Take-Two CEO Defends NBA 2K's microtransactions, says some customers just want everything to be free

[Return of the Jedi]

After NBA 2K18, Take-Two's CEO Talks About Microtransaction Backlash And Future Monetization - Game Informer

At E3 this year, we got a chance to sit down with Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick and asked him about the introduction of the virtual currency model and whether that made the publisher think about how they're going to handle it in the future.

"Unquestionably we pay attention to consumer response because we’re so focused on engaging and captivating and entertaining the consumer," Zelnick said. "Any time we get feedback that is anything less than 1,000-percent positive, we stop and say, what should we do differently? I think there’s a small sliver of the consumer base that basically wants everything for free, we can’t really help those people. I think most consumers just want a fair deal and we do think that part of a fair deal is, you know when you get the check at the end of the meal, it’s not enough that the food tasted good, it has to be a fair deal for what you got. So we’re very focused on it being more than a fair deal; we want to give consumers much more than they paid for."

Demanding a progression system that doesn't have a "pay-to-win" shortcut is NOT the same as demanding free content. Not if you paid $60 for the damn game in the first place. Ask yourself if this is the kinda fukkery you wanna support before you buy 2K this year. Don't let this become the industry standard.

 

[Maddmike]

So we shouldn't buy the game

 

[Willie]

Either pay to keep up or grind on your own nikkas always whining about something smh

 

[Rain]

Either pay to keep up or grind on your own nikkas always whining about something smh

And this is why they will keep getting away with bullshyt

 

[Return of the Jedi]

Either pay to keep up or grind on your own nikkas always whining about something smh

Nah bro. Not when they purposely dragged out progression in order to compel consumers to pay for fake money. That can fly in a POS freemium iOS game like Clash of Clans, but not for a AAA title. You are part of the problem.

 

[ORDER_66]

If I'm paying $60 for a fukking game plus DLC the other shyt better be free muthafukka... Didn't y'all make Billions off of JUST Grand Theft Auto 5?!?!

 

[Easy-E]

Every company literally has the same excuse.

The reason they want streaming and to get rid of hardware is to get rid of customer power.

I love 2K14, but, I can't play it because it's mostly online and the servers are dead. But, I can go back to 2K11 and have the same experience has I did in 2010.

 

[daze23]

free? it's a $60 game... that they expect you to buy every year

 

[ORDER_66]

free? it's a $60 game... that they expect you to buy every year

They can literally kiss my black ass... I can't believe gamers falling for these okie-dokes man...

 

[Batsute]

They tied grinding to literal progression instead of rewards. Their target segment are 16-32 bit era gamers with disposable income who grew up being rewarded for hard work. Back then Beat the campaign to unlock bonus story, now it's buy the campaign and buy additional content you grew up expecting to be free.

In flies in the face of that segment for not being rewarded for their achievements.


Unless you count trophies and achievements.

 

[Willie]

And this is why they will keep getting away with bullshyt

Nah bro. Not when they purposely dragged out progression in order to compel consumers to pay for fake money. That can fly in a POS freemium iOS game like Clash of Clans, but not for a AAA title. You are part of the problem.

You literally get VC for just about every game mode there is how is it an issue either way? Not like it’s limited to how much you can earn. You can progress naturally or buy VC up until your cap.

This good business y’all just mad because 15 year old kids spraying your faces off with pure sharps.

 

[the_FUTURE]

the nerve of that quote tbh.

 

[ORDER_66]

This is good business

 

[SAINT]

hope yall keep that same energy when the trailer drops

 

[Return of the Jedi]

hope yall keep that same energy when the trailer drops

Bet.