Is this a pay to win mechanic?

[Skanky Sylveon]

I purchased some pop tarts for my brother the other day, and saw this on the box. 

 

While partnered junk food deals, where the purchaser gets some kind of in game bonus is nothing new, this package reminds me of pay to win mobile games.

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts on this kind of stuff are?

I personally like it better than pre-order bonuses.

[Beef Boss]

Well,  in that case it's just XP. It's not like it's giving some exclusive in game item that is not available other than that box. I don't play video games anymore, but like in titanfall there was a mountain dew code that gave you a cool in game execution on players. 

[Drak3]

No, it's pay to get a small boost that doesn't compensate skill and, at best, only puts you a week ahead of everyone else.

[Princess Luna]

If any thing all more reason not to get destiny 2....

 

Lets be honest this game has been over-merchandised already...

[Drak3]

35 minutes ago, Princess Cadence said:

If any thing all more reason not to get destiny 2....

 

Lets be honest this game has been over-merchandised already...

Pretty stupid reason to not buy a game.

[Taja]

If it is something like worth 10mins of gameplay, I really think its more of a publicity stunt. If it is like an hour, than its ridiculous.

[AVLNCH]

I’m inclined to say that it is.

 

Even though it’s not actually a microtransaction in the game itself, it’s still sort of having the same effect where you would pay money to get something in the game, despite it being included with another product. So in that sense, I’d class it as a microtransaction in my eyes.

 

However depending on how big the boost is would be something in itself. If it’s only 1.5x xp for 30 mins or maybe half a level of xp or something similar I wouldn’t be too bothered. If it was huge instant level up jumps though I’d be concerned.

 

If anything, it’s giving an incentive for people to buy junk food to get ahead in a game, which I find a little ironic. I do like this method though instead of just straight up microtransactions in the game itself.

[Skanky Sylveon]

15 hours ago, Drak3 said:

No, it's pay to get a small boost that doesn't compensate skill and, at best, only puts you a week ahead of everyone else.

So, pay to skip?  

14 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

If any thing all more reason not to get destiny 2....

 

Lets be honest this game has been over-merchandised already...

I might get it, when it goes on sale.  It looks fun.

14 hours ago, Drak3 said:

Pretty stupid reason to not buy a game.

If @Princess Cadence doesn't want to buy the game, because she doesn't agree with the way they are monetizing it, she has every right to do so.

Admittedly, I don't find this XP boost crap to be a big deal, but some might, and I don't find it stupid for anyone to protest with their wallet.  For any reason.

14 hours ago, Drak3 said:

If it is something like worth 10mins of gameplay, I really think its more of a publicity stunt. If it is like an hour, than its ridiculous.

I have no Idea, my only real concern is someone buying 20 boxes of pop tarts, and having a massive advantage on day 1.

5 hours ago, UponAvalanche said:

I’m inclined to say that it is.

 

Even though it’s not actually a microtransaction in the game itself, it’s still sort of having the same effect where you would pay money to get something in the game, despite it being included with another product. So in that sense, I’d class it as a microtransaction in my eyes.

My question is, how many people bought pop tarts just for the XP bonus?

I would hesitate to classify this as a microtransaction, just because you are buying physical goods.

5 hours ago, UponAvalanche said:

However depending on how big the boost is would be something in itself. If it’s only 1.5x xp for 30 mins or maybe half a level of xp or something similar I wouldn’t be too bothered. If it was huge instant level up jumps though I’d be concerned.

I honestly wouldn't be too concerned with ether (although the former is much better).  This would only effect the beginning of the game's life.

Personally, I like the 1.5x xp for 30 mins the best.

5 hours ago, UponAvalanche said:

If anything, it’s giving an incentive for people to buy junk food to get ahead in a game, which I find a little ironic. I do like this method though instead of just straight up microtransactions in the game itself.

Agreed, this is more you buying goods with a bonus attached, rather than you straight up buying the bonus.

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

So, pay to skip?  

Essentially. But seeing as it IS Destiny 2, wait a year, and they'll jump you up to lvl 25 for free.

 

2 minutes ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

If @Princess Cadence doesn't want to buy the game, because she doesn't agree with the way they are monetizing it, she has every right to do so.

Admittedly, I don't find this XP boost crap to be a big deal, but some might, and I don't find it stupid for anyone to protest with their wallet.  For any reason.

I'm not saying she can't, I'm saying it's a fucking stupid reason to not buy a game.

 

Pushing out a game whose entire storyline can be completed in a few hours is a good reason. Refusing to buy a game for hiding half of its progression behind a lootbox system with payout so low that you can blow $100 and still not get anywhere is a good reason.

But not buying a game because it has a merchandising deal, and an XP boost in a game that is LARGELY non PvP is pretty fucking stupid. It's like refusing to buy an iPhone because it appeared in an episode of Big Bang Theory and Apple offered a $10 iTunes gift card with a limited time code.

[Skanky Sylveon]

5 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

Pushing out a game whose entire storyline can be completed in a few hours is a good reason. Refusing to buy a game for hiding half of its progression behind a lootbox system with payout so low that you can blow $100 and still not get anywhere is a good reason.

Those are definitely bigger issues.

