MS CFO Tim Stuart defends throwing MTX into $70 games.

[DonFerrari]

sales2099 said:

DonFerrari said:

sales2099 said:

$10 map packs aren’t a thing anymore. The maps are given for free. This is a better system. I experienced what it was like to not play the map packs I bought due to fracturing. I support doing mtx the right way, they aren’t inherently evil. 

And I can’t stress this enough, MS is putting everything they have into growing GP, which nullifies the upfront cost. And therefore you can’t directly compare their business model to Sony. 

And charging 10USD for a skin isn't it done right anyway, nor is making most games MTX gallore that are to be played for several years but that is besides the point.

Nullifying the upfront cost to milk and dime the users is exactly what Sony fanbase have been complaining and you and some others would say that concern isn't justifiable, so now you have to change that to fit your point?

We’re talking about games that aren’t Xbox Studio titles. Xbox games with MTX aren’t the worst offenders (at least not anymore). I don’t like predatory mtx anymore then you. But like I said the business models are different but that doesn’t stop arguably misguided comparisons from happening anyway. 

Look Don, you asked me why I defend the system. I played Gears 5, a AAA, day 1, for nothing upfront. So long as I play $180 worth of GP every year, anything I play in addition is essentially free. I only spent $10 because I didn’t want to grind for certain stuff and I felt I gave this game enough of my time that I actually felt guilty not supporting a game and developer I like. And you guys complain despite spending $70 upfront because you don’t have a choice? Lol cmon. 

And therefore I 100% believe the system I’m using is objectively better. In the end I play more games then you for less money. Really hard to argue that. I also believe you guys are comparatively getting gouged so sorry if I don’t take any complaints from your side seriously regarding optional cosmetics to pay for free post launch content.

Having someone doing worse isn't really a defense. Because then we could accept any bad practice from publishers because Nintendo put DLC behind Amibo so for you to get some special power or skin you need to first buy an Amibo and then the DLC, not even EA, Ubi and Acti reached that level. But still accepting profit margins that are obscenely high is against what I believe and have been complaining about Nintendo titles selling for 60USD to 30M while costing much less than most titles that reach 1-5M in sales. So MTX, lootboxes, accelarators (that are done in conjunction with obnoxous grinding), skin, packs and others that have ridiculous profit margin (come on, a full game costing 60 or 70 and you look the content, how can a couple skin or maps be charged over 10% of that) is unnaceptable to me.

I pay 20-25 USD for my PS+ and receive like 1000 worth of content a year, what does that have to do with the discussion? And see you paid to avoid grinding, that is one of the bad aspects of MTX.

I pay full price for very few games (that are also full packages with all that is needed to enjoy the game), most I would pay no more than you pay in skin. And the several times I discussed the price of games I'm not only against 70 but also 60, for me the price of the HW could/should be much higher and the SW much lower considering the HW cost can't really go much lower with production/sales (even though it end up being 50% or more cheaper by the end of the gen) and have losses while SW can scale much better in profit with sales. What I said is that the reasons given to increase price are factual, they do exist, which doesn't mean I do agree with the increases.

On playing more games I'm not sure, I play a lot of games and they are mostly 20-50h per title, and considering you love the MP games you probably play a much lower number of games than me. But that also is pointless because quality trumps quantity. It is better to have a lot of enjoyment for 12h than mild enjoyment for 60h while paying the same. Because as someone that works and have limited time, my time is so much more worth than money, you do know you can trade time for money but can't trade money for time right?