- Ubisoft sparked widespread backlash after claiming microtransactions in single-player games make the experience “more fun”.
- The publisher stated that microtransactions make games more enjoyable by allowing players “to personalize their avatars or progress more quickly.”
- The claim attracted unanimous criticism from the community, with gamers calling out Ubisoft for its shoddy practices.
In the French publisher’s latest financial report, Ubisoft brazenly claimed that stuffing premium, single-player games with microtransactions makes the experience “more fun.”
The report read, “ At Ubisoft, the golden rule when developing premium games is to allow players to enjoy the game in full without having to spend more. Our monetization offer within premium games makes the player experience more fun by allowing them to personalize their avatars or progress more quickly, however, this is always optional. “
If you’ve played any Assassin’s Creed post the franchise’s RPG-pivot, you’ll know exactly what the “monetization” looks like. The in-game store is chock-full of items to speed up progression and reduce the need for player discovery , alongside an assortment of cosmetic outfits. While this approach is acceptable in a free-to-play game, shoving it into a full-priced product, listed at $70 no less, is less than desirable.
What’s more concerning is the effect this has on the games themselves. Starting with Origins and leading into Odyssey, Valhalla, and Shadows ( review ), Assassin’s Creed titles have turned into grind-a-thons that pack their gorgeous open worlds with mind-numbing cookie-cutter content. The actual good stuff is often level-gated, requiring players to trudge through hours of repetitive mediocrity, gathering miserly amounts of XP in the process, just to unlock the story content they actually paid for in the first place.
If the genuine intention was to make games “more fun,” I’d suggest removing the laborious grind that nudges players towards splashing money to make the ‘fun’ come sooner. But hey, what do I know?
A massive gaming nerd who’s been writing stuff on the internet since 2021, Aryan covers single-player games, RPGs, and live-service titles such as Marvel Rivals and Call of Duty: Warzone. When he isn’t clacking away at his keyboard, you’ll find him firing up another playthrough of Fallout: New Vegas.
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