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Gaming is a hobby that you can get lost in easily. Similar to a good book or movie, when you’re engrossed in playing a video game that you enjoy it’s easy to lose track of time. It’s every individual’s responsibility to make sure that the time they’re spending playing is manageable.

It’s not just your time, either. In recent years, more games have started implementing what’s now known as microtransactions. Microtransactions - or MTX for short - are a way for players to spend extra money while playing the game to buy additional helpful items or gives their character a colorful new look. Video game publishers have found that many players are indeed willing to spend vast amounts of money on these MTX items and have started relying on them as an additional revenue stream.

This MTX practice has been making its way into almost every modern game. From online multiplayer titles to offline singleplayer games, MTX have become standard - and this may not be a good thing. It’s painfully obvious when looking at modern games that developers and publishers intentionally design their game with additional MTX and Season Passes in mind. Some even withhold already finished content from players to sell them separately. And in worst case scenarios, game designers have implemented questionable algorithms into games to subconsciously pressure people into spending money on MTX. 

One of the most egregious examples of this is in FIFA - where you can’t have a decent team in the popular FIFA Ultimate Team mode without spending vast amounts of real money on virtual card packs. These card packs have even been likened to online gambling - to the point where several countries in the EU and Brazil have outright banned such practices in their respective regions.

The main reason that this practice is a problem is that a lot of these games are aimed at children. Many children who spend time playing these types of games are introduced to a form of online gambling. For parents who buy their children games, there is a very real reason to keep an eye on their kids and what they’re playing. It’s not enough to just get them a game and leave them alone. Find out what games your children are playing, and whether those games encourage unhealthy spending habits.

A large part of this falls on video game developers and publishers. They are the ones who want to sell a character costume for $20 in a game that you’ve already paid $60 for. They are the ones who make certain in-game items very hard to find, and then sell these items in the MTX store for $10. Some games sell you a Season pass for $10, and then make completing the Pass so time consuming that you’re pressured into spending even more money to complete the Season Pass before the Season finishes.

It’s sad to see more and more big titles use these methods to nickel and dime their customer base. Thankfully, some steps are being taken to ensure consumer protection when it comes to MTX. Hopefully these steps will be adopted by more countries soon. 

It’s easy to lose yourself in a good book, movie or podcast. But unlike most other forms of entertainment, video games have an additional layer of interactivity that makes them distinctly more appealing. Thus, it’s up to you to ensure that you or your children aren’t being taken advantage of. It’s up to you to manage your time and money in a responsible way.

About the author: Maldivian Gaming League is a team of e-sports organizers and competition promoters based in the Maldives. For more information, check them out on Facebook or Instagram.