Microtransactions
Ongoing coverage on Microtransactions.
Latest coverage
EA Backed Down on College Football 27, But the Battle Isn’t Over
Players have voiced strong opposition to paid progression systems in College Football 27's Road to Glory and Dynasty modes, viewing them as detrimental to the core gameplay experience. Electronic Arts has acknowledged the backlash, stating the paid progression did not deliver intended value, but the article argues the studio has not fully addressed the issue, suggesting future installments like College Football 28 may still feature similar monetization tactics.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Team Focused on Core Combat Because Edward is Already Powerful
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced game director Richard Knight explained that core combat was prioritized over features like picking up enemy weapons due to protagonist Edward Kenway's existing power. Despite mixed reviews on PC regarding microtransactions, Ubisoft stated the Standard Edition is complete and optional DLCs offer power boosts. The game has achieved significant player counts on Steam and generated substantial revenue from its DLC packs.
League of Legends Classic players clash against old-school skin cosmetics, as the faithfulness of the new game mode is called into question
Riot Games is facing community backlash over its decision to charge for classic champion skins in League of Legends Classic, a mode recreating early game experiences. Players argue that these original models should not be paywalled, especially when compared to Blizzard's approach with World of Warcraft Classic. The controversy stems from the fact that these classic skins are only usable within League of Legends Classic and not the modern version of the game.
Monster Hunter Wilds is getting a permanent price cut less than 18 months after launch
Capcom is implementing a permanent price reduction for Monster Hunter Wilds, effective August 4, 2026, less than 18 months after its initial release. The company is also discontinuing and reintroducing several bundle options, consolidating paid cosmetic DLC into new packages. This move comes as the base game's $70 price point has been a point of contention for some players.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced enjoys the best launch of any AC game on Steam, making avast sum of money there
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has achieved the biggest launch for an Assassin's Creed title on Steam, generating $35.1 million in revenue as of July 13th. Data from Alinea Analytics indicates that the game sold 701,000 copies on Steam alone, significantly outperforming recent releases like Assassin's Creed Shadows. Despite strong sales, the game has faced some backlash regarding its launch-day DLC and microtransactions.
Black Flag Resynced glitch splits the sea and lets ships sail underwater
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced features a recurring glitch that causes ships to sail underwater, a bug also present in the original 2013 game. This comical issue has emerged amidst player complaints about day-one microtransactions and PC offline mode problems. Meanwhile, the team at Ubisoft Barcelona responsible for the game's underwater sections is reportedly facing layoffs, sparking protests from staff.
That annoying day one DLC in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced was less than 3% of its initial Steam sales, but…
Despite player criticism, day-one DLC for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced accounted for approximately 2.8% of its initial Steam sales, generating around $1 million. This analysis highlights how gamers' purchasing habits, even with cosmetic and convenience DLC, can still reward publishers like Ubisoft, similar to past examples like World of Warcraft's expensive cosmetic items.
The day-one Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced DLC everyone said they hated has earned Ubisoft nearly $1 million,…
Despite mixed reviews and controversy surrounding its day-one DLC and microtransactions, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has become a significant financial success for Ubisoft. The game has generated millions in revenue on Steam, outperforming previous titles like Assassin's Creed Shadows, Valhalla, and Mirage in its initial sales period.
The World Cup is getting serious – best bring Shrek into the new FIFA Heroes game where you can spend £99.99 on in-app purchases – kill me now
The mobile game FIFA Heroes has introduced a Shrek-themed Season Pass, which includes expensive in-app purchases up to £99.99, loot boxes, and advertising, despite a 9+ age rating. The article criticizes the monetization strategy, particularly its presence in a game accessible to children, and questions the inclusion of mythical characters alongside football icons.
You could buy two copies of GTA 6 for the price of setting up GTA Online's new Heist from scratch
A new heist in Grand Theft Auto Online has a high barrier to entry for new players, requiring approximately $179.96 in real-world money to purchase the necessary in-game currency for the required mansion and art studio. This cost is more than double the pre-order price of Grand Theft Auto 6, highlighting the significant investment needed to access new content for players without existing in-game wealth or GTA+ benefits.
