I wonder, when was it that microtransactions became so ubiquitos in the big-budget gaming space that the lack of them became a legitimate selling point? Was it a year ago? Five years? Well, however long ago it started, having no microtransactions is still cause for celebration. Does their absence mean Crimson Desert will automatically be good? No. However, this does mean that there’s a much greater chance of it.

As reported by TwistedVoxel.com, Crimson Desert PR Lead Will Powers recently clarified on an episodes of the Lost Frames podcast that the game will in fact not have any microtransactions. The website quotes him saying, “This is made to be a premium experience that you buy and you enjoy the world and not something for microtransactions.” In other words, Pearl Abyss made this game to be enjoyed, not to turn players into cash cows. Crazy, right?

It’s genuinely refreshing to hear such a thing from a big-budget developer (I’m not sure yet if they’re truly AAA level or not), and I really do hope this bodes well for the success of Crimson Desert. The fact that it wasn’t developed with microtransactions in mind won’t have any of the nasty, exploitive systems that are common to all MTX driven titles. No endless grind, no FOMO, no ridiculous cosmetics and nothing being carved out to be sold back to you later at a premium. It’s what it should be, an experience meant to be enjoyed by its players.

Speaking onf microtransactions, I think it’s about time that moniker was retired. There’s nothing “micro” about $5, $10, $20, or $50 plus purchases in a game. Those are “macro” transactions. You’re spending enough money to buy whole other games or, heck, stuff like groceries at those prices. This stuff was absolutely beyond the pale even just 10 years ago, yet somehow it’s become the standard practice of every bloated AAA corpo developer (that’s to say nothing about the publishers either!) Yikes!

I hate to keep coming back to this well, but I just can’t stand what AAA gaming has become. The idea of “AAA” used to mean the highest quality experiences. Now though? Now its synonymous with bland garbage, price gouging, customer exploitation and actual psychological warfare. Seriously, these guys hired psychologists to consult and tell them exactly how best to worm their way into your brain and get you to buy!

Anyway, Crimson Desert releasing without microtransactions truly is good news. It’s evidence that not every team with a budget is in it to cynically manipulate you into handing over every last penny they can. Rather, it shows that, somehow, there are still passionate developers at that level who just want to make the best possible game that they can. Here’s hoping they’re rewarded for it!

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What’s your take on this? Are you gonna give the game a try?

Image from the Steam page