mean
heavily influencing gameplay, but it was a free app. Isn't the notion of at least trying
a game from such a successful series for free a good idea? Of course it is, but the manner
in which the developers abused the concept of microtransactions lead the new iteration
of the series to its demise.
For me there isn't anything worse than paying 40 quid for a game only to find out I need
to spend £5 here and £10 there to gain some credit which I then need to redeem to obtain
some weapon helping me to beat a level. It's as if there is some large cloak hiding the
developers which make you pay more than double for what the game is worth. The notion of
having to pay for something you already paid for. I touched on this rather sensitive topic
back in the Elder Scrolls video.
The gaming industry has turned mostly to see the phrase microtransaction as a descendant
of the devil, I myself am guilty of paraphrasing the term to something that would make it seem
the worst thing in the gaming industry, but the fact of the matter remains, believe it
or not, there are genuinely good microtransactions out there. Now of course that may have a different
meaning to you if you're completely opposed to paying a fee for something you've already
paid for, but just take this example. Team Fortress 2 is a free to play FPS, if you haven't
heard of it where the hell have you been? You can pay to obtain an almighty hat - There
are thousands of hats for the game, you don't need one, it doesn't boost you, it doesn't
give you a special ability it's just on your head to say "hey I paid for this cool thing"
and there's a satisfying feeling accompanied with wearing a silly looking hat while obliterating
the opponent.
But then there's also the dark side, we're talking Candy Crush Saga. We're talking Dungeon
Keeper, we're talking Dead Space 3. Most recently Angry Birds Go! Had been showing off some
of the heaviest price tags for microtransactions with the game's most powerful cart at £70,
yeah. A backlash from parents saw the price halved, but even then, does it justify £32
to complete the game, it's truly pay to win furthermore the game is still littered with
abysmal ads and sponsored power ups leading to more, yup you guessed it, apparently free
apps.
I can't help but notice this talk has dove into a mobile gaming debate, and that could
be where it all seemingly originated from. Apps. You know the rounded squares filling
your smartphone or tablet screen, the type of software aiming at killing some time but
in fact exploiting you for whatever money. Before the days of DLC, patches and mobile
apps, whatever was meant to be in a game was. Whatever weapons you would find at launch
day you would find three years later. No matter the game you will more than probably find
some paid-for DLC somewhere and yes, DLC obviously counts as a microtransaction.
Long gone are the days where unlockables and hidden Easter eggs could only be unlocked
by investing time to uncover a secret. Nowadays an Easter egg will cost you five pounds.