With Dragon's Dogma 2's new infinite fast travel, Dark Arisen's director wants you to know they're "not forcing" you to use it
Capcom has updated Dragon's Dogma 2 to include an infinite fast travel option via the new eternal ferrystone, a change producer Naoto Oyama and director Kenta Kinoshita state is intended to offer players more choice without forcing its use. This update also removes the controversial microtransactions that previously allowed players to purchase portcrystals. Director Kenta Kinoshita acknowledges player time constraints and the potential for repetitive travel, while also defending the game's original design that encouraged strategic navigation.
Midday Mobilization
Apple has achieved a 20% global smartphone market share, though a new report indicates slowing iPhone builds due to price increases. Separately, the Madden NFL franchise is removing its microtransaction mode and will be available on Apple Arcade.
Madden Ditches Its Microtransaction Mode To Come To Apple Arcade
Madden NFL 27 is launching on Apple Arcade on August 6, offering a version of the popular football simulation game without microtransactions. This iteration will include core modes like Quick Play and Franchise, but will omit the Madden Ultimate Team mode due to Apple Arcade's policy against in-app purchases. The game will be playable on iOS devices with touch controls or external controllers.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Development Began 6 Months After the Base Game’s Launch
Capcom has revealed that development on the Dragon's Dogma 2 expansion, Dark Arisen, began approximately six months after the base game's launch, driven by passionate player feedback. Producer Naoto Oyama and director Kento Kinoshita discussed the expansion's focus on new combat, a new region, and over 25 hours of content. The update also removes most microtransactions and adds features like the Eternal Ferrystone for infinite fast travel.
Dragon's Dogma 2 devs on the big fast travel U-turn, and wanting to "win back the trust" of RPG fans with the Dark Arisen DLC
Dragon's Dogma 2 producers Naoto Oyama and Kenta Kinoshita discuss upcoming updates and the Dark Arisen DLC, aiming to regain player trust after a rocky launch. Recent patches have addressed performance issues and removed microtransactions for fast travel and character editing, with further improvements planned for August. The developers are focused on balancing the game's hardcore nature with modern quality-of-life features, ensuring the expansion enhances rather than compromises the original experience.
CFB 27 Ditches Controversial Microtransactions After Massive Blowback
EA Sports has removed controversial microtransactions from its EA Sports CFB 27 game following significant player backlash and a trending social media boycott. The paid progression options in Road to Glory and Online Dynasty modes have been eliminated, though unspent in-game currency can still be used in Ultimate Team. EA has pledged greater transparency for future live-service plans.
Amid Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced furore, Ubisoft's latest financial report removes widely mocked claim microtransactions make games "more fun"
Ubisoft has removed the claim that microtransactions make games "more fun" from its latest financial report, following backlash over Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's extensive in-game purchases. The company reiterated that the standard edition offers a complete experience and also highlighted ongoing investments in generative AI for game development.
Black Flag Resynced beats Shadows sales launch despite broken offline mode
Ubisoft's remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has achieved strong sales, selling two million copies on launch day and setting a new franchise record for concurrent players on Steam. However, the PC version is experiencing significant issues with its offline mode due to problems with Ubisoft Connect's DRM, preventing players from accessing the game when servers are down.
Gakuran Hair Colors – Dye Chances, Genetics, and Rerolls!
This guide explains the hair color mechanics in Gakuran, detailing how player ethnicity influences natural hair color rolls and the chances of obtaining dyed colors. It also covers methods for acquiring rerolls, including free-to-play code redemption and microtransactions.
Despite having an offline mode, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced was unplayable when Ubisoft Connect went down
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced experienced significant issues when Ubisoft Connect, its DRM and social layer, went offline for about an hour. Despite having an offline mode, the game became unplayable on PC during the outage, a problem that has affected other Ubisoft titles. The game also faced criticism at launch for its cosmetic microtransactions.
