Formerly-free sci-fi MMORPG Anarchy Online announced yesterday it is selling in-game items through microtransactions.
Items for sale include hover-bikes, hover-boards, social clothing, pets and luxury apartments.
Players with paid subscriptions will receive free bonus points. Points may be purchased to acquire special in-game items.
Publisher Funcom says their “focus is to ensure that the virtual items do not affect gameplay balance.”
Most Korean and East Asian MMOs use a microtransaction-based business model, while Occidental games rely on monthly subscriptions. But the Eastern model is already on its way West, and is used in child-oriented games like Habbo.
Microtransactions allow people with little or no money to participate in a game, but can nickel-and-dime a player through addictive virtual purchases.
Link.
2 Comments
I don’t think MMO’s doing MT’s is a bad thing… I just think if they choose to do it then they shouldn’t charge you a monthly fee.
I’ve always hated the idea of microtransactions. It means that how well you do in the game is influenced by how much money you spend.
You know, instead of how much time you spend. ;)