Microtransactions, my fair lady.
By revenantkioku ~ October 23rd, 2006. Filed under: Gaming, Musings.
This weekend I remembered that Lumines Live had hit the good ol’ Xbox Marketplace. Outside of the game’s terrible music, I thoroughly enjoyed the original. So I figured, hell, why not throw more money out and pick up the game so I can compare my scores with other fine folk. (I was ranked 67th in the Base mode last I checked.) I realized that I was not getting the full game, but merely a shell that would let me fill it up with more modes and items by proxy of my giving out more money.
A lot of people are offended by this and I can sympathize. I’m not exactly rolling in dollar bills. But it makes sense. Offer a basic game and later give more modes for additional fees, right? I did this with Blizzard’s games for years so what’s the foul? Hell, I loved doing it with PC games. I got a shit-ton of play out of StarCraft and for $30 more I can get even more shit to do? Marvelous!
But Lumines Live bugs the shit out of me.
Why? Well, first the game comes out and it is already in two pieces. Okay, fine, whatever. I knew this when I purchased it, but it’s still silly to show me game modes that I have to “unlock” via cash. But I can go purchase the rest of the game right now, right? Nope! First, they throw in the puzzle and mission modes, each with five unlocked games. Then they tell me “Hey jackass! Buy the puzzle/mission pack…when we release it.”
Huh? First, you’re filling my game’s menu with modes that I can’t play unless I buy shit, and now you’re filling it with modes I can’t even purchase yet? What is this supposed to do, entice me to continuously check the Marketplace for updates? They certainly hope. But my interest is now gone. I’m nearly offended by the audacity.
October 23rd, 2006 at 6:51 pm
I agree, i’m getting even more pissed that they might have reduced price bundle packs later on for all the content. Like with oblivion, all that extra content might be offered together at a lower price, when it was difficult to get it all in the first place and left me with redundent points. Then someone can pay 10 bucks less and just get it all? Come on.