2K On Microtransactions, "An Unfortunate Reality of Modern Gaming"

Microtransactions have been around for quite awhile, and though they weren't everyone's cup of tea [...]

Microtransactions have been around for quite awhile, and though they weren't everyone's cup of tea - they didn't become a huge deal until the Star Wars Battlefront II pay-to-win controversy with EA center stage. Now the topic of loot boxes and their various functions have been a hot topic in the community and with 2K having confirmed last year that all of their upcoming games will feature microtransactions in some form, the publisher is weighing in on their vitality in "modern gaming."

Following the recent loot box ban in Belgium, NBA 2K19's Senior Producer had a few things to say about in-game currency.

In a recent interview with Trusted Reviews, Producer Rob Jones told the site "every game, at some point, in some way has currency and they're trying to get additional revenue from each player that plays the game."

But he also mentions that just because a game has loot boxes doesn't mean it's a "straight money grab," and instead they can offer important optional additions. A good example of this is Blizzard's Overwatch where every single item - including limited-time skins for certain events - can be found the old fashioned way but also are available for purchase for those on a time crunch.

With NBA 2K19 specifically, it's a way to reward players - according to the producer - in order to offer a sense of drive for forerunners in the game. But where there was information that game out about EA showing that they were deliberately manipulating the online game to coerce players to buy, Jones says microtransactions should be "a choice, not a force" and often they adapt that model versus pay-to win."

"We know nowadays that most people don't have the patience to work their way to the top. They just wanna be there right away. So, you know, we look at it as, oh it's an opportunity for us to allow you to skip the grind, but then if the grind is too long, like some people felt last year, they're gonna sit there and they're gonna go 'well, you knew the grind was too long to begin with."

So what do you think about the current state of microtransactions and gaming? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below.

0comments