2Moons Takes The Long Way Around To RMT
One of the continuing arguments against RMT (or microtransactions, for that matter) in MMORPGs is the fact that some view this as a way for players to “buy some uber”. Not everyone shares this view (although it seems to be a majority of the “vocal minority”…insert eye-rolling here), but if the items you’re buying with real money give you an in-game advantage, then that would seem to be the case.
How, then, to classify what’s going on in 2Moons?
Patch Notes 2.8.24 12/18 9PM PST
Feature:
10% EXP boost for people watching in game Advertisements.
Can be turned Off if wanted. On by Default.
Please note that the advertisement window position will be adjusted in the future.
Now admittedly, no one is paying their money for this XP boost; all you have to do is watch in-game ads while you play, which of course generates revenue for Acclaim. This method may have been used before, but to my knowledge this is the first time in-game ads have been responsible for an advantage in gameplay.
Previously, games like Anarchy Online offered the “basic” game for free, with in-game ads paying the tab. However, I’m curious…how does this fit in with the vehemence against RMT? Good idea? Bad idea? Or just another spur on the track to the future?
When I first saw this mentioned by Tachevert at WorldIV earlier today, I thought “What the hell?!?” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this doesn’t affect things in-game as much as you would think…unless your playing buddies don’t mind the ads, and you can’t stand them.
It’ll be interesting to see how this works out for David Perry and Acclaim.
December 21st, 2007 at 5:09 pm
How would your buddies see the ads?
Overall though I don’t mind this so much. If someone wants to watch ads power to them.
December 21st, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Given they made it optional to watch the ads, and therefore some incentive is necessary to induce players to do so, it seems to be one of the most obvious ways to do it. Plus you could probably grind your character up to a set lvl and then disable the ads again right?
As much as I’d like to hate RMT and in-game ads, I do have to admit, making it optional and not forcing them on players was a good decision.
I’m actually more annoyed with many multiplayer games being released with the often undisclosed mandatory in-game advertising embedded in them by Electronic Arts and other companies simply to pull in another $1-2/yr off players that already paid $50-60 for the boxed game. In many cases it diminishes the immersion of the game with cheesy ads that don’t fit the genre simply to make an extra buck. I’m also betting in the future EA will be found liable for some of these ads being displayed to minors that aren’t able to opt-out such as the regulations with many web sites catering to younger kids.
December 22nd, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Yeah…I keep waiting for the almighty dollar to become too much of a temptation for someone, and we wind up with a hunter class wearing Adidas sneakers.
You know it’s going to happen sooner or later…or something like it.