Microtransactions Are Getting Out Of Hand | Spot On

In theory, live service games seem like a win-win for developers and consumers: Developers get to focus on supporting one title, while players are offered a constant stream of new content for their favorite games. In practice, however, things are playing out a bit differently.

With the rise of games as a service comes the rise of microtransactions, small in-game purchases that offer players additional content, cosmetics, and more. The problem is, these charges quickly add up, luring players into shelving out large amounts of money in small increments. Though some companies are more predatory in their tactics than others, we find ourselves growing frustrated by all it–and increasingly wary of what the future holds.

Spot On is a weekly news show airing Fridays in which GameSpot’s managing editor Tamoor Hussain and senior producer Lucy James talk about the latest news in games. Given the highly dynamic and never-ending news cycle of the massive video game industry, there’s always something to talk about but, unlike most other news shows, Spot On will dive deep into a single topic as opposed to recapping all the news. Spot On airs each Friday.