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- According to a survey, almost 90% of developers stated that microtransactions don’t belong in AAA games.
- They believe that AAA games can be financially successful based on sales alone.
- More than half of the developers stated that the gaming industry will see more layoffs.
AAA gaming has become quite expensive over the years. For a very long time, game prices remained at $60, but they’ve gradually increased to $70 in the last few years. Even worse is the fact that most studios continue to add microtransactions to their games.
However, it seems developers agree with the fans that microtransactions don’t belong to premium or AAA titles after their hefty price tag.
Why it matters: Recent releases have been plagued with in-game purchases on top of their $70 price tag. This is a huge inconvenience for fans, as most of the time, these microtransactions hinder the full experience of the game.
According to a recent survey at Devcom (via Insider Gaming), 100 developers were asked about the addition of microtransactions to AAA titles. Out of those, 89% believe premium games can be successful just by being buy-to-play instead of adding in-game purchases.
Furthermore, most developers believe in premium models for both physical and digital games. Only a single developer stated they preferred free-to-play games with ads rather than the traditional system.
They were also asked about the state of layoffs in the industry. 57% believed that more layoffs would happen at the same or even quicker pace. The rest believed that layoffs would cease and the industry would become more stable soon.
Despite the survey, removing the microtransactions system is a near-impossible task. It was revealed that over 82% of Americans made in-game purchases in 2023. As such, the system won’t die out unless gamers begin to boycott it.
Still, some studios, like CD Projekt RED, are steadfast in not including microtransactions, especially in single-player games. Even EA’s upcoming Dragon Age: Veilguard will skip them.
This approach is appreciable because studios believe they have good enough games to earn enough revenue just through sales. On the other hand, teams like Ubisoft are going all in with upcoming releases like Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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