Assassin's Creed: Unity's Microtransactions Won't "Compromise" The Game

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Well that's kind of the point isn't it? Is Assassins Creed in the MMO genre where you have to 'grind' for 'gear'?

I've always felt that extended play elements have their use in games for teenagers with limited budgets and lots of time. Then stuff like new game+, extra content, collectables & achievements, etc when the game you have needs to last you a potentially a few months until you can get your next one. For people more our age however with less time and more expendable cash, you should be able to get an enjoyable experience from a single play through without worrying about all those extra time wasters.

That's how I play games anyways. I'll usually give a game a pretty thorough run through but I'm going to avoid any major time sinks and only play the game once.

Assassin's Creed has, at least since Assassin's Creed 2, contained a series of side missions that culminated in unlocking the best armor in the game. Now those side missions are usually quite fun, but in the case of Black Flag it became slightly time consuming to track down all those Mayan Stones and align them. If you don't care about that unlockable armor, that's fine. But if you don't have the time to grind for it but still want it (for whatever reason) I don't see it as bad that you can pay like 3-4 dollars to instantly unlock it.

It is quite literally a case of no one looses and everyone wins. Those that have the time to invest in the game can do that, those that don't but still want the cool toys can get them anyway and those of us that don't care about the cool toys can just continue playing the game as intended.

 

[nevarran]

It'll compromise my decision to buy the game tho'!

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

It'll compromise my decision to buy the game tho'!

Yep.

If you want players with little time to enjoy the full game then just add in some cheat codes, otherwise GFTO.

 

[weirdee]

I'll believe it when I see it.

in the given example, the only time they'd be making any real money from this system (enough to recoup spending money on making the system) is if they were such poor designers that whatever they made didn't properly balance challenge vs motivation and they fucked up somewhere in there so that people who can't obtain an unlockable still want it for reasons other than because they earned it

if the developers are financially motivated to fuck up where does that leave us

who will benefit from a system like that

 

[Mad World]

I assume that by now, we all know not to trust anything that Ubisoft says?

Translated: microtransactions will very negatively impact the game.

They're money-hungry liars. Not interested.

 

[alj]

Shoving Pre-Orders down everyone's neck, DLC, £40 game and micro-transactions ? Don't you think its time to get your production costs in check ? Or you know stop being so f*****g greed.

 

[FalloutJack]

Yeah, and I "Won't" make sarcastic remarks ever again.

Hah hah hah...

Seriously though, screw microtransations and DLC BS. Gimme the whole game or get out.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

Because Microtransactions worked so very well for Dead Space 3/EA, how's that series going now, on hiatus till everybody forgets about it?
One can only hope the same thing happens for Another Creed, who honestly keeps on buying these sequels?
Why do I keep asking rhetorical questions?

 

[lachlan4567]

I thought the AC4 ones were fine.
Never bought one but time saver packs for a single player game, don't effect me in the slightest.
Put the pre order bonus missions as micros for lets say $2 each, I'm even fine with that but they better not put all the Pre order DLC together call it hero's of the Revolution and release it as a story add on in the season pass.
Fool me once.

If you played games on a $1=1hour system this which I mildly do, ( I use it as a way to talk up RPGs and JRPgs I Like) then this is paying extra for less content.

 

[RealRT]

No.
Go fuck yourselves right in the motherfucking eyesocket you sons of bitches. You are just despicable. A bunch of money-grabbing manure worms that would stop at nothing. Fuck off. I'd rather play games from fourteen years ago than agree to turn a blind eye to this nonsense. That's fucking it. I won't buy a single Ubisoft game until they go straight. Until then - fuck off.

 

[Noblemartel]

Wow has Ubisoft become the new EA? I only ask this because EA at least seems to be STARTING to learn from its mistakes. Whereas Ubisoft keeps doing crap like this.

 

[Dominic Crossman]

Fast track DLC is not necessarily bad though. It serves a purpose for those that want to enjoy the game but don't have the time to complete every side mission in order to unlock the coolest weapon, costume, horse or whatever else can be unlocked. Instead they can still get to use the cool stuff if they are ready to fork over some cash. So far I haven't used it myself, but as someone who will be a parent in two months I can totally see myself using it down the line when I have maybe four or five hours a week to play but still want to see some of all that cool content I just don't have time to grind for.

The problem with line of thinking is that the game makers choose EXACTLY how hard/ how much time it takes to unlock extra content. They then trick people like you into thanking them for letting you spend more money to unlock something that would only takes a couple hours to unlock if they chose to design it that way.

I'm sure there was a Jimqustion regarding this very topic and I'll link it once I find it.