6 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

But not buying a game because it has a merchandising deal, and an XP boost in a game that is LARGELY non PvP is pretty fucking stupid. It's like refusing to buy an iPhone because it appeared in an episode of Big Bang Theory and Apple offered a $10 iTunes gift card with a limited time code.

I am sure that people have done that, and while I find it silly, I wouldn't call it outright stupid.

9 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

I'm not saying she can't, I'm saying it's a fucking stupid reason to not buy a game.

Not necessarily, I personally wouldn't buy any game that has a partnership with Monsanto.  As I find that particular company highly unethical, and I would protest out of sheer disgust.

I have considered boycotting Nintendo because of how they handle let's players.

Both of these reasons may seem stupid to some.

 

What I am trying to say is Princess Cadence's reasons may seem stupid to you, and probably to many others.  But I personally don't find the refusal to buy a product, due to personal beliefs stupid for any reason.

[Drak3]

Just now, Cinnabar Sonar said:

I wouldn't call it outright stupid.

Obviously, I would.

[Skanky Sylveon]

6 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

Obviously, I would.

That's perfectly fine, I never told you to think differently.

[Clockwork_princess]

xp boot stuff like that has been around forever, mnt dew and doritos did it every call of duty release 

[Skanky Sylveon]

19 minutes ago, Clockwork_princess said:

xp boot stuff like that has been around forever, mnt dew and doritos did it every call of duty release 

I am very much aware.

 

That doesn't really answer my question though.  

[Clockwork_princess]

1 hour ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

I am very much aware.

 

 

That doesn't really answer my question though.  

its not pay to win, if anything its pay to boost.

 

at some point or another in those games eveyone can get that level and unlock all the weapons/itmes.

 

i say pay to win is when you have itmes you can only get via cash like a gun thats stronger or an item that give you a buff that you cant even grind out the game to unlock.

 

the xp boot just makes less grinding.

 

[Skanky Sylveon]

22 minutes ago, Clockwork_princess said:

its not pay to win, if anything its pay to boost.

 

at some point or another in those games eveyone can get that level and unlock all the weapons/itmes.

 

i say pay to win is when you have itmes you can only get via cash like a gun thats stronger or an item that give you a buff that you cant even grind out the game to unlock.

 

the xp boot just makes less grinding.

So, what I said before?

2 hours ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

So, pay to skip?  

 

[Clockwork_princess]

Just now, Cinnabar Sonar said:

So, what I said before?

 

Nope, and I didn’t read the whole thread, I can careless about others reply’s on this topic.

 

pay to skip would mean you do no work, you’d put in the code and be up a level, this just lets you get bonus XP for a certain amount of time.

 

you still have to play 

 

it it gives you a 25% XP boot for 4 hours 

[Skanky Sylveon]

18 minutes ago, Clockwork_princess said:

Nope, and I didn’t read the whole thread, I can careless about others reply’s on this topic.

So, you don't care about others opinions?  I like to here others, even if I don't agree with them.

19 minutes ago, Clockwork_princess said:

pay to skip would mean you do no work, you’d put in the code and be up a level, this just lets you get bonus XP for a certain amount of time.

 

you still have to play 

 

it it gives you a 25% XP boot for 4 hours 

You are doing less work, you are skipping part of the grind.

 

Whatever you want to call it, you do agree that it is pay for an advantage?  Even if said advantage is small?

[Clockwork_princess]

19 minutes ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

So, you don't care about others opinions?  I like to here others, even if I don't agree with them.

You are doing less work, you are skipping part of the grind.

 

Whatever you want to call it, you do agree that it is pay for an advantage?  Even if said advantage is small?

Well I know how it works so their either wrong or right and I know how it works 

 

 

I guess it can be considered a small advantage but I’ve never used an bonus XP and hd more fun gridning so to me it’s not an advantage

 

im guessing their hoping parents buy it for kids 

 

[Skanky Sylveon]

4 minutes ago, Clockwork_princess said:

Well I know how it works so their either wrong or right and I know how it works 

No, not the mechanics of the game.  Their opinion on these type of partnerships.

6 minutes ago, Clockwork_princess said:

I guess it can be considered a small advantage but I’ve never used an bonus XP and hd more fun gridning so to me it’s not an advantage

 

im guessing their hoping parents buy it for kids 

I see, I suppose in a non PVP setting, it would depend on player preference.  

Destiny 2 doesn't have a large PVP presence, correct?  Would you consider this a potential issue in a more PVP focused game?

[Princess Luna]

16 hours ago, Drak3 said:

I'm not saying she can't, I'm saying it's a fucking stupid reason to not buy a game.

It is not the reason I'm not getting the game, that would be simply that it did not interest me, the over-merchandising did not help but I did not specifically refuse the game because of it.

 

Regardless people can have the reasoning they want, it is not nice being offensive over it simply because you disagree with it, this is a very polite forum for the most part and myself have never done any thing to you, so going easier on all the cursing would be widely appreciated.

[SlipperyPete]

i dont believe it is and i will explain why. its a 25% boost on XP that lasts 4 hours. Assuming you play consistently across those 4 hours you are essentially looking at 15 minutes worth of XP for free. 15*4=60. At most you are getting an hour of free XP. if you play for a few days and you have one poor day after getting this than your "boost" is practically null and void. You still have to do well to gain a real boost from the bonus XP.

TLDR: Nah cause the bonus XP is within the margin of error of having a bad day of playing