So it all started with this article in which Randy Pitchford decided to lash out at Game Informer:
Andy McNamara of Game Informer has defended the article:
Does Borderlands 3 have microtransactions?
https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/05/01/borderlands-3-wont-have-loot-boxes
If you're required to obtain DLC via transaction of money, then it is a microtransaction.
If the DLC is free, then obviously it is not a microtransaction.
Edit:
Go to the threadmark or the following link for Randy's 18 tweets regarding that article:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/does-borderlands-3-have-microtransactions.114714/post-20401196
https://twitter.com/GI_AndyMc/status/1123733736779067392?s=19
https://twitter.com/DuvalMagic/status/1123742480741146625?s=19
Randy Pitchford said:
Come on guys - shitty clickbait headline. Literally seconds before I said that, I made it very clear we're going to do more cosmetic stuff like we did in Borderlands 2. You know I was talking about premium currency and loot boxes kind of stuff NOT being in our game.
Come on guys - shitty clickbait headline. Literally seconds before I said that, I made it very clear we're going to do more cosmetic stuff like we did in Borderlands 2. You know I was talking about premium currency and loot boxes kind of stuff NOT being in our game.
Andy McNamara of Game Informer has defended the article:
Andy McNamara said:
In my opinion, you can't say no micro transactions when there's micro transactions and then be angry we made a tweet focusing on that angle. Apologies you don't like the "despite" @DuvalMagic. It clarifies what we feel is a misleading comment which the story lays out
In my opinion, you can't say no micro transactions when there's micro transactions and then be angry we made a tweet focusing on that angle. Apologies you don't like the "despite" @DuvalMagic. It clarifies what we feel is a misleading comment which the story lays out
Randy Pitchford said:
I cannot believe that your response here is to double down on an implication made in the tweet that I was being misleading. Watch the stream for yourself. I was doing the opposite of being misleading. This was the most transparent preview event I have ever heard of!
Andy McNamara said:
Clear would be a statement like, "we have micro transactions but they are cosmetic and don't effect gameplay." That's my opinion. Calling us names doesn't seem constructive. I'm sorry we disagree.
I cannot believe that your response here is to double down on an implication made in the tweet that I was being misleading. Watch the stream for yourself. I was doing the opposite of being misleading. This was the most transparent preview event I have ever heard of!
Andy McNamara said:
Clear would be a statement like, "we have micro transactions but they are cosmetic and don't effect gameplay." That's my opinion. Calling us names doesn't seem constructive. I'm sorry we disagree.
Randy Pitchford said:
"Calling you names" - you guys called me a liar. I need to know - Is your position here that I lied?
Andy McNamara said:
No one called you a liar. We are saying the message is confusing and we wrote a story to clarify it.
"Calling you names" - you guys called me a liar. I need to know - Is your position here that I lied?
Andy McNamara said:
No one called you a liar. We are saying the message is confusing and we wrote a story to clarify it.
Does Borderlands 3 have microtransactions?
https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/05/01/borderlands-3-wont-have-loot-boxes
"We're selling cosmetic items, but we're not going to nickel and dime players," said Gearbox's Paul Sage in an interview with us. "DLC will come down the line, but the game won't have anything excessive."
If you're required to obtain DLC via transaction of money, then it is a microtransaction.
If the DLC is free, then obviously it is not a microtransaction.
Edit:
Go to the threadmark or the following link for Randy's 18 tweets regarding that article:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/does-borderlands-3-have-microtransactions.114714/post-20401196
https://twitter.com/GI_AndyMc/status/1123733736779067392?s=19
Andy McNamara said:Tell me what in the story is wrong and we will correct it? Give us a statement. I want accurate reporting but we are allowed to have a view and an opinion and I have tried to clearly lay out our stance.
https://twitter.com/DuvalMagic/status/1123742480741146625?s=19
Randy Pitchford's eighteen tweets said:Thank you. 1/ With Borderlands 3 I have made a commitment to consistency with how things were done in Borderlands 2. I am proud of our record of good will and best-in-class customer value with the main games and with DLC we added as our fans demanded more content.
2/ Borderlands 3 will be consistent with what players have come to expect from prior Borderlands games - except Borderlands 3 is a bigger, better and more valuable experience. We expect that to continue as we look at campain DLC as well.
3/ During our preview event, I stood on stage in front of a live audience of press and streamers and an on-line audience of hundreds of thousands of gamers to share the first ever game play of Borderlands 3.
/4 We started at the very beginning of the game and let people see everything as it actually is. After an hour long presentation with live, honest game play we invited our live audience to play *unguided* for 90m of free play, live streaming to their audiences around the world.
/5 So far today the live streamers have generated well over one million viewer hours of Borderlands 3 live streaming content. I cannot recall a more transparent preview event of this scale (happy to be corrected).
/6 While on-stage I affirmed my commitment that Borderlands 3 was designed to be what a Borderlands game is supposed to be. I talked about story, style and design.
/7 I talked about our commitment to, for example, continued support of local split screen coop and off-line play - this in a world where shooter looters are forcing on-line only game-as-service models only.
/8 I made a commitment that Borderlands 3 would be supported after launch with big, fun, valuable campaign DLC and character modifications. I made a commitment to this feeling right-at-home to players of previous Borderlands games.
/9 Our post launch plans are in flux as we are finishing the main game, but we have committed to a robust season pass that I am confident will be measurable later as an even better value proposition than Borderlands 2, which is the reigning gold standard for season pass value.
/10 Our post-launch plans are in flux, but I made a commitment that Borderlands 3 would not pursue F2P style monetization.
/11 I believe Game Informer to have a clear understanding of what was done in Borderlands 2 and that it can clearly differentiate that from what is done in F2P games. I believe Game Informer should be in a great position to offer clarity.
/12 I trust and believe you, Andy, that Game Informer's intent was to clarify and not confuse. I agree that the few words I chose on stage left room for them to be construed towards confusion. I like Game Informers potential to avoid such confusion.
/13 I know you are objective enough to see how the words that Game Informer twitter authors chose led some Game Informer readers to take the meaning that GI was calling me out as being misleading... lying.
/14 I am grateful for you confirmed that you understand and believe that I did not lie - did not have intent to lie. Because I love and trust Game Informer (and know GI's readers trust it too), it is important to me to have that piece of mind.
/15 I agree that Game Informer can provide a valuable resource for gamers for clarity and detail. I hope that Game Informer can find a way to confirm our commitment to post launch DLC (campaign and cosmetic) without leading people to believe that there is any intent to mislead.
16/ Thank you in advance for granting me some leniency in my emotional response to this situation. The importance of today combined with the high regard to which I hold you and your magazine combined with past pain points I have suffered all conspired to amplify my sensitivity.
17/ In a moment where I had expected the team and I would be supported and applauded for holding-the-line with our stance on AAA monetization, I was hurt to suffer both claims of dishonesty and a suggestion that we had fallen on this point from Game Informer.
18/ Any help you can offer to help your readers to see Borderlands 3 fairly and see me as you know me would be deeply appreciated. As always, you can reach me at any time. I have always been naturally sincere and transparent with you both on and off the record. Thanks, Andy.
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