How much money do you spend on in-game shops?

[Thandran]

Question for the thread popped in my head after my jaw dropped while looking through the Mann Co. (I may have spelled that wrong) catalogue.

I recall there being a set of items being sold for 60 euros (a big crate full of gear). My jaw literally hit the floor. I like playing TF2. It is one of my favorite FPS multiplayer games. But seeing the price made me think that some players must be purchasing it, otherwise it would have a lower price.

Which made me think about other games and their stores. Like The Secret World one with their cosmetic items or Free-2-Play microtransactions etc.

I have not ever purchased an in-game item ... I don't know why though. I just really cannot bring myself purchasing virtual commodities.

I do not blame, condemn, make fun of those who do! No way! Their money, their choice and I respect that.

What about you? Do you buy in-game items? Which games? Free-2-play, Pay-2-play? Why and how much do you usually spend?

Just wondering.

Captcha: Time flies ... sure does Captcha, sure does.

EDIT: Spelling and adding a question: Can we say that DLC and Free-2-Play MMORPG conent is the same microtransaction like for items? Or should we have seperate them?

Usually I've thought about items when somebody brought up the term 'microtransaction'. Maybe I'll have to change that.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I'll usually buy something once to get "VIP" and support the devs. Personally I think the F2P business model is pretty obnoxious, though. I'd rather pay $30-$50 up front and not have the game constantly nag me for money.

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

Oh, don't even get me started on the Mann Co. store.

Gaben has me by the balls on that front.

Believe me. [http://www.tf2items.com/id/DatZach]

 

[Zhukov]

On in-game stores? Nothing.

I have bought a few bits of DLC here and there, which were basically the same thing.

 

[Rawne1980]

Absolutely nothing.

If I don't spend money on extra content in DLC form then i'm certainly not wasting my cash on items through in game shops.

 

[kyogen]

Nothing. I occasionally buy dlc if I think it adds something substantial to a game, but I never waste money on in-game micro-transactions.

 

[Mr Cwtchy]

In LOTRO I have spent money on pieces of content(questpacks, etc), as well as extra storage space and various consumable stuff when the need calls.

Other than that, not much.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

Unless it's something I really REALLY want, I don't spend any money on micro-transactions. DLC is a different story.

 

[Thandran]

Hmmm ... can we say that DLC and Free-2-Play MMORPG conents is the same as microtransactions? A la items?

Never thought about that. I've originally thought that it's mostly about items. Thanks for bringing that out. I was mostly curious about items. But now I'm curious about that too. I'll try and edit my first post.

 

[DanielBrown]

None. I might buy a subscription fee for a month once in a while, or digital expansion packs for the MMO I play, but I generally don't buy DLC and never touch in-game shop items for real money.

 

[EHKOS]

I bought about $30 worth of shit on the Mann Co. store when I was really into TF2. I will never make that mistake again.

EDIT: OK! It was $40! I'M SORRRRRYYYYY ;_;

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

I pick up most DLC - including item packs like the DA2 armor add-ons or the different looks for ME2 characters - but I don't know if that would really qualify as an 'in-game store' purchase.

IN an actual game, like at a shop in the world I wouldn't spend a dime. It breaks the wall for me and I'm just not keen to be spending my money in virtual worlds - ON virtual worlds, okay, but IN them no.

I will usually do an exploratory buy on micro transactions for something I am playing that I am enjoying enough to be curious about. The little packs for the ME3 multiplayer for instance, I dropped $2.99 sure to see what's in the premium pack once just to see, but I couldn't afford to make a habit of that sort of buying.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

Nope, I've never bought anything from micro-transactions (other than expansion packs that are only available that way, such as the "Lair of the Shadow Broker" DLC for Mass Effect 2 for example)

That said, I did vow that if City of Heroes/City of Villains ever introduced some kind of "Tactical" booster pack to unlock all of the police and military costume options that are currently (as of the last time I played, anyway) unavailable in the character creator, I'd buy it regardless of price.

 

[Total LOLige]

I've bought packs on FIFA Ultimate Team store but that's only with spare microsoft points that I couldn't buy anything else with.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

It has varied with me from game to game. I am likely different from many folks here insofar as I have a fair disposable income and don't mind spending it on something I enjoy. I often buy friends games on Steam (usually on a sale) so that I have someone to play them with for example. I don't buy ridiculous things for silly money, but I may buy the odd cosmetic things, mounts, unique abilities and have in the past bought virtual currencies for real money, usually from a random place in China and knowing it's in breach of most EULAs.

The most likely thing I'd pay for is convenience however. Things that make the game's quality of life better, such as Teleport abilities (like the ones in the AoC Veteran store....don't know if that's still there), unique bridge officers (STO), items that scale with a character, weapons one would get anyway but without the "grind" or prequisites, theme packs like CoV had before it went F2P, etc. Or currency to buy things in game without the hassle of having to do repetitive and boring daily quests or grinding to earn it myself.

For all things it usually boils down to Time Vs. Money. Those able to spend the time don't have to spend the money. Those with the money can save themselves the time. If the in-game time spent is itself fun and rewarding, I'll spend the time, but otherwise, I'll spend the money and enjoy playing the game my way and at my pace.

 

[Maniac2807]

I buy DLC and whatnot through steam if its good enough/cheap enough. I also spent $5-10 on the TF2 store to buy the cheap ($1-2) starter kits for the classes i liked.

 

[ChildishLegacy]

Some people here saying in game shops are a waste should understand that this can kill the F2P game you love. Even spending £1-2 will help them and you're still getting more enjoyment out of a game that could have been sold to you for £30-40. I happily spend money on LoL every now and again because Riot continue to update a game and don't force you into buying anything, and I really like them as a company and want them to keep up with LoL and maybe branch out even further.

[sub]Also I get kick ass skins[/sub]

 

[Finbark]

Spoiler

That adequately describes my experience with Riot Points. Funny how that's pretty much the only in-game currency I don't have a problem buying. I suppose it's because $10 can get me hours of playtime if I spend it on a new champion.
I've also spent some money on NX points (or whatever they're called now), as well as some currency in Artix Entertainment games (Z-Tokens, Dragon Coins, etc.). Neither of those transactions have been a substantial amount of money though.