Predatory microtransactions: Difference between revisions
m http to https with AutoWikiBrowser, replaced: http: → https: (5) |
→Point 1: Bias: New photo added |
||
| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
- JamesTDG --> or new content being introduced is centered around more products on the storefront that can be purchased.<ref>{{Cite news |last=King Link |date=Feb 22, 2019 |title=A discussion of microtransactions and game design. |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/a-discussion-of-microtransactions-and-game-design- |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=Game Developer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Nunley |first=Christian |date=Mar 24, 2024 |title=Why the $183 billion video game industry can’t quit microtransactions |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/24/why-the-183-billion-video-game-industry-cant-quit-microtransactions.html |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=[[CNBC]]}}</ref> | - JamesTDG --> or new content being introduced is centered around more products on the storefront that can be purchased.<ref>{{Cite news |last=King Link |date=Feb 22, 2019 |title=A discussion of microtransactions and game design. |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/a-discussion-of-microtransactions-and-game-design- |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=Game Developer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Nunley |first=Christian |date=Mar 24, 2024 |title=Why the $183 billion video game industry can’t quit microtransactions |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/24/why-the-183-billion-video-game-industry-cant-quit-microtransactions.html |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=[[CNBC]]}}</ref> | ||
This bias also has a tendency to influence features that used to be industry standard as free with the product,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petrovskaya |first=Elena |last2=Deterding |first2=Sebastian |last3=Zendle |first3=David I |date=Apr 29, 2022 |title=Prevalence and Salience of Problematic Microtransactions in Top-Grossing Mobile and PC Games: A Content Analysis of User Reviews |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.1145/3491102.3502056 |access-date=May 30, 2025 |website=CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems}}</ref> such as progression-locked content to be instead sold either in piecemeal or bundles on the storefront.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mint Blitz |date=Jan 31, 2024 |title=343 Has Gone Too Far - New Halo Infinite Update. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psAqKCIclJY |access-date=May 30, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> For example, compared to previous installments in the franchise, Halo Infinite was the first title in the franchise to solely lock cosmetics behind paywalls, and furthermore lock the ability to recolor armor behind paywalls and battle pass progression.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Santa Maria |first=Alex |date=Oct 26, 2020 |title=Halo Infinite Armor Coating Customization Controversy Addressed By 343 |url=https://screenrant.com/halo-infinite-armor-coatings-customize-color-343-response/ |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=ScreenRant}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Palm |first=Zack |date=Nov 18, 2021 |title=Halo Infinite fans are not happy about the limited Spartan color and armor customization options in multiplayer |url=https://www.gamepur.com/news/halo-infinite-fans-are-not-happy-about-the-limited-spartan-color-and-armor-customization-options |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=Gamepur}}</ref><gallery> | This bias also has a tendency to influence features that used to be industry standard as free with the product,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petrovskaya |first=Elena |last2=Deterding |first2=Sebastian |last3=Zendle |first3=David I |date=Apr 29, 2022 |title=Prevalence and Salience of Problematic Microtransactions in Top-Grossing Mobile and PC Games: A Content Analysis of User Reviews |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.1145/3491102.3502056 |access-date=May 30, 2025 |website=CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems}}</ref> such as progression-locked content to be instead sold either in piecemeal or bundles on the storefront.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mint Blitz |date=Jan 31, 2024 |title=343 Has Gone Too Far - New Halo Infinite Update. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psAqKCIclJY |access-date=May 30, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> For example, compared to previous installments in the franchise, [[Halo Infinite]] was the first title in the franchise to solely lock cosmetics behind paywalls, and furthermore lock the ability to recolor armor behind paywalls and battle pass progression.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Santa Maria |first=Alex |date=Oct 26, 2020 |title=Halo Infinite Armor Coating Customization Controversy Addressed By 343 |url=https://screenrant.com/halo-infinite-armor-coatings-customize-color-343-response/ |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=ScreenRant}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Palm |first=Zack |date=Nov 18, 2021 |title=Halo Infinite fans are not happy about the limited Spartan color and armor customization options in multiplayer |url=https://www.gamepur.com/news/halo-infinite-fans-are-not-happy-about-the-limited-spartan-color-and-armor-customization-options |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=Gamepur}}</ref><gallery> | ||
File:Fortnite Storefront MTX.jpg|The Fortnite storefront, which after the Battle Pass, is the only other way to obtain content. | File:Fortnite Storefront MTX.jpg|The Fortnite storefront, which after the Battle Pass, is the only other way to obtain content. | ||
File:HINF Shop.png|A screenshot of Halo Infinite's storefront roughly from when the game launched. | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
| Line 29: | Line 30: | ||
This has especially been documented within casual mobile games, where players are often left to wait excessively on tasks to finish, or pay to have the task be completed immediately.<ref name=":0" /> Frequently, these games have also exhibited methods that give players a "free sample" of what it feels like to skip this wait time.<ref name=":0" /><!-- Will need more example images below! --> | This has especially been documented within casual mobile games, where players are often left to wait excessively on tasks to finish, or pay to have the task be completed immediately.<ref name=":0" /> Frequently, these games have also exhibited methods that give players a "free sample" of what it feels like to skip this wait time.<ref name=":0" /><!-- Will need more example images below! --> | ||
