Microtransactions revenue for UbiSoft and Take Two.... :(

[Gabe]

This is depressing me like hell...

For the first time, Ubisoft's microtransactions out-earned digital game sales

and

Microtransactions now account for nearly half of Take-Two's revenue

 

[Kraken3dfx]

This is when I really start appreciating my enormous backlog of games that don't have this shit in them.

 

[RobinPanties]

Haven't spent a dime on micro transactions.

If this data's true, it's a shame people are missing out on the amazing world building Ubi's done.

 

[take_marsh]

This isn't going to end well. That data only inspires other publishers. It's totally working too. We made our bed, now we gotta lie in it.

 

[texhnolyze]

Seriously, people need to embrace non-AAA games more.

Those are the games that you're looking for, no microtransactions and all that.

 

[Falconbox]

As far as the Ubisoft financials there, that headline is VERY misleading. From within the article:

Ubisoft says that player recurring investment, or the sale of in-game items, DLC, season passes, and subscriptions, was responsible for €175 million (~$202.6 million) during the first two quarters of the year, making up 51 percent of total digital income. That category of digital sales alone jumped by 83 percent year-over-year.

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So it wasn't just microtransactions, but also DLC and season passes.

 

[Deleted member 10611]

As triple-A publishers double down on predatory and exploitative practices, it'll only push me even further into the indie and budget tier games world. There's a damn near endless source of creative, unique, and fun games out there that don't try to squeeze every last dollar out of me after I've bought them.

 

[OhMyZach]

Ubisoft has put out a bunch of amazing games this year. I'm not surprised they're getting so much support through supplemental means.

 

[BossAttack]

Mass Effect 3 and TF2 were the beginning of this new era of microtransactions and GaaS. I never really thought much about the revenue EA made from ME3's MP until that Ex-Montreal dev spoke about it on the Waypoint podcast. Suddenly, I was learning how insanely profitable just that limited lootbox scheme was for EA. And, it paved the way for all future EA titles. And now, the entire industry is all in to it thanks to the run away success of GTA Online and Rainbow Six Siege.

Think about this, GTA Online was so successful that it turned Rockstar from a developer that pushed out a title nearly every year into releasing nothing but MP content since GTAV.

 

[Alwaystriumph]

This is when I really start appreciating my enormous backlog of games that don't have this shit in them.

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I literally had this same exact thought today while on a run today.

 

[RobinPanties]

Seriously, people need to embrace non-AAA games more.

Those are the games that you're looking for, no microtransactions and all that.

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Or people can stop spending and just appreciate AAA for what they are.

If devs don't t purposefully make a ridiculous benchmark for progress that encourages micro transactions (which origins doesn't) then I don't see why people would spend more.

 

[Etain]

Seriously, people need to embrace non-AAA games more.

Those are the games that you're looking for, no microtransactions and all that.

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And if they're there then they're usually more minor or the DLC more substantial. Nintendo tends to be pretty good outside of Amiibo weirdness, though we do need to see how the final bits of BotW DLC turns out.

EDIT: Though I agree with the above post, really. Ignore them unless the design actively penalizes you for not buying in, then fuck that (I guess Shadow of War is an example of that last one, at least to get the final ending.)

 

[texhnolyze]

Or people can stop spending and just appreciate AAA for what they are.

If devs don't t purposefully make a ridiculous benchmark for progress that encourages micro transactions (which origins doesn't) then I don't see why people would spend more.

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That's just impossible. You can't dictate how people spend their money. You do what you can do.

E: wrong quote

 

[The Praiseworthy]

As long as they keep making AAA games like AC Origins I don't care... they need to make a lot of money somehow if we are expecting good games like Origins to be delivered to us.

 

[Rayne]

Yep I've pretty much moved to indie games now. Granted I didn't play much AAA to begin with so the switch was easy.

 

[Vadara]

The amount of hardcore gamers, on this forum and elsewhere, that place great stock in AAA games is honestly confusing to me. That'd be like hardcore cinephiles endlessly discussing Marvel movies.

You'd expect a place like ERA to be 90% indie game discussion.

 

[dex3108]

Well when you compare how those two companies did MT and DLC support in my opinion one of them did them right and other one can f-off.

