this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2023
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If reception to Baldur’s Gate says anything, it’s that people hate microtransactions in their AAA games.

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[–] whatisallthis@lemm.ee 63 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)

The job of the AAA gaming company is to make money, not good games.

For the same reason McDonalds is never going to serve filet mignon, big gaming companies are never going to release feature-compete passion projects.

[–] terminhell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 27 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Not exactly, though I see your point. I think it would be more accurate if McDonald's charged for ketchup, mustard, salt, drink cups, lids, straws etc.

[–] AbsolutelyNotABot@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The big difference with physical goods is that it's much harder to steal a McDonald's burger that it is to crack a single player, offline game. Furthermore, once you ate your burger, if you want more, you have to buy another because it's a consumables.

On the other hand games are prone to piracy, expecially on pc, you pay once but can play anytime while patched and updates require prolonged work after you purchase.

It isn't strange that developers look at dlc, microtransanction or game as a service with subscription, because they allow a stable flow of income that can support development, and it's harder to avoid paying when the game is always online and stuff like that.

[–] Sordid@beehaw.org 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Furthermore, once you ate your burger, if you want more, you have to buy another because it’s a consumables.

The same goes for single-player offline games, though. There's only so much entertainment you can get out of one before you've seen everything, get bored, and look for another one.

you pay once but can play anytime while patched and updates require prolonged work after you purchase

If a studio fails to budget for that and make sure those costs are included in the price of the game, it frankly deserves to go bust.

[–] AbsolutelyNotABot@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There's only so much entertainment you can get out of one before you've seen everything, get bored, and look for another one.

You're absolutely right, but that's true from "your perspective". For you the fame might last 50 hours and that's all, but the developers still need to work on big patches, content and fixes even years after release.

If a studio fails to budget for that and make sure those costs are included in the price of the game, it frankly deserves to go bust

And this introduces another topic I think. Would the average consumer willing to spend more for a game with everything in it? AAA already cost 70$ at launch, would the average consumer accept further price increases, or would selling plummet in comparison with reduced price+dlc or free to play with microtransanction?

At the end companies are not inherently "evil" they just look for what works and what doesn't by trial and error

[–] Sordid@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

the developers still need to work on big patches, content and fixes even years after release

Why would they need to do that? If it's years down the line, there shouldn't be any bugs left to fix by that point. And offline single-player games don't need regular content drops. Sure, an expansion or two might be nice, but those don't come free. Only online games need to constantly feed their players new content in order to keep them hooked and coming back to buy more MTX.

Would the average consumer willing to spend more for a game with everything in it? AAA already cost 70$ at launch, would the average consumer accept further price increases, or would selling plummet in comparison with reduced price+dlc or free to play with microtransanction?

Oh sales would plummet for sure, but it would still make a profit, just not as much. If From Soft and Larian can do it, everyone can. They just don't wanna. (see below)

At the end companies are not inherently “evil” they just look for what works and what doesn’t by trial and error

That really depends on your definition of "works". Sure, it's a business, but what's the goal? To me there seems to be a noticeable difference between companies that want to make good games, for which the business side of things is just a means to an end, and companies that want to make as much money as possible, where the games are the means to that end. Is that latter category 'evil'? Maybe not strictly speaking, but I have no concern for those companies whatsoever, they can go fuck themselves.

[–] whatisallthis@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Fun fact: In literally every single analogy that has ever and will ever exist, you can add things to it to make it even more analogous.

[–] MagicShel@programming.dev 1 points 1 year ago

What can we add to fun facts to make them even more fun? 🤔

[–] UlrikHD@programming.dev 22 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Witcher 3, the Last of Us (ps3), Baldurs Gate 3, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Elden Ring, Read Dead Redemption 2 (offline), Zelda, etc...

There are plenty of triple A games that were well received that didn't involve gambling and mtx.

[–] NightOwl@lemmy.one 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Ones that weren't well received like Cyberpunk 2077 did well too.

[–] Sina@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago

Because they largely fixed it..

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

You simply listed exceptions, thus proving the rule stated by @whatisallthis

[–] UlrikHD@programming.dev 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

How many exceptions do you need before it no longer being an exception, 50%?

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But you listed less than 1 percent?

[–] UlrikHD@programming.dev 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sorry for not combing through every major release since tetris and making a perfectly objective list of every good game of which most them I've never even seen gameplay of.

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Why so salty bro? Maybe go outside, meet some people. That usually helps me when I´m grumpy ...

[–] UlrikHD@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Salty? I listed a bunch of games that are clearly made by passionate developers and have been part of defining of defining the space in recent history. You are the one leaving a snarky comment that I listed less than 1 percent of games as if that proves anything.

[–] Nacktmull@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

We probably just did not understand each other well. Can we just agree to disagree and move on? I respect you and your opinion, have a nice day!

[–] whatisallthis@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

I don’t care how they were received. Give me a total revenue comparison.

[–] tonytins@pawb.social 13 points 1 year ago

Doesn't mean people should accept their attempts to nickle and dime them.

[–] hagelslager@feddit.nl 7 points 1 year ago

Indeed, the job of most AAA game studios is to get as much money as possible from the gamers to their shareholders.

[–] NightOwl@lemmy.one 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Lot of us have already heard most company justifications for the anti consumer moves they make. That is no new revelation.