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Overwatch marks a new low in Unlocking and Microtransaction systems that I'm aware of

fhqwhgads

Member
An FYI for those who haven't played the game yet. The unlockable voice lines are just one liners that are really just there for humour. The meaningful voices like Need Healing/Ultimate Charging/Group Up/Thanks are all available by default. The only exception is that some characters like Winston and Mei have a "Sorry" voice line you can unlock, so I can see how that can be useful in gameplay. Outside of that, it's all stuff that's just there for shits and giggles.
 

SilentRob

Member
I'm aware. I'm also aware that it can be a huge fucking grind too. The item drop system in TF2 is far from balanced. Anyways, point is that TF2 locks out more important stuff in a much more grindy manner, and I was pointing that out because the OP somehow thought TF2 was a good example of how to do it right.

You are right of course - but even here it's important to note that TF2 is a free-to-play game.
 
Would rather random lines of unimportant speech and color swaps (that can be earned via gameplay) be monetized than...say...new maps and characters. This is a really off base complaint honestly.
 
Well, you paid 40-60 dollars for the game...

Yes and every single gameplay addition after this will be free of charge. Do you think $60 is enough to keep this game going for years? Would you rather they charge for each additional character they make or put out harmless cosmetic microtransactions which don't affect a thing?
 

Fishook

Member
If people want to pay money for virtual tat, its there business.Grinding and Farming for crap has always been a pit pointless, but I suppose it's a bit like gambling or any collecting hobby.

I don't mind playing for DLC's for games I am playing, if it enhances the game. I don't have the time to sink into these type of games, and paying get the unlockable's is not my cup of tea. The most popular games played have a similar systems, people can't get enough of these games.
 

MMaRsu

Member
Could have done $40 digital and $60 retail like they did on PC.

Its only 40 on their own store is it not?

Once again this thread wi devolve into a bitching fest about content and price. Maybe someone will even post that they still need SP content before they buy this.
 

kiguel182

Member
Funny, I think there should be more unlocks.

Also, COD is the low point in AAA micro transactions. So much that drove me off the game.
 

Hektor

Member
I remember when people absolutely freaked out about the cosmetics shop in Evolve, because it's a 60$ game and cosmetics should be free.

I agree with the OP - not in that it's a new low, there are worse examples, but it's still bad. This is a 60$ game and it shouldn't have the unlock system of a free to play-game. It's very clearly designed around making you buy (expensive as fuck) treasure boxes, because it takes a pretty long time to level up from level 20 onwards.

Evolve also had actual gameplay related unlockables, exclusive preorder dlc (That was basically announced before the game itself), gameplay related DLC's like new characters with unique abilitys and a season pass. I don't think that comparison holds up well.
 

Chev

Member
Apparently in Star Citizen your ships now take a few minutes to respawn and you can pay to bypass the timer. THAT is a new low. The Overwatch cosmetics are completely average compared to that.
 
Actually I think I see it now. People who didn't buy the game and don't like it are calling this out whereas people who actually bought the game and are enjoying it see it as it is, harmless.
 

WaterAstro

Member
...I could be mistaken since I didn't play UC4 multi, but I believe you can buy in-game weapons and items that affect gameplay with real money in Uncharted 4. You probably don't want to make that comparison.

No you can't, but there are these somewhat shady boosters and being able to buy special weapon improvements (though you can only buy them after massive amounts of unlocking has been done for one weapon).

Everything is obtainable with the free in-game point stuff though.
 

MMaRsu

Member
I remember when people absolutely freaked out about the cosmetics shop in Evolve, because it's a 60$ game and cosmetics should be free.

I agree with the OP - not in that it's a new low, there are worse examples, but it's still bad. This is a 60$ game and it shouldn't have the unlock system of a free to play-game. It's very clearly designed around making you buy (expensive as fuck) treasure boxes, because it takes a pretty long time to level up from level 20 onwards.

Ehhhhhhh

Everybody "freaked out" over Evolve because they did not just put cosmetics out.

They put new characters and abilities behind a paywall.

Overwatch has the least amount of microtransactions ive seen.

Clearly some of yall havent even played the game but are bitching about shit u know nothing about.
 

Hektor

Member
No you can't, but there are these somewhat shady boosters and being able to buy special weapon improvements (though you can only buy them after massive amounts of unlocking has been done for one weapon).

