DLC and Microtransactions: New Study Shows How Gamers Feel About Them

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

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How do you feel about microtransactions and DLC?

Last updated by Eddie Makuch on October 17, 2016

 

[UPDATE] A spokespeson for the NPD Group told GameSpot that questions on the survey asked about portable, PC, and console games, as well as smartphone titles, "but only within the context of those who purchase additional content for the core systems."

 

As for specific games featured in the survey, NPD Group asked microtransaction-themed questions about Battleborn, Destiny, Gears of War Ultimate Edition, Grand Theft Auto V, and Halo 5: Guardians. Questions pertaining to DLC were asked about titles like Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Fallout 4, Lego Star Wars The Force Awakens, and Super Smash Bros. Wii U. Mobile games featured in the study included Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Jelly Saga, Clans of Clans, Game of War: Fire Age, and Pokemon Go.

 

This is not a comprehensive list of games asked in the study, but only an example of some of them.

 

The original story is below.

 

Microtransactions continue to be one of the most talked-about elements of games today. Today, the NPD Group has released the results of a study that shines a light on how people feel about them.

The study, "DLC and Microtransaction Purchasing," found that among the entire US population of men and women aged 13-54, 28 percent have purchased extra content in the past three months. Males and teens were the primary drivers of purchases, according to the report. Additionally, the study found that people are more likely to spend money on microtransactions (23 percent) than downloadable content (16 percent).

 

As you might imagine, price is the leading factor when people are thinking about spending money on microtransactions and DLC. Here are some related takeaways from the survey, as written by NPD:

 

• Close to half of non-purchasers of microtransactions are not willing to spend any money on them
• 48 percent felt the content was not worth the extra expense
• Half of non-DLC purchasers stated the DLC was not worth the money
• 16 percent believe the extra content should have been included in the full game price

 

The study went on to say that the preferred method of unlocking extra content in a game is to spend virtual currency on it. However, 78 percent of respondents said they would consider spending money to buy microtransactions to get things like weapons and power-ups, among other things. A key consideration here is that the likelihood of a person spending money on extra content is also tied into how much that person enjoys a particular game and the cost of the add-on content.

 

Continues...

[Circaflex]

My only complaints regarding DLC are the following:

 

I do not enjoy seeing DLC exclusives. I feel, if something is to be unlocked in the game, there should be a way to do it in-game and not only through a DLC.

When a DLC is used to "finish" a game. I am tired of half-ass releases with DLCs bringing more features or fixes to a game that cost $60 bucks.

DLCs should not give you power ups or rank ups IMO. You should be playing the game to do that, not who can spend the most extra money on a game to be the best.

COST. For instance, Battlefronts DLC costs $50 bucks, that is more than the game itself at this point.

 

I still think $60 is absurd for a game, I wouldn't pay any more than that even if it includes the DLC. Game should be back near 40 bucks if DLCs are going to continue to be a "thing."

[Cnónna]

a season pass should include all DLC, am seeing more and more they season passes are not including everything.

 

season pass should not cost the same or more than the base game, infact they should cost on more than %50 of the base game price.

 

DLC should be an extension of the game, and not some 1-2 hash, CDprojekt red done DLC right, gave the cosmetic crap away for free and made epic expansions doe witcher 3. that's how it should be done with DLC.

 

removing content from the game just to charge for it is the a poor show. am looking at you here EA

 

Ubisoft again put their foot in it by launching DLC not included in the season pass and recently had to back track and include it. think they are componsating users who bought the frontiers DLC, though I have read some have gotten refunds through steam already. 

 

any micro-transaction games should be FTP, dev's or publishers using micro-transactions in a paid for game is just not on IMO.

 

90% of DLC is a ripoff in my book.

[+Red King Subscriber²]

Valve made sprays a micro transaction whereas before it was just  a feature of the game

 

That is the worst way to milk your 8 year olds for daddy money

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

4 minutes ago, Cnónna said:

a season pass should include all DLC, am seeing more and more they season passes are not including everything.

