Thoughtfully written essay on micro-transactions in games

Hey you guys, I recently spent quite some time on an essay about microtransactions in games and how they ruin our enjoyment. I have written a piece, and I was very excited to share it here, and perhaps get some feedback on how I could improve it. Unfortunately, I have to give up my Chambers account, but I didn’t want this to go to waste so here it is:<br><br>\<br>Microtransactions, as a part of video games, have become the norm during the past decade. But what exactly are microtransactions, and why are they so commonplace in games today? Simply put, microtransactions are the in-game purchases you could buy for the currency you paid for in real life. There is a very thin line between a microtransaction and an in-game purchase because microtransactions involve real money. To clarify with an example: Let’s say you are playing an online multiplayer game, like Clash of Clans, which I wrote about earlier. In these games, microtransactions are easily available right on the main screen. When you pay real money to buy gold and gems, you are using microtransactions.<br><br>\<br>Just like anything, microtransactions have positive and negative effects. The worst part about microtransactions is the monetization of games. The microtransactions allow the developers and distributors to bank on people’s addiction to get as much profit as they can. While some people do use microtransactions, many don’t. Some people have claimed that microtransactions ruin their experience. I agree. Microtransactions make a game transactional, and not a fun experience that we were first promised.<br><br>\<br>Additionally, microtransactions make the game more competitive than fun. Let’s take Fortnite, for example. Fortnite is a classic example of microtransactions being used excessively. When you buy V-bucks, Fortnite’s in-game currency, you are spending real money. While it is not necessary to buy V-bucks, you can get loot boxes, which have exclusive items that you cannot buy otherwise. In Fortnite, you can buy V-bucks and level up faster. But where’s the fun in that? In a game like Fortnite, where the main idea of the game is for a player to compete and get to be the last player standing, where is the fun when you can just buy your way to the top of the leaderboard? There is no fun. At this point, it is not a game anymore. It is just a transaction. You pay them, and they hand you the rewards. Not because you earned them, but because you paid for them.<br><br>\<br>Lastly, microtransactions lead to the inclusion of in-game gambling. Games like Apex Legends and Call of Duty include loot boxes in their game which are more like a gamble. The players have no idea what they are going to get. Loot boxes contain items, which could be different each time, and the players have to spend real money to buy these boxes. This gambling is ethically wrong. While there may be laws that prevent this in some countries, there is no global law to prevent these gambling loot boxes.<br><br>\<br>All in all, while microtransactions are a good way for developers to make money, they also bring a lot of negative sides. In conclusion, the negative effects of microtransactions in games heavily outweigh the positive ones. Microtransactions ruin the game experience, create unhealthy addictions, and create an unfair, non-competitive environment in games.<br><br>\<br>Thank you for reading. I appreciate any feedback you may have. I am sorry if it didn’t fit under the guidelines of the subreddit.