Everything is obtainable with the free in-game point stuff though.

So, it's like in overwatch, but actually affects the gameplay. I fail to see how that is a better system.
 

royox

Member
OP, you really shouldn't post anything against Blizzard on Gaf.


pd: Also Nintendo. Never touch Blizzard or Nintendo on GAF ;D
 
Junkrat has a 'Happy Birthday' line that I brought with real money. Well I didn't, i earned it in one of the free crates.

The point is I can now spam 'Happy birthday' constantly with no context.

...

Happy biiiirthday!
 
OP, are you being intentionally dishonest? The speech lines aren't "lines of dialogue." They're essentially emotes. Taunts, even. Characters do, indeed, have dialogue with each other on occasion, but none of that is locked away. Blizzard is not holding their writing for ransom. Besides, all of the voice lines are previewable for free. You just can't use them in-game.

There's certainly a conversation to be had about this kind of monetization in games, but let's leave the hyperbole at the door, okay?
 

SilentRob

Member
It wasn't when I bought it.

It also was a completely different game without hats and skins and whatever when it was released. Isn't really important not since Valve obviously decided it should be Free-2-Play at some point.

Ehhhhhhh

Everybody "freaked out" over Evolve because they did not just put cosmetics out.

They put new characters and abilities behind a paywall.

Overwatch has the least amount of microtransactions ive seen.

Clearly some of yall havent even played the game but are bitching about shit u know nothing about.


I'm level 16 and I love the game. I can still criticize certain parts of it.
 
I remember when people absolutely freaked out about the cosmetics shop in Evolve, because it's a 60$ game and cosmetics should be free.

I agree with the OP - not in that it's a new low, there are worse examples, but it's still bad. This is a 60$ game and it shouldn't have the unlock system of a free to play-game. It's very clearly designed around making you buy (expensive as fuck) treasure boxes, because it takes a pretty long time to level up from level 20 onwards.

The game gives you all maps, characters, and abilities to you with your purchase. In no way is your effectiveness as a player even mildly hamstrung to encourage you to participate in the microntransactions.

It doesn't have the unlock system of a free to play game.
 

SilentRob

Member
The game gives you all maps, characters, and abilities to you with your purchase. In no way is your effectiveness as a player even mildly hamstrung to encourage you to participate in the microntransactions.

It doesn't have the unlock system of a free to play game.

Have you heard of a small game called DOTA 2? Heroes of the Storm? League of Legends?
 
It's also the least intrusive MT ever, the store icon is only visible from the Loot Box opening page. It's never forced upon you at any time.

People seem to have a real chip on their shoulder about Overwatch doing well while containing MT and not having single player content.

The game has only been out for 4 days and people want everything NOW NOW NOW, that's why all the impatient and wasteful people are loading up on loot boxes and playing that lottery.

There is so much hatred towards MT and loot boxes like these but the stats about them will not lie, you people are buying them by the bucket load, if they were so bad then they wouldn't be doing so well.

I'll happily continue to play the game as normal, get a box every time I level (which is very frequent anyway) and enjoy my time online shooting other people.
 

Stoze

Member
No you can't, but there are these somewhat shady boosters and being able to buy special weapon improvements (though you can only buy them after massive amounts of unlocking has been done for one weapon).

Everything is obtainable with the free in-game point stuff though.

My mistake, but that still has real life currency affecting gameplay.

All the voice lines are obtainable with free in-game point stuff in Overwatch as well.
 
And before you say that it doesn't affect gameplay so it's good - it does effect the writing, the characterization and basically the heart of the game.

What the hell?

This is such a strange complaint. Besides, unless you're extremely unlucky, you can gain enough credits for voices rather quickly, if they're that important for you.
 
It also was a completely different game without hats and skins and whatever when it was released. Isn't really important not since Valve obviously decided it should be Free-2-Play at some point.
Which is kind of bullshit, since I paid for the game as it was.

Point is, I paid for TF2 and then Valve introduced microtransactions for weapons and cosmetics, some of which can only be obtained through paying money.

It's a lot worse than what's going on in Overwatch, as I can obtain everything from just playing the game.

I'm not complaining though, I've got 2000 hours in TF2 and I'm happy to give them my money for crates for all the free content they've released.
 
