10 Promising Video Games Totally Ruined By Microtransactions

In a move that ultimately resulted in one of 2016’s most controversial gaming conundrums, Square Enix opted to institute a weird system which promised to unlock a set of tiered rewards based on how many people pre-ordered Deus Ex: Mankind Divided in the months leading up to its August 23 launch.

That didn’t go down well at all, and the publisher was eventually forced to rescind these purchased-based pre-order bonuses in the wake of an overwhelming consumer backlash. Unfortunately, they didn’t opt to backpedal on the game’s annoying microtransactions which offered a surplus of useful in-game items for a real-world premium. A very clear instance of pay-to-win, this inclusion was curious given the game’s single-player nature.

Once again, Square Enix claimed that the inclusion of such microtransactions were intended to expedite the experience for time-crunched gamers, but that excuse, as always, fell flat. Monetization schemes like these cheapen the gaming experience and diminish any sense of player accomplishment, despite what most AAA publishers have to say.

Companies like Square Enix have long praised themselves for retaining the $60 price point of most releases, but these egregious microtransactions call that logic into question somewhat.