God, please. (Gaming)

by Avateur , Friday, August 26, 2016, 03:34 (3012 days ago) @ Kermit

Maybe with COH2 it's like a small subscription fee I can pay when I feel like? I am in it mostly for the online modes, and it's nice to give them money once in a while for what I feel is a great product.

DX:MD just... doesn't justify its micros at first past. I dunno.

I dunno either. I don't know where greed ends and survival kicks in. Seems like there are more big games that cost more than ever to make, and I don't know what the market will bear. I know Halo's longevity lessened under Bungie's oversight. A few years ago there seemed to be quite a bit of debate over what was sustainable. Where creativity and commerce meet is often messy and less than ideal from either perspective (investors want profits on a schedule, and creatives want flexibility). I certainly don't have the answer.

I think you both may be on to something on the feeling of "justified" microtransactions when a game first launches. I feel like the "subscription fee" argument is how a lot of people look at microtransactions if it's a game they really enjoy. I really enjoy Destiny, but I'll never give Bungie a penny of microtransaction money. At the same time, I have friends who do and have described it to me like paying a fee since there isn't a monthly sub fee like with some other MMOs from back in the day (or current). I can't get behind that idea personally, but I understand the mentality. It's whatever to me.

I also really love Overwatch. It has microtransactions that I don't necessarily agree with due to the gambling nature of it all, which is also what I'm completely against in Destiny. All the same, I can play Overwatch all day long and not care about what my loot boxes give me. I know Blizzard is making a profit on this game and would be even without the microtransactions. All future updates are free, and patches come quite often. I'm pleased, even if their microtransaction model blows.

And as for Halo, Bungie clocked out I think somewhere during or after Halo 3. They were contractually obligated to make ODST and Reach, which I feel now were Destiny test-mechanic games. Doesn't mean they didn't make them with love or care, but I don't think future success and sustainability was necessarily a major concern. I could be totally wrong on that, but I'm just going on personal observation (especially with how Bungie seemed to cut out competitive play so hard after 3). I'm not sure where greed/survival apply to the Halo/Bungie argument.