Megalith
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Activision was granted a patent this month for a system it uses to convince people in multiplayer games to purchase items for a game through microtransactions: in one implementation, the system may include a microtransaction engine that arranges matches to influence game-related purchases. The microtransaction engine may match a more expert/marquee player with a junior player to encourage the junior player to make game-related purchases of items possessed/used by the marquee player. Thanks cageymaru.
The system can also drop players into matches that will make use of an in-game-related purchase, according to the patent. "Doing so may enhance a level of enjoyment by the player for the game-related purchase, which may encourage future purchases," according to the patent. "For example, if the player purchased a particular weapon, the microtransaction engine may match the player in a gameplay session in which the particular weapon is highly effective, giving the player an impression that the particular weapon was a good purchase. This may encourage the player to make future purchases to achieve similar gameplay results."
The system can also drop players into matches that will make use of an in-game-related purchase, according to the patent. "Doing so may enhance a level of enjoyment by the player for the game-related purchase, which may encourage future purchases," according to the patent. "For example, if the player purchased a particular weapon, the microtransaction engine may match the player in a gameplay session in which the particular weapon is highly effective, giving the player an impression that the particular weapon was a good purchase. This may encourage the player to make future purchases to achieve similar gameplay results."