The problem with cosmetic microtransactions is that it gives the creators a monetary incentive to make sure nothing you can earn in the game is as appealing as the microtransaction items, or that their availability (in cases where you can earn the same items in-game) are low enough that you’ll never reasonably earn what you want.
You can say ‘Cosmetics don’t matter!’ but the astronomical sales of cosmetic items pretty much proves that to the majority of players, that is not the case.
They also often intentionally create game mechanics specifically to ensure that players who aren’t paying see the better-looking players who did pay.
You can say ‘Cosmetics don’t matter!’ but the astronomical sales of cosmetic items pretty much proves that to the majority of players, that is not the case.
Is it a majority of players or a minority that pays unsustainable sums?
Play a match of Valorant. EVERYONE has skins. There are whales that buy every $100 bundle sure, but even the regular players often end up buying a $20 skin or $50 bundle pretty often.
Obviously, paying customers would want to look and feel premium. Plenty of events and rewards provide content that look good.
It’s the desire to look different that drives the high volume cosmetic sales. If someone can’t afford it, they don’t lose out on content but still able to access a full-fledged game.
That’s a great thing, not possible without microtransactions.
