A Konami studio head has defended microtransactions in video games, after it was revealed that Pro Evolution Soccer 2015 would feature in-game purchases.
In PES 2015 a new system will allow players to use real money to purchase virtual currency, which can be used to buy players to upgrade a team in the game’s myClub mode. While this is a similar practice to the one employed by EA’s popular Ultimate Team mode in the FIFA series, the difference is that in Ultimate Team users can only buy “packs,” which give the consumer a randomized selection of players. However, in PES 2015‘s myClub users can opt to purchase players outright, meaning that it will likely become a pay-to-win scenario, with those who can afford to splash the cash being able to create the best teams.
Speaking to IGN, Konami’s James Cox defended this new addition to the series, saying: “If you don’t have a lot of time, then with microtransactions you can go buy a lot of players that you want. But you also can earn Game Points in the mode and other parts of PES as well. We’re trying to link things together so you can progress and build your team [normally]. The idea is that we’re trying to just give the players the choice of what they want to do. Some people have more time, some people have more money. Some people have a bit of each! Either way, you’ll have the choice.”
Personally, I have no problem with the method EA has employed in Ultimate Team. There is a notable risk in purchasing packs, and so it is much more ideal to save up gold coins that can then be used to purchase players on the transfer market, therefore making the system well-balanced. On the other hand, the system Konami is implementing in its myClub mode sounds atrocious, and will make for a scenario where those who can afford to buy Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and the like will find themselves trouncing those who can’t afford to cough up the extra cash, or simply do not want to put more money into a retail game.
It’s a thinly-veiled excuse on Konami’s part to suggest that this payment scheme has been put into place in order to benefit those who don’t have a lot of time on their hands, and it’s clearly an attempt on the developer’s behalf to nuzzle in on some of that Ultimate Team cash. Unfortunately, they’ve created a system that’s much worse than the one EA employs, and will likely ensure that the mode will become a mess of identical teams with identical players.