Edit: Found it
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/9145-The-Trap-Of-Gamer-Gratitude

He makes one comment that perfectly encapsulates this situation
"They created a problem and then sold us the solution"

 

[Ten Foot Bunny]

"There's a couple of things like that we'll always have to be on the lookout for," Pontbriand said when asked about the pressure to monetize.

Ah, yes. Because we, the gaming public, are absolutely CLAMORING for microtransactions! We just can't wait to see how tedious games become so that we're compelled to spend extra money to have the enjoyable experiences we once got with the base price. Those experiences really sucked. It's a good thing that you publishers are finally taking notice of our desire to be shat upon so that we can increase your profits, because we've felt for a long time now that games were far too inexpensive. Many a night we wallowed in tears, afraid that you would go bankrupt if we didn't throw you a couple extra dollars a week.

So thank you, publishers, for fulfilling our long-standing dreams of getting nickeled and dimed for your benefit.

And sorry we pressured you for so long. That must have been difficult for you, but it was for your own good. You'll come to understand that in time.

xoxoxoxoxo

<3

 

[shirkbot]

It is quite literally a case of no one looses and everyone wins. Those that have the time to invest in the game can do that, those that don't but still want the cool toys can get them anyway and those of us that don't care about the cool toys can just continue playing the game as intended.

I quite firmly disagree. Not only has Ubisoft self-described their games as "grinds", but they're selling you something that devs used to just build into the game for free. Cheat codes were the time savers in the olden days, and they were glorious. Now AAA devs want to charge you money so they can break their game for you, and not even in clever or interesting ways.

 

[fix-the-spade]

If that is really all this will come down to, I'm okay with it. Let lazy people with money to burn get their stuff early, as long as I can still get it without shilling out more money.

Except that, over time the games will designed to encourage payment and discourage playing. Since that already happened to a whole bunch of series in recent memory (and in the case of Dead Space killed it stone dead) I really don't think this bodes well for future Ubisoft releases.

 

[blackrave]

Ubisoft: We're willing to consider microtransactions and other monetization methods that would fit with Assassin's Creed: Unity's gameplay.
Me: How about making a good and interesting game that doesn't suck? Or is it too oldschool for you?

Ubisoft AC:U will have microtransactions within the core game.
Me: Because DeadSpace3 microtransactions were such a success. Don't you learn anything from mistakes of other people/companies?

Vincent Pontbriand: Unity will include optional real-world purchases for in-game items, although we assure players this won't compromise the core game.
Me: Who let this one out of basement? Lock him back and get someone who isn't full of shit.

Ubisoft: Unity uses a fast track approach of exchanging real-world money for gear and items that could otherwise be obtained through play. Pontbriand stated this was "pretty much" the extent of microtransactions for Unity, and that monetization methods would only be considered if they fit the gameplay.
Me: Let me guess, by "play" in "gear and items that could otherwise be obtained through play" you meant insane amount of time and effort that would bore a rainman? If yes, than euthanize whoever came up with this idea and scrap it.
If no, then what's the point? Putting all this effort and resources for system that allows few people to skip the game? Effort and resources that could be used to make your game better.
I have even cheaper way of doing this
1)take controller in your hands
2)go to youtube and find playthrough
3)mash the buttons on controller while watching playthrough

Vincent Pontbriand: Companion apps, monetization, other business models, digital only... We have to be reactive to these things, but not necessarily fundamentally change what we're trying to do ... It depends.
Me: So skipping the game parts is new monetization model? Good to know. Can someone inform Hideo Kojima about it? Maybe people will be allowed to skip 2h cutscenes in next MGS for 0.99$

Vincent Pontbriand: If we think it fits the gameplay, or the brand itself, the core values, we're willing to take those risks. If not, then not. We're not going to make any compromises.
Me: Compromises with what? Fun? Dude, there is a good reason Ubisoft keeps you in the basement. Whenever you speak, shit comes out of your mouth. Back to the basement! NOW!!!

 

[GAunderrated]

The sad thing is Ubisoft if you have to come out and tell us that it won't compromise the game, it already has. You only feel the need to do these useless PR stunts if you know there is going to be a huge backlash for your greedy decisions.

 

[Extragorey]

Microtransactions are for cheap or F2P games, not triple-A titles. Their greed really reflects badly on them and their company's reputation, and people will respect them less for it and buy their games less in future. Basically, they'll reap what they sow, so ultimately I'm not too worried.

 

[CaitSeith]

Let lazy people with money to burn get their stuff early, as long as I can still get it without shilling out more money.

And as long as the gameplay isn't crippled to be a ridicusly difficult and boring test of patience.