The microtransaction, the bane of modern games, the unrelenting scourge of video games that is gradually solidifying its place in the medium. There ubiquitous nature of the microtransactions means it can sometimes be tough to find games which haven’t embraced this fine example of capitalism. The business model of microtransactions is anything but micro as players are constantly asked to part with their hard-earned cash.
The frequent nature of these transactions can amount to a significant sum and if left unchecked those small purchases can easily become monstrous. One thing which cannot be denied is this gradual siphoning of cash from your wallet works. As long as it continues to generate money published and developers will continue to implement features which capitalize on your desire for virtual items. So here’s a list which explores they types of microtransactions and ranks them from “Best” to “Worst”.
Pay for Cosmetic Upgrades.
Starting as the least troublesome type of microtransaction is the cosmetic upgrade. These superficial items earn their spot here due to their relative harmlessness. Loot Boxes, which present the opportunity to gamble away your cash in the hopes of earning a legendary aesthetic perk, offer no tactical advantage to gameplay. The same is true of purchasing new weapon skins to give your gear that sleek appearance you’ve been after. Since cosmetic upgrades bear no impact on gameplay, they can be considered one of the better types of microtransactions, but buyer beware, don’t get caught in a downward spiral of spending as you attempt to buy the fanciest looking hats for your virtual avatar.
Pay for Limited Usage Items
Limited usage items – items which either wears after usage or have a limited time duration attached to them – come with a little more frustration than their cosmetic upgrade counterparts. This is particularly the case if it’s an item one might expect as part of their inventory. Recently, Stream re-introduced “Sprays” to Counter-Strike: GO, something which featured heavily in previous builds but was removed. The return of Sprays came with a twist, however, as they are now monotized and carry a 50 usage cap before having to purchase a fresh resupply. Perhaps you can still play and enjoy the game without these items, but purchasing an item with a finite usage is never fun.
Pay for Boosters
It’s universal opinion that time is valuable; we’re mortal after all, so why should you waste time grinding away at a game, sinking hours upon hours into it to be successful. Particularly when you can simply buy a boost here, or a perk there, to accelerate your rate of progress. Perhaps you need more of those green gems so you can expedite construction on that tiny building in your phone. Your credit card is already linked to your account and the virtual store is a click away, making it all the easier to succumb to the clutches of the microtransaction beast. These microtransactions are not only addictive, but avoiding them can eventually make the gameplay experience excruciating, depending on the title’s design.
Pay to Unlock
When you purchase a full priced game, you may expect to get your money’s worth in the form of a complete package. However, in recent years some developers have put items, characters and large portions of content behind a pay wall. Rather than paid extra content, these are purchasable unlocks which release dormant content that seems pretty core to the base game. A recent example of this is Capcom’s release of Street Fighter X Tekken, where from the roster of characters on offer, Capcom made the choice to lock 12 of them behind a levy of $20. For a game centred around its characters, these additional 12 provide significantly more choice, opportunities to diversify and experiment with new gameplay tactics.
Pay to Progress the Plot
Taking the award for the worst type of microtransaction is the category which demands players pay to progress. The narrative is completely halted and chapter progression has ceased until you can make it rain dollar bills. You’ve already invested all that time into the story at this point, and it would be foolish to just quit when you’re so close to the end. Perhaps you need to unlock the “True” ending,” because the one which came with the game was a farce. Games like Asura’s Wrath have held the game’s ending ransom, and this marketing strategy can often come across as outright money grabbing. However, if you want the complete experience, success is but a purchase away.
This post was originally written by Nathanael Roman.
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