Microtransactions are here to stay, no big deal right?

As video games go, publishers are always looking to increase their bottom lines.  With the knowledge that most companies lose money on their console sales, it is obvious that they would be looking to maximize profit from the media played on each console.

With the next generation of gaming consoles into full swing, we as consumers have only seen the growth of the dreaded microtransaction; but is it really that big of a deal?

Nowadays, gaming can take place virtually anywhere.  With the iTunes App Store as well as the Android market, games are developed and played on even platform imaginable.  While EA and its stable of sports games may be at the forefront of the microtransactions line, many cell phone games also help to substantiate the cause.  Gamers rarely think about that extra purchase in Candy Crush, or the 99 cent download to boost your position in Clash of Clans.

With that thought process, why does the issue elevate so much for gamers looking to go deeper in their franchise on Madden, or better their performance on FIFA?  Microtransactions represent an elevated level of gameplay and normally involve some sort of workaround to a specific in-game advancement.  While, I believe we are all in agreement that microtransactions shouldn’t substitute being able to accomplish in-game initiatives, or take away functions unless you pay for them (ahem, we’re looking at you EA Online Pass), the inclusion of microtransactions in video games shouldn’t be as scary as we once thought.

Weigh in and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.