 

[RobinPanties]

That's just impossible. You can't dictate how people spend their money. You do what you can do.

E: wrong quote

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All I'm saying is that people should just be satisfied with what they have.
No one's forcing them to partake in micro transactions.

 

[texhnolyze]

All I'm saying is that people should just be satisfied with what they have.
No one's forcing them to partake in micro transactions.

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Yeah, sure. But that's not the issue the OP and lots of others here are having.

 

[OhMyZach]

The amount of hardcore gamers, on this forum and elsewhere, that place great stock in AAA games is honestly confusing to me. That'd be like hardcore cinephiles endlessly discussing Marvel movies.

You'd expect a place like ERA to be 90% indie game discussion.

Click to shrink...

AAA is like 95% of the industry, so yeah, a games enthusiast forum is gonna have a large discussion about them.

 

[BloodHound]

Honestly, good for them and I personally don't care.
If they are not intrusive, I'm going to buy the game. If they are, then I won't buy the game.

At the end of the day, if I find enjoyment in a title that has or does not have micro-transactions, the publisher will get my money. Case in point, Overwatch.

 

[Jiro]

I have never bought a season pass, DLC or something with a microtransaction. All this stuff is being programmed as a part of the product plan from the beginning, and could have been on the retail disc if the devs just wanted to, but no, they cut and spread it out to make extra cash. Capitalism at its worst.

Also, I will never ever buy a game that has loot boxes, even if I am interested in the game.

Loot boxes locked on disc in a single player game? This should be illegal.

I ask all of you to also stop supporting the downfall of gaming, and making these dirty people rich.

 

[Goldenroad]

I'm kind of just happy at this point to see some AAA publishers be able to still maintain a profitable business with the incredible costs of AAA development. I don't ever dabble in microtransactions, but I'm glad there are people that do to help keep developers employed.

 

[fastballspecial]

Man... that's a ton of money. I typically don't spend money on microtransactions unless the content is permanent instead of consumable. I'll pay for a costume I like if it's not in a loot box, just like in AC Origins. I may have bought the Scarab Soldier costume. ;)

I do open crates in Rocket League, but that's the only game. And it's mostly because Psyonix fosters a great community and has done wonders since launching it over two years ago. I really don't mind supporting them with $5 here or there.

 

[RobinPanties]

Yeah, sure. But that's not the issue the OP and lots of others here are having.

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Derp... Talk about getting derailed. I'm going to sleep now xD

 

[Uno Venova]

The amount of hardcore gamers, on this forum and elsewhere, that place great stock in AAA games is honestly confusing to me. That'd be like hardcore cinephiles endlessly discussing Marvel movies.

You'd expect a place like ERA to be 90% indie game discussion.

Click to shrink...

..Why? Have you seen our past GOTY winners.

 

[MidiPour]

"Ubisoft says that player recurring investment, or the sale of in-game items, DLC, season passes, and subscriptions, was responsible for €175 million (~$202.6 million) during the first two quarters of the year, making up 51 percent of total digital income. That category of digital sales alone jumped by 83 percent year-over-year."

Wow. I can't believe this is actually happening, can't say I'm surprised, but does that mean the console and PC game market is going to start mimicking the current trends on mobile?

 

[Aters]

The amount of hardcore gamers, on this forum and elsewhere, that place great stock in AAA games is honestly confusing to me. That'd be like hardcore cinephiles endlessly discussing Marvel movies.

You'd expect a place like ERA to be 90% indie game discussion.

Click to shrink...

Honestly have no idea what you are talking about. Some of the best games are AAA products, Marvel movies are always mediocre, where's the analogy?

 

[Bugy52]

So long as the microtransactions aren't pay to win in multiplayer games, then who cares?

Developers have to make up the deficit from large development costs compared to the stagnant game cost some how.

Microtransactions aren't a bad system for that so long as they are done in a fair way.

These allow developers to make up some of the lost money, with out forcing consumers to spend anything extra, its all completely optional.

Personally, I dont buy that kind of stuff for most games, but have no real issue doing it on occasion for games I really enjoy and put a lot of time into, I'll never have a problem supporting the developers working hard to bring me these games.