 

season pass should not cost the same or more than the base game, infact they should cost on more than %50 of the base game price.

Those first two points you make really irk me as well. I'd go a step further and say that DLC prices should be adjusted over time just as the digital game prices themselves are. "Sales" don't cut it, especially the pathetic prices they set.

[+Red King Subscriber²]

7 minutes ago, Cnónna said:

a season pass should include all DLC, am seeing more and more they season passes are not including everything.

 

season pass should not cost the same or more than the base game, infact they should cost on more than %50 of the base game price.

 

DLC should be an extension of the game, and not some 1-2 hash, CDprojekt red done DLC right, gave the cosmetic crap away for free and made epic expansions doe witcher 3. that's how it should be done with DLC.

 

removing content from the game just to charge for it is the a poor show. am looking at you here EA

 

Ubisoft again put their foot in it by launching DLC not included in the season pass and recently had to back track and include it. think they are componsating users who bought the frontiers DLC, though I have read some have gotten refunds through steam already. 

 

any micro-transaction games should be FTP, dev's or publishers using micro-transactions in a paid for game is just not on IMO.

 

90% of DLC is a ripoff in my book.

Witcher 3 gave us two expansion packs.

[Cnónna]

29 minutes ago, J. X. Maxwell said:

Witcher 3 gave us two expansion packs.

I know, and 16 cosmetic DLC's ones. call them what you will, but I've found most folk call expansions, DLC now.

32 minutes ago, Andrew said:

Those first two points you make really irk me as well. I'd go a step further and say that DLC prices should be adjusted over time just as the digital game prices themselves are. "Sales" don't cut it, especially the pathetic prices they set.

aye I've noticed that with bioshock infinite, during any sale of it, the season pass costs more than the game and the combined one is less as well IIRC, that's a straight middle finger to everyone who bought the game early doors.

 

 

one more thing I'd like to add to this, it's the dev/publishers regurgitating the same IP year in year out. COD. battlefield, fifa, madden, football manager.

 

I wish they would take at least 2 years at minimum between releases.

 

I've stopped buying most of them now. gave up on COD when they gave up in making decent single player content.

[+Zagadka Subscriber²]

They are really more of a problem with multiplayer games.

 

In general, you should be able to take them or leave them... but publishers keep insisting on putting overpowered content in DLCs. We used to drop $30-40 on expansions packs back in the day anyway.

[+Mud W1ggle Subscriber²]

22 minutes ago, Cnónna said:

I've stopped buying most of them now. gave up on COD when they gave up in making decent single player content.

Single Player content?  Thats not been a thing for several years now sadly.  3 minute long "campaign" and, well, your screwed if you dont like competitive Multiplayer.

 

Destiny is a perfect example of that.  They spend months making multiplayer maps and modes that no one likes, and regurgitates missions by making you go in reverse of a previous mission - wooo! exciting stuff..

[Cnónna]

7 minutes ago, Mud W1ggle said:

Single Player content?  Thats not been a thing for several years now sadly.  3 minute long "campaign" and, well, your screwed if you dont like competitive Multiplayer.

 

Destiny is a perfect example of that.  They spend months making multiplayer maps and modes that no one likes, and regurgitates missions by making you go in reverse of a previous mission - wooo! exciting stuff..

seems every game released now, is either multiplayer with single player bot mode. or has multiplayer jammed in for no other reason than they seem to think it's expected.

 

GTA 5 may not be perfect. but that's for me is how a franchise should be run. release a new version every 4-5 years. and make it epic.

 

okay it has pay to win elements with the multiplayer, with those sharkcards, and I don't agree with them, but if someone wants to throw real world money at virtual currency to spend in game, who am I to judge.

 

either way you don't need to spend anymore than the price of purchase to enjoy GTA5. either in single or multiplayer.

[ensiform]

The Mass Effect Series had plenty of expansion pack content for single player.  Yes, there was a fair amount for Coop MP, but there was definitely plenty to go around for SP too.