Current Events > When it comes to microtransactions, lootboxes, DLC and paywalls...

(+) Yeah! (+)

What is the counter to the argument As production values, size and scope have increased, games have become vastly more expensive to make while the retail price has remained at the same $50-$60 bucks for decades, so they need to recoup those expenses somehow.
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way more people are buying games than ever before?
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Don't make a Games as a Service title.

Or if people don't want those things they shouldn't buy Games as a Service titles.
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I didn't ask for developers to make games stupidly costly. They can still make games that dont break the bank but have significant polish. How bout you make some good fucking games and not blow a shitton of money on stupid shit like celebrity actors?
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They could always raise game prices to $70-80 and things that would be DLC get included. Plus things patches fix could be already added in.
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Blue_Inigo posted...

I didn't ask for developers to make games stupidly costly. They can still make games that dont break the bank but have significant polish. How bout you make some good fucking games and not blow a shitton of money on stupid shit like celebrity actors?

This

There are lots of games this gen that did not have microtransaction crap and were also successful because development costs were kept reasonable

Big publishers are just chasing that GTA money and in the process spending GTA money developing games
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Strider102 posted...

They could always raise game prices to $70-80 and things that would be DLC get included. Plus things patches fix could be already added in.

Ubisoft does that right? I did that with Hitman 2.

Then the risk you're taking is that you're buying content you know nothing about. But personally I'm fine with this if it's a great game from a developer I trust.
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Blue_Inigo posted...

I didn't ask for developers to make games stupidly costly. They can still make games that dont break the bank but have significant polish. How bout you make some good fucking games and not blow a shitton of money on stupid shit like celebrity actors?

GTA V is way, way, WAY bigger and WAY more detailed than the PS2 GTA games and only cost $10 more at release.

As the years pass, our standards and expectations of being impressed by video game achievements get higher and higher.
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I think the biggest reason this excuse doesn't really work is that it doesn't stop a game from flopping. Look at Anthem. Microtransactions won't save that game.

At most it should be used to keep supporting games like Rainbow Six Siege and Overwatch years after release. It makes sense then. But for stuff like Shadow of War they're just trying to make more money.

I actually don't have an issue with GTAV either. GTA Online has all of the microtransaction stuff and still gets content but the single player game remains its own thing that's overall traditional.
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games don't need to cost that much
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All the companies are publically traded, which means they are legally required to make their financial history part of the public record. According to their own financials the cost of development has stayed roughly the same for the last 10-15 years. So the claim that microtransactions are needed to makeup costs is an outright lie. It is nothing more then pure corporate greed.
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In general, people have a hard time contextualizing costs that aren't raw material costs (many complaints about overpriced things comes from a "Here's what the components cost!" argument).
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The best game I played this year was made by 3 guys in a shed and came with a handful of free DLC packs.

Maybe Rockstar should try evolving their shooting mechanics and less time on getting celebrities to voice act walking to the mission scenes.
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The thing is there are ways to have included this stuff this whole time without being complete scum lords about it. Random chance shit with no safety net, artificial lengthening of games to encourage spending, time gates in $60 games, etc are all some of the biggest problems in the climate. If they had been fair from the start rather than try to squeeze out every possible dollar, we might not be here.

EffectAndCause posted...

What is the counter to the argument As production values, size and scope have increased, games have become vastly more expensive to make while the retail price has remained at the same $50-$60 bucks for decades, so they need to recoup those expenses somehow.

God of War

Incredible production values, size and scope. Zero paid DLC. Sold 10 million units. Make a great game that isn't some half-assed attempt to nickle-and-dime the consumer with a neverending gameplay loop based on "loot" and people WILL buy it.

EffectAndCause posted...

Blue_Inigo posted...

I didn't ask for developers to make games stupidly costly. They can still make games that dont break the bank but have significant polish. How bout you make some good fucking games and not blow a shitton of money on stupid shit like celebrity actors?

GTA V is way, way, WAY bigger and WAY more detailed than the PS2 GTA games and only cost $10 more at release.

As the years pass, our standards and expectations of being impressed by video game achievements get higher and higher.

GTA5 is one of the most popular pieces of entertainment ever. It didn't need microtransactions to profit.

And like I said before, I didn't ask for developers to balloon the costs of making games. They add microtransactions for greed
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PokemonYoutube posted...

EffectAndCause posted...

What is the counter to the argument As production values, size and scope have increased, games have become vastly more expensive to make while the retail price has remained at the same $50-$60 bucks for decades, so they need to recoup those expenses somehow.

God of War

Incredible production values, size and scope. Zero paid DLC. Sold 10 million units. Make a great game that isn't some half-assed attempt to nickle-and-dime the consumer with a neverending gameplay loop based on "loot" and people WILL buy it.

I wish. So many great games have flopped this generation.
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Darmik posted...

PokemonYoutube posted...

EffectAndCause posted...

What is the counter to the argument As production values, size and scope have increased, games have become vastly more expensive to make while the retail price has remained at the same $50-$60 bucks for decades, so they need to recoup those expenses somehow.

God of War

Incredible production values, size and scope. Zero paid DLC. Sold 10 million units. Make a great game that isn't some half-assed attempt to nickle-and-dime the consumer with a neverending gameplay loop based on "loot" and people WILL buy it.

I wish. So many great games have flopped this generation.

Such is the nature of the market. Some things sell, some things dont. Still, a single player game without microtransactions can sell gangbusters
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Blue_Inigo posted...

Such is the nature of the market. Some things sell, some things dont. Still, a single player game without microtransactions can sell gangbusters

It can but it needs to be long and broadly appealing. Which does limit with a AAA game can be.

But that doesn't mean microtransactions are a solution. They aren't.
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