Microtransactions are killing Call Of Duty, players say

I’m not sure that anyone out there could honestly say that they love microtransactions being a thing. Whether they’re attached to free-to-play titles, or God forbid a game you’ve already paid full price for, I don’t think anyone enjoys spending more money on games than they need to.

Even so, microtransactions are here to stay - from battle passes to enticingly cool cosmetics, games companies have some very effective methods of squeezing extra cash out of our wallets. In a recent tweet posted by Call of Duty news site CharlieINTEL, it was reported that: “Activision says Modern Warfare II premium sales were 'significantly higher' this year compared to Vanguard's Q1. In-game MTX [microtransaction] sales in Call of Duty also grew year-over-year.”

Take a look at some gameplay footage from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II below.

While that first point about Modern Warfare II outselling Vanguard’s Q1 sales is wholly unsurprising, given how poorly the latter was received, it’s that second bit about microtransactions that’s got everyone talking. As Dexerto reports, many have been left very deflated by the news. Responding to CharlieINTEL’s tweet, one fan wrote: “And this is why CoD will never improve.”

They’re far from the only one who thinks this. On Reddit, although most aren't at all shocked by these sales stats, many have been expressing their frustration at the situation. “And this is why the game will never get better,” turboS2000 wrote, echoing the same sentiment as fans on Twitter. “Alright, final proof I won't expect any improvements in next seasons/next [year's] title(s). People keep spending even if the game is barely playable. Not totally surprised but sad,” AVMADEVS commented.

The good news is that if you want a CoD game without microtransactions, Activision recently announced Call of Duty: The Board Game - a tabletop strategy game based on the iconic franchise. I can’t imagine that you’d be able to cram any in-game purchases into that.