No Microtransactions or Loot Boxes in our Next RPG Says Obsidian

DooKey

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According to a post by Obsidian over in their forums there will not be any microtransactions or loot boxes in their upcoming RPG. This is something all of use can get behind and it's good to see a company with such a good reputation put this out there right off the bat. I know I'll be buying the next RPG they put out and this is just icing on the cake for me. Good going, Obsidian!

We also wanted to say a word about our partnership with Private Division, our publisher on this title. Far from “pushing” us to put anything -- microtransactions or otherwise -- into our game, Private Division has been incredibly supportive of our vision, our creative freedom, and the process by which we work to make RPGs.
 
There is room for both. The problem is when you execute microtransactions or loot boxes in such a way to be predatory to your consumer is it negative. Again, look at Warframe. The only thing you can't earn with a small handful of cosmetics (maybe 0.01% of the cosmetics).
 
Some game companies still make money by creating good content and being upfront with their customers. It's not a corporate bait and switch and keeps consumers loyal and willing to lay down that cash on launch. Not all companies aspire to this standard, due to mismanagement and fiduciary duties taking priority over the actual product. While large names typically guarantee a certain return on investment, consumers are more able today to sift through poor products due to market saturation.

There's also the fine line that some people REALLY LIKE loot boxes. Not everyone screams out bloody murder when they get the option to boost their game experience through payments. A LOT of gamers are being weened into this archetype due to mobile games they have access to at younger ages.

Regardless, I'm all for the legacy model of releasing your full product at the set price, and actual dlc that isn't just cut from the original product, released down the line, is an acceptable form of game delivery. Now there can be reasons and limitations that cause games to be spliced in development, delivering what should have been day 1 content at a later date, but this would obviously be the anomaly in such a system. Having a game like battlefield, that splits its player base into various expansions is the end result of so much disjointed release pandering.
 
MT and loot boxes do not belong in any kind of game. It is even worse when they are put into single player games.it is nothing but pure greed. These companies don't give a fuck about the consumer so why should we give a fuck about them?
 
Retail price at release of their next RPG will be $115.99 :sneaky:

Go back and look at what some of the Genesis carts cost, adjusted for inflation...

I would be HAPPY to pay $120 for a "AAA" game, if it didn't have ANY microtransactions! As it stands, if a games DOES include them, I won't play it even if it's FREE! I have better things to do with my life than grind for the sake of grinding...and no one can argue with a straight face that modern games dont alter the difficulty or the length of time you have to play to encourage microtransaction purchases!

genesiscatalog-inflation-adjusted.jpg
 
I have never liked the idea of loot boxes because you pay for something that could help or just be a complete waste. Let the play pay for what they want. With that being said its the perfect fit for the F2P model of gaming but for full priced AAA titles this MT and LB model should not be in place because you payed for the game already.

The F2P Titles: These games have these in place so they can release the game and anyone on earth who DLs the game can play it no charge, if they want to invest the time and move at a normal pace then paying for different items will fit and you can support the dev.

AAA titles: You full price pay for, they get the money right off the top and for the most part you pay for the game to play. You support the dev buy paying to play. DLC (meaning expansions and extra content not cosmetics) is continued support for the game and dev. That's the fundamental difference to me.
 
Go back and look at what some of the Genesis carts cost, adjusted for inflation...

I would be HAPPY to pay $120 for a "AAA" game, if it didn't have ANY microtransactions! As it stands, if a games DOES include them, I won't play it even if it's FREE! I have better things to do with my life than grind for the sake of grinding...and no one can argue with a straight face that modern games dont alter the difficulty or the length of time you have to play to encourage microtransaction purchases!

genesiscatalog-inflation-adjusted.jpg
Don't forget those games were also like only a couple hours long if you were lucky. Now days people complain if you only have an 8 hour single player campaign and no MP.
 
I don't have a problem with cosmetic-only microtransactions like in League of Legends.

