Activision files patent for driving microtransactions

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Sulrn

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Based off a quick browse it sounds like it's more of a patent for a multi-purpose matchmaking system than it is purely for an analytic driven microtranscation marketing scheme.

However, marketing items to players from the view point of this is what the person had that killed you really depends on what kind of game we're talking about in terms of negative experience or not. Dota 2 already does this with no issues - but those are only cosmetics. Battlefront 2 doing this would be different.

Being able to see it in CoH 2, or knowing just because thats how the game works is infuriating though when it exposes inherent pay-2-win balancing.
 

Utnayan

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Haha Jesus. Looks like I am not buying COD WW2 now either!
 
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Kuro

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I like the step where after you buy your UBER PWNAGE RIFLE the system then makes sure to match you up with knuckle-dragging morons so that you can feel like superman with your freshly bought power.

Is this the world's first introduction to Diablo 4?
 
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Zaphid

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Based off a quick browse it sounds like it's more of a patent for a multi-purpose matchmaking system than it is purely for an analytic driven microtranscation marketing scheme.

However, marketing items to players from the view point of this is what the person had that killed you really depends on what kind of game we're talking about in terms of negative experience or not. Dota 2 already does this with no issues - but those are only cosmetics. Battlefront 2 doing this would be different.

Being able to see it in CoH 2, or knowing just because thats how the game works is infuriating though when it exposes inherent pay-2-win balancing.

TF2 did it first (as usual), however they don't do matchmaking based on the items you have, they only show what that players was wearing/using, so it's something different. I can't imagine any game actually using this and saying it publicly, matchmaking is ridiculously difficult to get right as it is and you need a pretty big pool of players to sprinkle it in and there are only so many games that could use and abuse it. Mobile gaming with asymmetric multiplayer ala Clash Royale ? It can be happening already. Still the application seems mostly theoretic, you can do the same with the P2W elements without compromising your matchmaking algorithm. All you need is the uber rifle to give you unlisted -20% damage taken for the next 5 matches or something.

The sheer sleaziness and possible blowback will probably make any sane designer avoid this like a plague, but someone somewhere will break this wall and then we'll be fucked.
 
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ZyyzYzzy

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I like the step where after you buy your UBER PWNAGE RIFLE the system then makes sure to match you up with knuckle-dragging morons so that you can feel like superman with your freshly bought power.

Is this the world's first introduction to Diablo 4?
Or you never spend money, you are always matched against whales abd destroyed no matter what.
 
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Utnayan

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The sheer sleaziness and possible blowback will probably make any sane designer avoid this like a plague, but someone somewhere will break this wall and then we'll be fucked.

Hey guess what, it starts with Shadows of War and Battlefront 2 and goes from there. The sheer sleaziness didn't stop WB or EA.
 
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Sulrn

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Since we're talking about activision, maybe this is the Next Big Thing (tm) for WoW. Why let farmers crash your in-game economy when you can crash it yourself.

Maybe Hearthstone? Tired of dust farming and deck management. Now get top web decks at the click of a button! Probably won't happen, but would be funny to watch the tears.
 
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Palum

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YOU JUST GOT WRECKED!

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WANT TO SPAWN BEHIND AND GET REVENGE? Buy our Platinum Respawn Crates which may contain DIRECT TO NEMESIS spawn locations! Only 46 gold dubloons or purchase the GOLD chest for $2.99.
 
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Skanda

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Activision is "claiming" this was an independent team that filed this as an exploratory patent and it hasn't been implemented in any of their games.

Now I'll leave it to you on if you trust Activision PR or not.
 
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Utnayan

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Activision is "claiming" this was an independent team that filed this as an exploratory patent and it hasn't been implemented in any of their games.

Now I'll leave it to you on if you trust Activision PR or not.

Yeah. I think not. :) Considering Michael Marr, the guy that filed the patent and wrote it, was the R&D VP of Activision since up through October 2015 and this was filed in 2014.

(Yeah. All these guys worked for Activision directly the same time this was filed for at least a year after filing and one being there until March of this last year)

So Activision just lied their ass off stating this was an independent team. Unless they want to define an independent team as not leveraging your in house VP of R&D and Tech director.
 
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Qhue

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I honestly can't get triggered by this... its just smart marketing. Its not really any more insidious than putting beautiful people near the windows of your chic bistro. They aren't trying to trick you into buying something you don't want, they are convincing you that you want it through creative means.
 
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Utnayan

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I honestly can't get triggered by this... its just smart marketing. Its not really any more insidious than putting beautiful people near the windows of your chic bistro. They aren't trying to trick you into buying something you don't want, they are convincing you that you want it through creative means.

Hahahaha What. Yeah being pitted against someone that has a more powerful weapon than you and you cannot win, forcing you to play with that player until you buy said weapon to win, is not the same as your illustration above. We aren't talking cosmetics here.
 
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Fight

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I feel like I am not even a gamer anymore. These shit bags are ripping all the fun out of it, and I can't even blame them with all the the morons that keep feeding them credit card money.

It is all over, gaming went corporate.
 
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McCheese

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Jesus, it's shit like this that keeps me from buying triple AAA games nowadays. All the absurd cashgrab DLC and microtransactions were already enough to drive me away, and this just solidifies that choice.

Thank god we have Steam and tons of indy developers making great, affordable games to help counteract this bullshit from big companies.
 
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Quineloe

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Based off a quick browse it sounds like it's more of a patent for a multi-purpose matchmaking system than it is purely for an analytic driven microtranscation marketing scheme.

However, marketing items to players from the view point of this is what the person had that killed you really depends on what kind of game we're talking about in terms of negative experience or not. Dota 2 already does this with no issues - but those are only cosmetics. Battlefront 2 doing this would be different.

Being able to see it in CoH 2, or knowing just because thats how the game works is infuriating though when it exposes inherent pay-2-win balancing.
The difference between cosmetic microtransactions and actual stuff microtransactions is more than 50%. $2 average per player for Dota 2, $3.40 average per player for World of Tonks.

I don't see cosmetic MT only lasting much longer for AAA's.
 
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Evernothing

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I feel like I am not even a gamer anymore. These shit bags are ripping all the fun out of it, and I can't even blame them with all the the morons that keep feeding them credit card money.

It is all over, gaming went corporate.

This is why I predominantly support indie studios. Crate, CD Projekt RED, Reikon, Studio MDHR are some that recently put out great games and don't do Season Pass, Horse Armour DLC bullshit.
 
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DickTrickle

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Do we know who the people are attached to the patent?

Edit: nevermind, just read ut's post I must have missed earlier.
 

yimmien

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Not Activision (Capcom), but seems like an appropriate place to complain.

It is awesome telling my kids they cant play new superhero characters in Marvel vs Capcom because they want 8$ per character and 4$ per costume. They even show up on character select screen whether you own them or not, just to tease them. I look like an asshole to them because I refuse to be ripped the fuck off with 60$ worth of dlc for a game I bought them for 60$ less than a month ago. It is getting way out of hand.
 
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