Microtransactions in AAA Video Games – Are They Really Necessary?

Abstract

Video games, unlike other forms of media, are a business; money makes the world go round. However, the video game industry is a very unstable place in the eyes of the developers. Initially starting out as low budget projects running on the most basic of hardware, the advances in technology and rising demands from gamers result in a rise in costs for development. The downside is that the price of video games have stayed stagnant throughout the years. Therefore, a switch to using microtransactions may seem like the best option, but then again it may actually have some detrimental effect on the industry and the people who play. This paper will reflect back on how microtransactions in video games came about and the backlash they have on certain AAA games. The selected AAA titles covered in this paper have been released between late 2018 and early 2019 and will look at the various monetary features that have gained criticism from journalists and fans.

Keywords

• microtransactions, games, computer games, video games, AAA games, in-game purchases, real world currency