Concerned About Microtransactions, IAPs, or Freeium games on PS4

[dean290000]

I have been using my Tablet a good bit while waiting for quality games for the PS4 that interest me. There are a lot of really fun games that basically are pay to win. I am now officially boycotting any type of Freeium games no matter how balanced they make the in game purchases.

I already feel like I am paying $60 for incomplete games since DLC is out on Day 1 for these games. I have much less tolerance for in game transactions for consoles than I do for Android/IOS apps. There are literally millions of apps for these devices and you have a lot more choices. The fact that the new Gran Turismo for the PS3 is very pricey for add on cars is not a good sign.

I do believe the problem is that video games seem to be much more mainstream these days so developers are trying to basically trick people into spending more money on upgrades and nickel and dime them until they make more money off the in game purchases than it would if people paid $40 up front for the full game.

I really hope that Sony and 3rd party developers don't try to get overly greedy. I don't mind paying extra for high quality DLC since games are still $60 but I will not support ay games that basically require you to pay to win. This model can also be very unfair in multiplayer games.

I hope a lot of other people fight this In Game Purchases models and do not support it. The only way this trend will end is if enough gamers say NO to this model.

Dean

 

[Oberon]

If a game offers ingame purchases as a quicker way to get things as an alternative to unlocking as you play thats OK as some people dont have enough time to play all games all the time to unlock them as you progress.
So yeah,if you can get it by playing too then thats fine.
But its not good if certains items are ONLY available via ingame purchases,in that I mean superior items that make it easier win,if its cosmetic only like camo/patches etc for FPS games and paint colors/ wheels etc for car racing games thats fine too.
Just NOT if it gives you an edge to win,that would be unfair.

 

[sidd230]

The only company that does Freemium right is Valve. See Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2. These games have an amazing amount of content you can buy but everything is cosmetic.

 

[dean290000]

The only company that does Freemium right is Valve. See Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2. These games have an amazing amount of content you can buy but everything is cosmetic.

I know some companies are trying to find a "fair balance" but I have not seen it yet and the fact that they writer many of the programs to play faster so people play more and need more in game currency greatly losers quality.

My stance may not be fair but I will not buy any games that have IAPs unless they are only cosmetic such as an special avatar or skins.

I really think this is a phase that is going to get pushed down our throats until enough gamers say NO. I really do like Console gaming but I would go back to upgrading my graphics card every year or two and putting in a new mainboard every couple of years if PCs become the last outlet for pay and get the full game model.

Dean

 

[dean290000]

Has anyone looked into those Steam consoles that are coming out? I have not paid attention but from what I saw they were basically a PC in a video game form factor where you buy all the games through Steam. This could be a real threat to the other console makers in the future especially if Steam continues to have great bargains and a lot of full games for great prices.

I do not believe there was ever a game on the PC that out did The Last of Us, Uncharted, and other in overall game play (I know PC can win in graphics) but I could see just hanging onto the PS4 for only exclusives and the Steam system being a viable alternative to the PS3/Xbone especially if both get too greedy.

 

[blackbagel]

I think that Dota 2 did a fantastic job to find the "fair balance" your talking about. They have all the champions unlocked unlike League of Legends where you have to buy the champions. Also they only have the cosmetic items which you can get from paying which doesn't change the game play. You can even get the cosmetic things for playing the game because they give it for free every once in a while which you can trade to get your cosmetic item you like. These things really make it so that Valve really has found a fair balance for the the paying thing. Paying users get cosmetic item that don't affect game play but also free users can get them. Also Valve gets the money to maintain the game.