 

[Jiro]

I'm kind of just happy at this point to see some AAA publishers be able to still maintain a profitable business with the incredible costs of AAA development. I don't ever dabble in microtransactions, but I'm glad there are people that do to help keep developers employed.

Click to shrink...

We are talking about multi trillion corporations milking their customers.

 

[Lunchbox]

This is when I really start appreciating my enormous backlog of games that don't have this shit in them.

Click to shrink...

I'm stockpiling classics for eventual quitting.

 

[curiouscharles]

ho-ly-shit.

 

[Joeku]

I'm kind of just happy at this point to see some AAA publishers be able to still maintain a profitable business with the incredible costs of AAA development. I don't ever dabble in microtransactions, but I'm glad there are people that do to help keep developers employed.

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This really reads as "I'm glad others are suckers so I don't get suckered." If I'm misreading you, let me know.

And if that what's AAA games have to be for the shareholders to be okay with it at this point, fuck AAA. Let it die. It's never been about them making enough money, it's about them making the absolute maximum amount of money, to the detriment of the art.

 

[PreacherOfHell]

That is just... wow

I'm really afraid this will be the norm from now on.

I hope it doesn't affect single player experiences too much...

 

[PlanetSmasher]

This is such a bummer to read. I don't give Ubisoft or Take-Two my money for new releases, so I'm not contributing to this, but it still sucks that the industry is going this way. More and more games have stuff like this in them, and less and less of them are even worth the money to begin with. It's not going to be long before there's no safe haven left.

 

[GamingEnthusiast]

So long as the microtransactions are pay to win in multiplayer games, then who cares?

Developers have to make up the deficit from large development costs compared to the stagnant game cost some how.

Microtransactions aren't a bad system for that so long as they are done in a fair way.

These allow developers to make up some of the lost money, with out forcing consumers to spend anything extra, its all completely optional.

Personally, I dont buy that kind of stuff for most games, but have no real issue doing it on occasion for games I really enjoy and put a lot of time into, I'll never have a problem supporting the developers working hard to bring me these games.

Click to shrink...

/thread.

Companies can make money off of micro-transactions as long as they don't withhold game content behind it.

 

[the_id]

Ok....when can a government say this shit needs to be regulated and monitored??
At what point is this going to be called anti-consumer?
Who do I talk to about making sure publishers do not exploit their consumers?

i don't want my beloved hobby to be exploited by this terrible business practice.

 

[Goldenroad]

We are talking about multi trillion corporations milking their customers.

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Multi-trillion? Come on now. This isn't the US military we're talking about.
Keep in mind they also employ tens of thousands of hard working people either directly or through sub contract agreements.
In a lot of cases the only reason a lot of dev's aren't let go these days after a game is complete is because they can work on this extra content that you and I have the luxury of ignoring and still producing games that range in the tens to hundreds of hours for $60. I'm not trying to paint some corporate CEO as a sanctimonious figure, in it for the games, but the people who work on these games generally are in it for that reason, and I'm glad that they have an industry where they can thrive for the time being.

 

[danlher]

I don't really hate MTs for the sake of being MTs. In the past couple of years I've bought, I don't know, maybe 200-300 games and not once have I felt that I needed to buy something to advance in some game. And I'be bought indies, AA, AAA, you name it.

Sure, I guess I'm part of the problem because I bought some Silver in Destiny 1, just because I wanted. In Destiny 2 I haven't bought any Silver, because I don't feel like buying anything in the game.

I don't know if I haven't played the heavily MTs focused games, or I don't recognize the worst offenders because I almost always ignore every MT I see, but to me it's very simple, if I don't like the MTs model in a certain game, I don't support it, I'm not going to MT something just because some game tells me to.

 

[CrashFaster]

Well, that tone sure changed quickly. First it's an outrage, now people are fine with it since 'they need to earn money somehow'.

lel I'm over in indieland, although I'm not sure how long it'll last until indies start doing this.

 

[tears in my eyes]

Seriously, people need to embrace non-AAA games more.

Those are the games that you're looking for, no microtransactions and all that.

Click to shrink...

