Survey: 90% Of Developers Don’t Think Microtransactions Are Necessary

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As someone who has grown up with games like Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda, and Final Fantasy, I’ve always appreciated the simplicity of buying a game, playing it, and enjoying it without any additional costs. The survey results from Devcom resonate deeply with my beliefs – 89% of developers don’t think microtransactions are necessary to sell games!

Story Highlights

  • A survey conducted at Devcom unveiled that 90% of devs don’t believe microtransactions are required to sell games.
  • A buy-to-play model is enough for AAA titles as per the devs.
  • The rising cost of game development was brought up as a big issue during the survey.

At the Devcom conference in Cologne, a poll of approximately 100 developers out of the 300 speakers present indicated that a vast majority (89%) believe microtransactions are not essential for selling games. These developers suggest that AAA games can achieve financial success simply by being “buy-to-play,” meaning they do not require any additional purchases beyond the initial purchase price.

According to the survey findings, only one developer out of every hundred who participated felt that ads were crucial for the future of gaming. Additionally, about 31% of the participants suggested that AI should be minimally used in game development. Conversely, approximately 21% of developers believed that employing AI to assist with coding and overall production could potentially advance gaming.

In the survey conducted, approximately half (more than 50%) of the developers expressed that ‘saturation’ is the primary culprit behind the problems faced by the industry. On the other hand, nearly 46% of respondents pointed out that escalating development costs are a significant concern. Lastly, opinions on layoffs were split: around 43% anticipate a decrease in layoffs over the next year, while the remainder believes the rate of layoffs will continue to increase.

Microtransactions: The Bone Of Contention 

Discussions about microtransactions have been ongoing for quite some time now, with the “pay-to-win” feature receiving criticism from various governments worldwide. In fact, the UK parliament has suggested that microtransactions be considered a form of gambling within their country. However, despite this scrutiny and debate, the industry continues to employ this mechanism due to its financial benefits.

In the year 2021, a significant portion of Activision Blizzard’s $8.8 billion earnings came from microtransactions. Interestingly, even Grand Theft Auto V, one of the most successful video games ever sold, generated more income through microtransactions than from game sales as far back as 2017. Given these substantial profits, it’s understandable why the gaming industry remains keen on continuing to employ microtransactions, despite both developers and players expressing their disapproval of them.

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2024-08-20 11:41