You expect Blizzard to provide content years down the line...with the 60 bucks they got from you? El-Oh-El

Well that did that with Diablo 3 recently provided you have the expansion. They've been making changes and adding stuff for a good while now and even did a mini-expansion for free.
 

Interfectum

Member
I wish more multiplayer games adopted overwatch's system tbh. Imagine if battlefront had them instead of season passes and community splitting dlc.
 
It's not that far off from COD points in Black Ops 1 in terms of using currency earned in game to buy unlocks you want.

But this is seriously reaching, a new low?

I don't think everyone is exactly happy with microtransactions but if they pay for new maps and characters instead of forcing us to buy DLC I'm for it.
 
Have you heard of a small game called DOTA 2? Heroes of the Storm? League of Legends?

Hello and welcome to Heroes of the Storm. Characters cost 50 hours of play time or $10 to unlock.

I honestly couldn't say about the other two, but I'm assuming that the rarest items in the game are wee bit harder to get than the b.va skin or the reinhardt charge highlight intro. Cuz you can pretty much be guaranteed to have both of those within 40ish hours of play if you want them.
 
It's a real sad state of affairs when companies get a carte blanche because they aren't charging for maps. It is possible to be critical of a cosmetic only business model without retorting how we should be grateful Blizzard isn't charging for maps.
 

WaterAstro

Member
Yes and every single gameplay addition after this will be free of charge. Do you think $60 is enough to keep this game going for years? Would you rather they charge for each additional character they make or put out harmless cosmetic microtransactions which don't affect a thing?

No, it's not free, because you paid $60 for it.

It's how these companies make it sound like you're getting free things when you actually paid for future updates by buying the base games.

"Oh hey you know that game breaking bug that happened in Fallout 4? We patched it. For free. That's us. Free of Charge. Totally the good guys."

So, it's like in overwatch, but actually affects the gameplay. I fail to see how that is a better system.

Arguing p2w mtx like Uncharted's, well, just say I've seen people here flipflop on the subject.
Personally, if both, opposing players can buy the boosters with free currency, and the booster is only a slight advantage in which player skill still wins games, I think it's okay.

Actually, I remember Black Desert having GAF mods arguing that buying horses or stat costumes weren't p2w, even though I thought it was, but it's not too advantageous.
 

Zemm

Member
It's refreshing as fuck to play an online shooter where leveling up doesn't unlock weapons or armour or vehicles, just cosmetic items. I don't care for them and I won't buy the loot boxes, but I already have two legendary skins after 10 hours of play, it's not like you'll never get the skins you want without paying.

Best leveling up mechanics in an online fps for years.
 
No, it's not free, because you paid $60 for it.

It's how these companies make it sound like you're getting free things when you actually paid for future updates by buying the base games.

"Oh hey you know that game breaking bug that happened in Fallout 4? We patched it. For free. That's us. Free of Charge. Totally the good guys."

Getting new maps, characters, game modes and whatever else is definitely the same as fixing a game breaking bug in a game. Real good argument.
 
I dont know man, I havent paid more than 30 bucks for Diablo 3 on PS4 and its had substantial free updates.

Blizzard provided free content for two years down the line for Diablo 3 RoS with the 60 buck they got from me.

Well that did that with Diablo 3 recently provided you have the expansion. They've been making changes and adding stuff for a good while now and even did a mini-expansion for free.
Regardless, they still made some money off the auction house. Not many AAA developer still have this kind of support, is it wrong for Blizzard to ask for more money now?
 
It's a real sad state of affairs when companies get a carte blanche because they aren't charging for maps. It is possible to be critical of a cosmetic only business model without claiming Blizzard's only other alternative is to charge for maps.
I think people would care more if they cosmetics were only obtainable through microtransactions.

As it is, you can earn all the stuff just by playing the game, which you'll be doing anyway.
 

Nere

Member
If they actually support the game with modes, new characters, new skins and everything is free then I think the microtransactions are justified.
 

Sn4ke_911

If I ever post something in Japanese which I don't understand, please BAN me.
This thread marks a new low for you, OP.

You can unlock everything for free, you don't have to buy a single loot box.
 
Regardless, they still made some money off the auction house. Not many AAA developer still have this kind of support, is it wrong for Blizzard to ask for me re money now?

They haven't earned a single dime from auction house since January 2014 and they have been consistently putting out major free content for over two years. And yes, they deserve some money for the support.
 
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