Current Events > DLC, Microtransactions, Lootboxes - Where do you stand?

(+) Yeah! (+)

No one is forcing us to buy games or the additional content, but it does seem unfair that some games are complete before release but companies are splitting content. Where do you fall CE?
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DLC - big to medium sized ones, fine. Small one no
Microtransaction - fuck that shit
Lootboxes - wont even touch that shit with 1 kilometers pole
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Story DLCs are fine. Extra characters in fighting games aren't. (especially not on release day)
Micro transactions are fine as long as it's not pay to win. Costumes and esthetics. Single player mobile games that rely too heavily on micro transactions to unlock things or make them go faster usually aren't worth it in the end.
Fuck lootboxes, unless it's costumes and esthetics. But more often than not, it's perks and weapons, and basically a way to charge you way more for something than they would have had it been straight out DLC/micro transaction.
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i dont know.
DLC is cool cuz it adds more content to games. As long as its optional and you can still play the game without it, then whatever.
Same goes for loot boxes and micro transactions, as long as theyre optional AND they dont give players an advantage over others in multiplayer games, then thats ok too.

Good example is Overwatch. They realease free updates with new characters, maps, and game modes. They also have loot boxes that have purely cosmetic stuff in them. Nothing in the loot boxes gives one player an advantage over another. Also the loot boxes can be earned in game without spending a penny.
I think that model is great. Is not pay to win and you can get everything you want just by grinding in game, or if you dont want to grind you can pay money to try to get it faster.
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House Mogar stands with the Grey Wardens!
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I buy DLC if i enjoy the game but i don't pay for microtransactions and lootboxes cos im not a mong
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfSfBKHtr_U

Remember when you bought a game and had a game?

Good times.
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Microtransactions are fine if the game is balanced for those who don't spend.
DLC is great if the game is complete without it.
Lootboxes are only okay if they are free and don't impact the game much. Like maybe people can buy costumes or whatever but people who don't spend can obtain lootboxes and get something random. Paid ones can burn in hell.
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I am okay with DLC if it's an actual expansion, not just a map pack that recycles a couple of maps from previous games and sepperates the player base.

Microtransactions are fine in F2P games, since that's the only way a dev can make money. Warframe handles these extremely well, but DC Universe Online handles them poorly.

Cosmetics are okay for the most part.

Lootboxes is a no for me, because I cannot dictate the outcome of a box, but still invested money.
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i dont really care how others spend their money
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I don't like them, but Microtransactions can be fine if they're only cosmetic.

DLC should only be limited to new content, and not stupid things like ingame gear or cosmetics.
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DLC is usually fine. But fuck release day/on disc DLC. That should be in the base game if it's done

Loot boxes are fine if it's cosmetics only, nothing that affects gameplay
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DLC can be done really well (Witcher, Souls games, Borderlands 1 and 2 and Pre-sequel to a lesser extent) sometimes.

But microtransactions and loot boxes can't.
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Loot boxes are always bad. This "only cosmetic is okay" is complacent bullshit. If there's game content, you should be able to acquire it in a non-random way.
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Lootboxes are bullshit, and I only tolerate them because no game I play has implemented them, or put anything in them worth a damn.

I'd be pissed if I actually liked Overwatch and wanted a particular skin, only to have to play a gumball machine over and over.

Now, what may be a good idea, is something I remember LoL did. (I rarely play so I don't know how common this is). They had a lootbox-like system, but instead of skins, it was randomly selected discounts in the store. Though maybe if they did have lootboxes I could have saved myself the trouble of playing that awful game, since Ghost Bride Morgana is literally the only character I care about lol. >_>
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I voted I like all three but ONLY in two scenarios:

a) where the content being offered in lootboxes/micros is entirely cosmetic and frequently updated
b) where the game was free to play in the first place and unlocking everything via time investment is still fully possible

Like, I begrudge charging $60 for a game and then charging to unlock certain characters or game-altering weapons/boosts. I dont begrudge Overwatch for having cosmetic lootboxes, because you get every new hero for free.
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I have no problem with all three optional features.

1. DLC adds more to a game. Buy it if you want more of a game you like, don't buy it if you don't.
2. I never bother with microtransactions. I don't care about them either way.
3. I never pay for loot boxes. If they are free and earned in game like CoD and Injustice then great. Gives me more incentive to play.
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I just think Microtransactions/ Loot Boxes are a gate to things like EA did where it is pay 2 win, which should be avoided.

