Rules for how to make microtransactions not suck.

[Legend]

• Do not sell expendable content. No health packs, ammo, or anything else like that. If it can be stockpiled, then it's a no go. In game currency does not inherently fall under this rule, since it's only a middleman. The content purchased with in game currency is what matters.
• Let the player buy what they want. Never make the results of a microtransaction random. If the player wants to buy X, then there should be an absolute price to do so. This price can be convoluted and involve buying needless things. but the process needs to be exact.
• Do not make exclusively premium upgrades of existing free content. Either have microtransaction content be fully new, or offer a free way to obtain the variant. Breaking this rule is bad because the premium variants expose the flaws and drawbacks in the original content.
• Have a global off switch for microtransactions. This doesn't have to be in the consumer release, but it's needed so that devs can very easily see how microtransactions affect the quality of the game. Do basic playtesting and make sure the both versions are received positively, and that the microtransaction version is not received worse.
• Do not have microtransactions that speed up gameplay, or speed up in game currency earning. Microtransactions may be used to skip playing the game, but they may not be used to skip grinding.

Anything you disagree with? Any horrible microtransaction examples that would pass my rules?

[BananaKing]

dont include them

[BasilZero]

dont include them

And we're done.

[Legend]

dont include them

That's probably best since devs and pubs just love screwing up microtransactions, but they aren't inherently bad.

Can you think of any games that pass my rules, but still have bad microtransactions?

[kitler53]

microtransactions are fine if your game is f2p but if you are asking me to play $60 for a game i expect them to be gone.   microtransactions is a business model asking for money on both ends is a sure fire way to make me feel ripped off.

the only microtransactions i'll allow is purely cosmetics.   lbp costumes get a pass in my book for example.   anything that even remotely touches gameplay (like in game currency) pisses me the fudge off even if it passes your rules.  it makes ever second of grinding feel like it was done intentionally to get me to pay a dollar to skip the shaming parts of the game and then i get angry.

[Legend]

...pisses me the fudge off even if it passes your rules.  it makes ever second of grinding feel like it was done intentionally to get me to pay a dollar...

5. Do not have microtransactions that speed up gameplay, or speed up in game currency earning. Microtransactions may be used to skip playing the game, but they may not be used to skip grinding.

[kitler53]

...Microtransactions may be used to skip playing the game, but they may not be used to skip grinding.

left = right

[BasilZero]

5. Microtransactions may be used to skip playing the game, but they may not be used to skip grinding.

lol wat?

[Legend]

left = right

No, as there are many situations where the game does not have grinding.

Take Mass Effect. If they wanted to have a microtransaction that skipped to the second half of the game, that'd be fine.

[BasilZero]

If they wanted to have a microtransaction that skipped to the second half of the game, that'd be fine.

Yeah if they want to kill any more credibility that the series has left from all the hate from ME3 lol.