Microtransactions and downloadable content are two of the most discussed and controversial issues that exist in the industry. For this reason, the research firm NPD Group conducted a study which revealed what gamers say about these practices.
The study shows that between 28% of the US population between 13 and 54 years have purchased extra content for a game in the last 3 months. People who bought this type of more virtual products were men and adolescents.
To the surprise of many, it is more likely that players spend on microtransactions (23%) than downloadable content (16%); notwithstanding the foregoing it is for good reason: price. According to the research, half of the users who do not buy DLC feel that the content is not worth; while 16% believe that it is content that must be included in the game.
As you can imagine, if they buy DLC who think differently. According to the survey, people buy DLC for 3 main reasons: to play with friends who already have it, owning all the content available for the game and because they consider its price is reasonable.
On the other hand, the firm notes that most prefer to unlock content within the game with virtual currency. That said, 78% of respondents have considered spending money on microtransactions to get advantages such as weapons or power-ups. According to NPD Group information, the possibility that a person invests in microtransactions is directly related to cost and how much you enjoy the game.
Another surprise we found is that 77% of respondents have a positive opinion on microtransactions, allowing them to extend the ways you enjoy the game. That said, the vast majority (68%) is against the pay-to-win games, where the only way to win is paying money.
The survey was conducted on 8,893 people, of which 2,470 have spent money on microtransactions and DLC. The negative aspect of the study is that it does not specify what games were taken into account and as you know, the monetization model for microtransactions varies from game to game.
What do you think of these microtransactions? Is there any game that led you to invest in this type of shopping? Tell us in the comment section below.