I do have a problem with other kinds of microtransactions. Even if the developer is upfront and noting that "It's not designed around the MTX" I can't help the feeling that it was made more grindy with the hope that players will be pushed into a purchase is there. DLC, too, is a double-edged sword that sometimes feels like the game might've been watered down from the original for milking those gamer teets.


EA milking gamer's teets into a little saucer.
 
Go back and look at what some of the Genesis carts cost, adjusted for inflation...

I would be HAPPY to pay $120 for a "AAA" game, if it didn't have ANY microtransactions! As it stands, if a games DOES include them, I won't play it even if it's FREE! I have better things to do with my life than grind for the sake of grinding...and no one can argue with a straight face that modern games dont alter the difficulty or the length of time you have to play to encourage microtransaction purchases!

genesiscatalog-inflation-adjusted.jpg
Yes you going to pay $120 and still have MT. Companies make way too much money to give it up. Only way to stop it is to boycott and game that pushes this crap.
 
Yes you going to pay $120 and still have MT. Companies make way too much money to give it up. Only way to stop it is to boycott and game that pushes this crap.

I, personally won't have MT. If a game has MT, I won't buy. PERIOD. FULL STOP. If I end up playing only indies and 20 year old games from now until I die, I am perfectly fine with that. It's their move, and I applaud Obsidian for being the first out with this stance. If EA, Blactivision, or Ubisoft dont follow suit, they won't get my money (or that of MANY other gamers). Enough is enough, and I think the so called "mainstream" gamer has put their collective foot down after Battlefront 2 and Destiny 2. We will see.
 
Yes you going to pay $120 and still have MT. Companies make way too much money to give it up. Only way to stop it is to boycott and game that pushes this crap.

Yup, I have a full boycott that went into effect earlier this year. No Battlefront 2, no more CoD, no more Assasin's Creed, no more Destiny. I am DONE with MT. Not only is it insulting to have them with their hands out for more money after I just spent $60-$100 for the "full" game, but I have noticed that the gameplay has been altered. They MAKE SURE you have to grind endlessly if you don't want to pay! NO THANK YOU!
 
Yes you going to pay $120 and still have MT. Companies make way too much money to give it up. Only way to stop it is to boycott and game that pushes this crap.
Boycotts have basically never worked on any game ever since the vast majority of buyers don't care and will buy it anyway. Governments threatening to classify lootboxes as gambling has made them sweat though.
 
Go back and look at what some of the Genesis carts cost, adjusted for inflation...
but the industry is larger now so it should cost less... at least that's the logic people against higher prices use... in general I agree folks are bit whiney, I think it has something to do with getting older and more responsible with money, deep down we realize "games" are not worth much money, so we moan and groan about prices... either way, microtranactions/loot-boxes can still go suck a fuck...
 
Go back and look at what some of the Genesis carts cost, adjusted for inflation...

I would be HAPPY to pay $120 for a "AAA" game, if it didn't have ANY microtransactions! As it stands, if a games DOES include them, I won't play it even if it's FREE! I have better things to do with my life than grind for the sake of grinding...and no one can argue with a straight face that modern games dont alter the difficulty or the length of time you have to play to encourage microtransaction purchases!

genesiscatalog-inflation-adjusted.jpg



chkncolor.jpg


CHAKAN which was a short comic series by RAK
 
but the industry is larger now so it should cost less... at least that's the logic people against higher prices use... in general I agree folks are bit whiney, I think it has something to do with getting older and more responsible with money, deep down we realize "games" are not worth much money, so we moan and groan about prices... either way, microtranactions/loot-boxes can still go suck a fuck...

Games back then took 20 or so individuals to make, and cost FAR less than what is spent on a "Call of Duty" or similar game. Budgets now are in the 10s and 100s of millions. Games SHOULD cost more than they do, which is why the industry, facing resistance to higher prices, went down the road of DLC and microtransactions. Either we pay more for the games than we do UP FRONT, or they will find ways to monetize the back end.
 
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