I say DLC only is fine. Medium or Large. No less than 1 hour DLC.
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Fuck all 3. Give me a complete game for $80 upfront. They can add more content later but the game is sold with all its current and future content. Not even a single cent extra for a costume should be allowed. The only exception should be MMOs with a monthly fee and I don't have a problem with F2P games keeping the crappy timesavers.
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mixture of the first and last option.

DLC is fine when it's actually added content and not day 1 DLC that's just stuff that's obviously cut from the main game. preorder bonuses are fine and then after a month or so sell those for like $5 or whatever. but you shouldn't have characters that are on disc and just locked out for DLC. that's a bunch of crap.

i mostly like how destiny 2 does lootboxes. were it's just cosmetic stuff that doesn't matter. but the problem is they went overboard on it. destiny 1 had it right with having raid ships and sparrows. they shouldn't have everything locked behind. at least you can slowly gain them in game without buying them. and it's just cosmetic so even if you don't even get any in game you're not at a disadvantage.

battlefront 2 is how to not do lootboxes. all the backlash they got is deserved.

microtransactions shouldn't be in any games. if it's free to play then i can see it but if you're already paying $60 for a game you shouldn't have to pay more. NBA2k is bad with it. people will spend hundreds on the game just to have thier myplayer maxed out day 1 while people that don't spend extra money takes months to raise them to max level. i know the older games you could just sim exhibition matches and get like 500 VC per game or whatever but they caught on to that and took it out. now it's 10x harder to earn VC just to entice people more to pay cash for it.

UnfairRepresent posted...

Remember when you bought a game and had a game?

Good times.

Yah, thats how it still works for me. Its awesome.

I really couldnt care less about any of the stuff listed.
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DLC only, and even then only if it's legitimate extra content.
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I don't like lootboxes, especially tiered ones, because the game creators determine what is a rare item vs a common one.

apolloooo posted...

DLC - big to medium sized ones, fine. Small one no
Microtransaction - fuck that shit
Lootboxes - wont even touch that shit with 1 kilometers pole

This exactly.
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I'd like to section it off a bit.

Non server based: Servers are only required for authentication if at all, the game is actually hosted by one of the players if multiplayer.
Microtransactions: No
Lootboxes: No
DLC: Sure, provided it's not cut content from the game like on disc DLC. I don't have a good hard rule here, but the sooner it comes out, the more it looks like cut content.

Server based: A multiplayer game that requires servers for more than authentication, like MMOs.
Microtransactions: You're getting real shady here, any currency to be bought must also be obtainable in game. Balance is key.
Lootboxes: Cosmetic is shady. Hopefully your players reward you by not buying it at all.
DLC: Sure, provided it's not cut content from the game like on disc DLC. I don't have a good hard rule here, but the sooner it comes out, the more it yada yada blah blah.

Server based with subscription: Ditto, but with a monthly fee
Microtransactions: No
Lootboxes: No
DLC: Big expansion pack DLC only.

Free to play:
Pay to win is a shitty move to make later after people have already bought in because they liked the previous non p2w model. Otherwise, feel free to do whatever, I just very likely won't play p2w.

For this I would probably classify microtransactions as buying an in game currency or quality of life upgrades(bag space), and something like a character as a cheap small DLC. This is of course a general guideline, and something like a character could still be completely OP to try pushing for money in which case I'd consider it p2w. In general, DLC is OK, and while I won't circle the wagons about p2w stuff in completely free games, I probably won't even give them a shot. Phew! This was harder to pin down than I thought, and it's likely not quite right yet. Multiple revisions already. =P

You already know where I stand. Large expansive DLC packs are fine, microtransactions/lootboxes are unacceptable in any game you paid even a penny upfront for
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DLC is actually an idea that I really like for games. It just doesn't always get used in the right way.

Lootboxes are ok as long as they're cosmetics only.

Microtransactions need to stay in f2p games.
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small dlc being passed off as expansions is the worst imo. Paradox is so fucking bad about this.
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Expansion packs are good.

Microtransactions and lootboxes are ok as long as they are not pay to win. Think Overwatch and League of Legends.
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I hated the old way dlc map packs worked, and how they split the community. In that regard, i'm ok with lootboxes as long as they are cosmetic only.
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I don't care at all. I don't spend money on DLC, MT, loot boxes, etc...If people want to partake in it, fine by me. They can do what they want with their money and they can enjoy their game anyway they see fit. Based on the huge revenue publishers make off of the practice, it's never going away so just live with it. The people who hate it will never outweigh the revenue generated by it.