Microtransactions: Players and publishers at odds
2017 was for many the year of loot boxes and microtransactions.
The insane success of Overwatch in 2016 opened a dangerous door: Overwatch is a Buy2Play game with a cash shop and has made a fortune with loot boxes. Others wanted that in 2017 as well.
2017 – the year of loot boxes
2017 became the year in which boundaries and taboos were broken – the balance shifted increasingly in favor of the industry, until at the end of 2017 a backlash occurred, punishing titles like Star Wars Battlefront 2.
2018 will not bring the end of loot boxes, but it will be the year in which publishers and players will be sensitive and thin-skinned about the issue. In every game, critics will look at:
- What kind of monetization system is running here?
- How do they want my money?
- Is that really okay with me?
This will lead to 2018 being the year of the shitstorm. Players are suspicious of the large corporations and studios. They’ve got the war axe out and placed it beside the chair so that it is readily available as soon as something upsets them.
Shitstorms have proven successful in the past, and players have taken note: The shitstorm is a tool that works. It just has to be big enough for the general-interest press to jump on, and players get their way.
2018 – The year of the shitstorm?
The atmosphere in the forums is toxic. Maybe this is a trend that will fade over time. However: Probably, it will not diminish because publishers give in, but because gamers are getting used to microtransactions more and more.
You can already see a numbing: Things that were unthinkable three years ago – “A cash shop in a full-price title” – have now arrived at: “Well, as long as it’s just cosmetic.” The boundary will continue to shift.
You can already see that a younger generation of online gamers have no problem with loot boxes, while older players are still climbing the walls. But how often can you climb such a wall?