Behaviors from operators on some [[Minecraft]] servers in particular have shown attempts to exceed the baseline pay to win model,<ref name=":5" /> such as placing high-value ranks behind a large subscription. Documented from Minecadia's network, a user has to pay ~$300 for the 2nd highest rank, and then an additional ~$50 per month for the highest rank, or pay ~$850 for the 2nd and top ranks.<ref name=":5" /> Reportedly the rank is required in order to have any advantage over other players in the Factions mode.<ref name=":5" /><gallery> | Behaviors from operators on some [[Minecraft]] servers in particular have shown attempts to exceed the baseline pay to win model,<ref name=":5" /> such as placing high-value ranks behind a large subscription. Documented from Minecadia's network, a user has to pay ~$300 for the 2nd highest rank, and then an additional ~$50 per month for the highest rank, or pay ~$850 for the 2nd and top ranks.<ref name=":5" /> Reportedly, the rank is required in order to have any advantage over other players in the Factions mode.<ref name=":5" /><gallery> | ||
File:Dungeon Keeper dark pattern.webp|An example of a game (Dungeon Keeper) enticing a consumer into spending premium currency to skip waiting on a menial task. | File:Dungeon Keeper dark pattern.webp|An example of a game (Dungeon Keeper) enticing a consumer into spending premium currency to skip waiting on a menial task. | ||
File:PVZ Shop.jpg|Content in Plants Vs. Zombies 2 that makes the game easier, but with a direct paywall | File:PVZ Shop.jpg|Content in Plants Vs. Zombies 2 that makes the game easier, but with a direct paywall | ||
| Line 35: | Line 36: | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
===Point 4: Gambling=== | ===Point 4: Gambling<!-- Grammar needs to be fixed here! -->=== | ||
A method some companies have aimed at introducing, was having content be locked behind randomness, so a consumer may get lucky and receive the cosmetic they want or worse, progression/META item that they are in need of,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Purchese |first=Robert |date=10 Oct 2017 |title=Star Wars Battlefront 2 has a loot crate problem |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/star-wars-battlefront-2-has-a-loot-crate-problem |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Robert Purchese}}</ref> but often would end up with bad luck. Often these are defined as lootboxes, however it is effectively a format of gambling,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dingman |first=Hayden |date=10 Oct 2017 |title=How loot boxes are turning full-priced PC games into pay-to-win games of chance |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/407482/loot-boxes-ruining-gaming.html |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=PCWorld}}</ref> one of which has been seen as detrimental as reports of underrage gambling addiction continue to skyrocket within these games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fahey |first=Rob |date=13 Oct 2017 |title=Thinking outside the loot box |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/thinking-outside-the-loot-box |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Games Industry}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=W. Osborne |first=Jason |date=May 25, 2023 |title=How Loot Boxes In Children’s Video Games Encourage Gambling |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonwosborne/2023/05/25/how-loot-boxes-in-childrens-video-games-encourage-gambling/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |work=Forbes}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Zendle |first=David |last2=Meyer |first2=Rachel |last3=Over |first3=Harriet |date=Jun 19, 2019 |title=Adolescents and loot boxes: links with problem gambling and motivations for purchase |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6599795/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |work=National Library of Medicine}}</ref> | A method some companies have aimed at introducing, was having content be locked behind randomness, so a consumer may get lucky and receive the cosmetic they want or worse, progression/META item that they are in need of,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Purchese |first=Robert |date=10 Oct 2017 |title=Star Wars Battlefront 2 has a loot crate problem |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/star-wars-battlefront-2-has-a-loot-crate-problem |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Robert Purchese}}</ref> but often would end up with bad luck. Often these are defined as lootboxes, however it is effectively a format of gambling,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dingman |first=Hayden |date=10 Oct 2017 |title=How loot boxes are turning full-priced PC games into pay-to-win games of chance |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/407482/loot-boxes-ruining-gaming.html |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=PCWorld}}</ref> one of which has been seen as detrimental as reports of underrage gambling addiction continue to skyrocket within these games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fahey |first=Rob |date=13 Oct 2017 |title=Thinking outside the loot box |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/thinking-outside-the-loot-box |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Games Industry}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=W. Osborne |first=Jason |date=May 25, 2023 |title=How Loot Boxes In Children’s Video Games Encourage Gambling |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonwosborne/2023/05/25/how-loot-boxes-in-childrens-video-games-encourage-gambling/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |work=Forbes}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Zendle |first=David |last2=Meyer |first2=Rachel |last3=Over |first3=Harriet |date=Jun 19, 2019 |title=Adolescents and loot boxes: links with problem gambling and motivations for purchase |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6599795/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |work=National Library of Medicine}}</ref> | ||