(Rant) Micro-transactions and F2P games

Discussion in 'Gaming' started by Mrlegitislegit, Feb 2, 2014.

  1. Right now, lots and lots of games seem to be coming out with micro-transactions or as F2P games. Now, this isn't bad if its done right, but it seems lots of games, mostly on mobile platforms, are doing this horribly. To start this off, I'm going to look at two games they both are F2P and have micro-transactions, but do them well. These two games are Team Fortress 2 and a new game on Steam called Loadout.

    In TF2, you can find every single weapon in the game simply by playing the game, as you get an item drop every 30 minutes or so. Without paying for anything in TF2, you can play every gamemode on any server. The only thing you need to pay for is Mann Up mode on MVM, but you can still play the Boot Camp mode, which just doesn't have the botkiller weapons at the end, but plays exactly the same. The only things you can buy with micro-transactions are cosmetics, Mann Up tickets, and if you want, you can also buy the same weapons that you can get from item drops.

    In Loadout, you have four types of weapons that you have from the very start, but you can upgrade your guns with parts. You buy these parts with an in-game currency that you get not by paying real world money for, but by just playing the game. Like TF2, the only thing micro-transactions buy are cosmetics that have no effect on the game. Well, you can also buy XP boosters, which will boost the amount of XP you get from playing the game, but from what I've seen so far, the XP doesn't do much than just leveling your character.

    Now for some bad examples, AKA, most free games on mobile platforms. Most free games on mobile platforms make their money off of either micro-transactions or ads. Some games do this well, lots of games do this badly. Lots of these games are P2W, or Pay 2 Win, meaning that yes, you can play the game without paying, but you will really only get anywhere by PAYING the company money. This is just bullcrap, why should I have pay to win a game that you gave away for free? If you're going to have micro-transactions, have it so those micro-transactions are still something I might want to pay for, but don't make them so I NEED to pay for them to win the game. Another thing that makes me mad is when a game has both micro-transactions AND ads. This is even more bullcrap, first I have to watch ads, AND I need to pay to essentially win the game! But even worse than that is when there are games which you pay for, but still have micro-transactions AND ads! When I pay retail price (Around 60$ for non-mobile games, around 5$ for mobile) for a game, I should expect that the game will have everything ready to be used, without having to need to pay for it or watch ads! Sure, you can offer me DLC as long as I don't need it to play the game, but don't offer me micro-transactions for stuff that I shouldn't have to pay for!

    In short, it games lots of games, mostly on mobile platforms, are doing this, and they aren't doing it well, so I say everyone of us should in a way "boycott" these games, you can play them, just don't buy the micro-transactions, don't allow these companies to survive with this bullcrap business model which seems to be slowly taking over the industry.

    Annnnd Nerd3's video

    Warning, has swears.

  2. All of my yes
    I hate how they put these games as "free to play" when really it's a pay to play game. Adverts in games don't bother me because it's doesn't really effect the game apart from stopping it for a few seconds. But micro transactions that you need to win just bother me u.u I mean, companies might as well just charge for their game instead of constantly charging their players.

    I knew NerdCubed was going to come into this at some point, I love him because he makes amazing points and he just challenges the gaming industry.
    princebee likes this.
  3. Yeah, it would be easier to just charge full price for their app, but I guess they figure they can make more by charging for features.
  4. You wrote even wrose instead of even worse:)I saw nothing.

    I completely agree with you. When there are games I have to pay for I would not expect it to have any sorts off in-app purchases, except very maybe to get some more in-game money. But very maybe.
    Choongjae likes this.
  5. They say "Free to Play." Doesn't mean you'll succeed, or have fun, or really get anything out of the experience. You'll get to play, to be sure, but that's pretty much all.

    But hey, microtransactions are the future.
  6. The future? What do you mean by that?
  7. You saw nothing.
    607 likes this.
  8. Fixed it;)
  9. I mean that your primary method of consuming virtual interactive experiences will be through microtransactions. In the future.

    It's more profitable, and it's better for the consumer because they decide how much of the game they want.
  10. :eek:
    I do not like that!

    I hope Nintendo won't make any huge mistakes...
  11. Regardless of internal bias, you do like it. Imagine if you could just buy the multiplayer of Call of Duty. Instead of paying $60 for the full game, you only spend $20 on the features you like.
    607 likes this.
  12. Yeah, I know... Thanks for showing how you see that. But for me it isn't fun to have to stop and fill in credit card information or call my parents in the middle of a game.
  13. I got this really cool game on my phone. Then I found out that I need to be able to pay money in order to be able to even get close to wining. I agree with you
  14. Candy crusher did this to me... I got it, played through first 35 levels then told me I had to complete a 3 day quest thing to continue or pay .99 to unlock the next 35, well guess what I did?....
    Bro_im_infinite likes this.
  15. Deleted the game?
    Bro_im_infinite likes this.
  16. No I paid for the next 35 levels xD
    Bro_im_infinite likes this.
  17. Oops, lol'd when I'm maybe supposed to be asleep:p
  18. Dude, do you realize that those links don't work... please delete your post.