Camaldinho
Cam
- 20 February 2019
Spot on.That's not right – not "no one". Plenty of people have compulsive spending problems, relevant mental health issues, and gambling addictions. Many who fit into these categories, who pick up this game, will end up spending big money on it – often to personal detriment, debt, etc.
That is how the F2P industry thrives. It is inherently predatory and exploitative, and it manages to generate goodwill nonetheless from those who just see it as "hey it's free! and if people want to spend on it then they can choose to", like it's just the wonderful work of the free marketplace allowing us all to express our autonomy.
No, it's scummy. Look at what they're actually doing: 33 quid on a starter pack; match pass (i.e. battle pass) also to come soon after (what, in the region of £10-20 quid?); content that wipes out after a year; and paid gacha elements (which they've leaned into with the naming conventions now: "Chance deal!"), in a game that has a battle pass (pretty rare, pretty scummy).
I don't spend on loot boxes or cosmetics. The only DLC I buy in games is extra story or mission content for single-player titles, if it's worth it. So I'm absolutely not the target market for these sorts of predatory pricing mechanisms, but that doesn't mean all is okay, just because I won't personally be exploited. Others, by bad luck, are not constituted the same way or are in circumstances that incline them to spend, even though they don't really want to. Others still are children. This is a game marketed to children.
So without yet being shown official gameplay, they're already using a FOMO tactic to reel in those who struggle to say no: pay this chunk of money early, and you can get off to a great start! Implication: if you don't buy this, you will struggle in the early stages. It may well be false, but the insidiously implanted idea is that you'll be much better off if you buy. Same with battle pass rewards.
These are the real problems with this business model, and we should absolutely call it out for what it is – not just be content with our own lack of spend if we're fortunate enough not to get exploited.
Correct me if I am wrong but this is the first title I've seen take Microtransactions as a Pre-Order bonus (Without the Game, as that is free)? And at a very high price point to go with it.
The game will launch with no microtransactions, so I just don't understand why this bundle is relevant to its release, despite the actual use of microtransactions will come in Mid-November.