Microtransactions have slowly become a common occurrence in full-price releases and no longer exclusive to free-to-play mobile games. This is a depressing notion and it seems like publishers are desperate to eke out every last penny from the consumer even if it causes negative publicity. Despite the public outrage, it seems many users are purchasing micro-transactions in large numbers. Unbelievably, Halo 5 has already grossed $500,000 in micro-transactions alone. This happened in a one week period and makes for fairly shocking reading.
Clearly, publishers continue to implement micro-transactions because they are financially successful. In Halo 5’s case, you can spend real money to acquire REQ packs for various multiplayer modes. The pricing ranges between $2-$25 although they can be unlocked through normal gameplay. On another note, a proportion of micro-transactions helps to fund the Halo World Championship prize pool. This might explain why the sales of Halo’s micro-transactions are so high. However, it’s important to remember only a small amount is put towards the prize fund.
It’s almost become acceptable for micro-transactions to be in full price games providing they are optional or cosmetic. Personally, I just find it quite distasteful and usually wait for a price drop if they are incorporated on a mass scale.
Have you ever purchased a micro-transaction?