Ironically, this garbage originated from the non AAA, mostly the F2P games and they are rampant everywhere now, you literally can't avoid them

 

[Jiro]

Multi-trillion? Come on now. This isn't the US military we're talking about.
Keep in mind they also employ tens of thousands of hard working people either directly or through sub contract agreements.
In a lot of cases the only reason a lot of dev's aren't let go these days after a game is complete is because they can work on this extra content that you and I have the luxury of ignoring and still producing games that range in the tens to hundreds of hours for $60. I'm not trying to paint some corporate CEO as a sanctimonious figure, in it for the games, but the people who work on these games generally are in it for that reason, and I'm glad that they have an industry where they can thrive for the time being.

Click to shrink...

Do you think a game like Battlefront 2 wouldn't print money without lootboxes? Of course it will sell millions anyway and make insane profits. But do they get satisfied there? No, they need squeeze that last drop for maximum profit.

You can think when you support companies such as EA and Ubisoft with micro transactions, you are only slowly raising the CEO's monthly salary a bit. Nothing else.

 

[Joeku]

Y'know, that feeling you have when you say "It was optional, I only bought it cuz I felt like it?"

That's them getting you. If it was literally mandatory these companies would be raked over the coals. But when you see purchases that are "timeskips" or whatnot that's the art devaluing itself by grind and greed.

It's all optional. Buying the game in the first place is optional. They just coax you into dropping more into it.

Edit: And yeah, super glad that the B-tier/indie renaissance is on. If this was in every game I played I'd lose my shit.

 

[oldmangamer]

My take? I can spend $60 on a "AAA" game and be hassled to spend more or I can buy a pile of indies for that $60, get more game time and no pressure to keep spending. My habits have all ready changed.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Y'know, that feeling you have when you say "It was optional, I only bought it cuz I felt like it?"

That's them getting you. If it was literally mandatory these companies would be raked over the coals. But when you see purchases that are "timeskips" or whatnot that's the art devaluing itself by grind and greed.

It's all optional. Buying the game in the first place is optional. They just coax you into dropping more into it.

Click to shrink...

Exactly. This is insidious shit they do, and the fact that games are literally being designed to annoy the player so much that 'pay to skip' is even a viable sales proposition for people is worrisome enough on its own.

 

[Goldenroad]

Do you think a game like Battlefront 2 wouldn't print money without lootboxes? Of course it will sell millions anyway and make insane profits. But do they get satisfied there? No, they need squeeze that last drop for maximum profit.

You can think when you support companies such as EA and Ubisoft with micro transactions, you are only slowly raising the CEO's monthly salary a bit. Nothing else.

Click to shrink...

I clearly said that I don't purchase microtransactions. I'm saying that other people buying them doesn't hurt me as a gamer, and in fact probably lets me play more games like Assassins Creed and Battlefront...neither of which I'm really interested in, but again, it doesn't really impact me personally, but it does definitely keep more developers employed.

 

[texhnolyze]

Ironically, this garbage originated from the non AAA, mostly the F2P games and they are rampant everywhere now, you literally can't avoid them

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Well, duh. Of course, it's because they're F2P games.

How else would you expect them to make a profit if not from microtransactions? Are you saying that F2P games shouldn't exist in the first place?

 

[oldmangamer]

Do you think a game like Battlefront 2 wouldn't print money without lootboxes? Of course it will sell millions anyway and make insane profits. But do they get satisfied there? No, they need squeeze that last drop for maximum profit.

You can think when you support companies such as EA and Ubisoft with micro transactions, you are only slowly raising the CEO's monthly salary a bit. Nothing else.

Click to shrink...

So much this! You are not "support the devs", you are just fattening someones bank account. They still lay off the devs when it suite them.

 

[Deleted member 11018]

I am a little surprised, because they seem desperate for ingame transactions. Now, inside the core games, there are keys/buttons shortcuts to the ingame shop, and big messages "go check my shop, i m begging you, here are free tokens you can redeem please buy more".
(it is starting to get on my nerves, like street shouting or flyers in the physical world)

 

[oldmangamer]

Well, duh. Of course, it's because they're F2P games.

How else would you expect them to make a profit if not from microtransactions? Are you saying that F2P games shouldn't exist in the first place?

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I think he's saying that paid games took the model, not that F2P should not exist.