Multiplayer progression is achieved through both skill and the number of hours you have available to sink into a single game. You may sport a .50 K/D in Black Ops 2, but if you just so happen to have spent 600 hours spewing hot lead, it’s likely that you’ll have every gun and attachment that you’ll ever need. There’s some pride in reaching that latest, greatest rank in any competitive venture, and that’s why people seem to be so sour on microtransactions that do more than just change your outfit. The “pay-to-win” model is a concern for those who are actually willing to put time into a game, and while it hasn’t been confirmed, it sounds as if Bungie’s Destiny will include some sort of real-money component.
The studio recently took user questions through its Mail Sack feature, and while most of the queries concerned Destiny’s E3 showing, one fan wanted to know if he’d be outdone online by players with more cash. Bungie had this to say:
“What we can tell you right now is that the rewards you will gain by playing Destiny – and playing it well – will be earned. You will carve them from the hides of your enemies, after you stomp them into the ground of your favorite destinations,” the post reads.
Activision is no stranger to systems that incorporate real money. Diablo 3 and World of Warcraft have been raking in the cash for the publisher, and while there’s plenty of great information out there about the core combat of Destiny, adding microtransactions may turn a few people away.
