10 Ways The Video Game Industry Takes Advantage Of Its Biggest Fans

1. Putting Micro-Transactions In Full Priced Games

The worst example of them all, and perhaps the single more abused practice in the history of video games, micro-transactions have helped single-handedly redefine the definition of exploitation. However, like many of the examples on this list, they aren€™t inherently a bad thing; after all, they allow free-to-play games to make money without having to rely on advertisement. Like crowdfunding campaigns and early access games, micro-transactions remain a good idea, but only in theory.

They€™ve actually been around a long time, mostly on mobile devices; it€™s only when they started making the jump to console gaming that they became really problematic. Everything from Dragon Age: Inquisition to Train Simulator has started to include them, so much so that EA Vice President Peter Moore stated in 2012 that all games within five years would incorporate micro-transactions in some way or another. The sad thing is, with the way we're going, he looks to be on point, and that€™s a scary thought.

Besides anything else, asking players to pay full price for a game and then expecting them to continually purchase new content is just insulting. In €œFree-to-play€ games, or €œFee-to-Pay€ as they€™ve been relabelled, it€™s a mere annoyance that should probably be expected; you can€™t really complain too much about a free game pestering you for money. In a AAA title that€™s already made you folk out £60/£50, you are well within your right to feel utterly betrayed.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments!

Contributor
Contributor

Formerly an assistant editor, Richard's interests include detective fiction and Japanese horror movies.