Well I guess we're talking about microtransactions again. Its not because I'm auditioning for the league of extraordinary dead horse beaters, but rather because there's a lot of it being declared lately alongside the same excuse. Its funny how corporate excuses are often regarded as "damage control", and yet they more often then not can be torn apart and make them look ever worse standing as liars... or at least more shady at least. The excuse to allow microtransactions is always the same: "It doesn't effect game or game balance." This can sometimes be followed up by who they're for, and sometimes it quite hilariously contradicts. The best example is that the micro-transactions only exist to "speed up" unlockables for busy players. This argument defeats itself, when we all know of an entire genre that essentially exists on this mentality as one of the worst offenders of money grabbing. However even with that set aside, I'd like to argue that it actually does effect the game, and it does effect us as consumers, and maybe it even does effect game balance and you're just making it really subtle.
Here's a thing to note: Metal Gear Solid 5 is selling player a tuxedo for Big Boss. For those unfamiliar with this, you may be shrugging and wondering what the big deal is. Afterall, its just a costume that looks like this, or this. Oh wait, that doesn't look like MGS5 did it? That's because its been in the series for a long time as a secret sort of unlockable for big fans to get, and there you see it in its free but earned status. In MGS5 it seems you can only acquire it by real cash and a trip to the PSN (or whatever platform you own) store. Does it effect the game's balance? Not that I'm aware of, its just a suit. Does it effect the game? Ask these guys who made a whole thread dedicated to this gaming treat. Alternate costumes are traditionally extras that have been unlocked, earned, or simply
stumbled onto as a little treat to fans with a sense of humor. Its an extra bit of fun, where the artist or director can put something fun and non-cannon into the game and let the players discover. Some even have small stories behind them. R&C had one skin that went from a fun little inside joke, to being a small memorial piece that makes its way into pretty much every game. Oh, and that has a traditional tux suit as well, but hopefully we wont see that slip out of place to.
Extra content like this is what helps to make games special. Extras used to be a standard thing in practically any game that cared, and even to this day you'll often see some top tier or "fun" focused games containing it. It usually ties into extra content as well, like collecting masks in Sly Cooper 4 for new canes and character skins, or post-end cheats in Uncharted. Its takes completionist fodder, and instead turns it into fan rewards that people can enjoy. It adds replay value, humor, and just general fun to a game. Well guess what? Thanks to current culture, your lucky if that's all that's held back. Pre-order bonuses, Uplay syncing, season passes, and Microtransactions all step in to tell you this stuff is a separate deal now. That does effect the gameplay, and I'm tired of the excuse that tells us otherwise just because players aren't literally paying to win. However it does mean that there's less extras, less to unlock, and less incentives. At the end of the day, I would definitely say that MGS5 lacks secret costumes like the tux, and now its clear why.
The funny thing of course is that at the end of that day, micro-transactions don't bother me so much. I made an article defending fighter games, Shadow Fall, and others on such a thing. People loved moaning about being "nickel and dimed" over later cosmetic stuff, and that baffled me. I used to love checking the LBP add-on page for little extras like that, or seeing Killzone content hit Uncharted 2 as DLC. I love seeing games get long term support, and knowing there is a caring team supplying that. However its the exact opposite case in situations like this. Now more than ever, we're seeing this stuff planned and cut out ahead of time, and then showing up at launch or really damn close. Meanwhile even Shadow Fall, a game that had this model ideal in place as DLC revenue, didn't even launch with the audacity of say Evolve or MGS where microtransactions were built in from the start. I think things have taken a downhill turn at this point, and developers and publishers are indeed charging us for content that should be there. They shouldn't be coming up with arbitrary grinds for us to pay our way out of, nor launch day skins for us to purchase, those should be part of what comes with the game. Instead they're being ripped out now, and sold to us even when we know they've been with the game, or the entire franchise, for so long. Its a fun harmless extra, now soul-sucked into another cash grab exploit, and that's why I'm saying something about it. Its an abuse I wont support, and I urge others to treat it the same.
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| Here its done right |
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