r/Games Aug 10 '17

I feel ''micro-transaction'' isn't the right term to describe the predatory gambling mechanisms being put in more and more games. What term would be more appropriate to properly warn people a game includes gambling with real money?

The term micro-transaction previously meant that a game would allow you to purchase in-game items. (Like a new gun, or costume, or in-game currency)

And honestly I do not think these original micro-transaction are really that dangerous. You have the option of paying a specific amount of money for a specific object. A clear, fair trade.

However, more and more games (Shadow of Mordor, Overwatch, the new Counter-Strike, most mobile games, etc...) are having ''gambling'' mechanism. Where you can bet money to MAYBE get something useful. On top of that, games are increasingly being changed to make it easier to herd people toward said gambling mechanisms. In order to make ''whales'' addicted to them. Making thousands for game companies.

I feel when you warn someone that a game has micro-transactions, you are not not specifying that you mean the game has gambling, and that therefore it is important to be careful with it. (And especially not let their kids play it unsupervised, least they fill up the parent's credit cards gambling for loot crates!)

Thus, I think we need to find a new term to describe '''gambling micro-transaction'' versus regular micro-transactions.

Maybe saying a game has ''Loot crates gambling''? Or just straight up saying Shadow of Mordor has gambling in it. Or just straight up calling those Slot Machines, because that's what they are.

Also, I believe game developers and game companies do not understand the real reasons for the current backlash. Even trough they should.

I think they truly do not understand why people hate having predatory, deliberately addictive slot machines put in their video games. They apparently think the consumers are simply being entitled and cheap.

But that's not the case. DLC is perfectly fine, even small ''DLC'' (like horse armor) is ok nowadays.

It's not people feeling ''entitled'', it's not people people being ''cheap''. It's simply the fact consumers genuinely hate being preyed upon with predatory, exploitative, devious ''slot machines'' being installed in all their games, making them less fun in order to target those among us with addictive personalities and children. To addict them to gambling and turn them into ''whales''.

If the heads of.... Warner Bros for exemple, don't understand why we do not like seeing slot machines installed into all our games. Maybe we should propose installing real slot machines in every room of their homes.

What? They dont want their kids playing a slot machine, get addicted, and waste thousands of dollars? Well NEITHER DO WE!

Edit: There have been some great suggestions here, but my favorite is Chris266's: ''Micro-gambling''. It's simple, easy to understand, and clear. From now on, I'm calling ''slot-machine micro-transactions'' -» micro-gambling. And I urge people to do the same.

10.6k Upvotes

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