10 Bullsh*t Video Game Mechanics You Had To Go With

8. Slot Machine Loot Boxes - Need For Speed: Payback

Microtransactions are somewhat infuriatingly, here to stay. When done well they're a way to support a dedicated workforce keeping servers online, managing digital storefronts and tweaking the balance of competitive multiplayer.

When they're outright ridiculous though, is the likes of Need for Speed: Payback or NBA 2K20, where money-grubby publishers thought the best way to address the increasing pressure around loot boxes and gambling, was to make in-game casinos.

In both these titles your upgrade paths are resigned to literal slot machines. Slot machines powered by coins acquired from microtransactions.

Thankfully the backlash was immense and on the NFS side, Payback tanked, with the response to both these implementations being nothing but disgust.