Bethesda Founder Does Not Like Microtransactions, Loot Boxes, Or “Freemium” Games

2017 was a big year for gaming without a doubt. However, not everything that happened during the year was good or was just about sales. The release of Star Wars Battlefront II launched a wave of questions about the fairness of Loot Boxes and microtransactions. For while they were in console and AAA titles before, they were never this intrusive and “necessary” to just play the game. Even the governments of the world are looking into whether this is a necessary action, or a “gambling” event. Even other game developers are speaking out on this. Including the founder of Bethesda.

Christopher Weaver did an interview recently with Rolling Stone and talked about all things gaming. From where he and Bethesda started, to where games are now. When microtransactions and Loot Boxes were brought up, he voiced his displeasure with the model.

“This nickel and dime approach to payment may well backfire as it interferes with the flow of a game and disallows for players to lose themselves in its play-world.”

What’s more, in his mind the idea of paying for things after the buying of a full game (in the case of AAA console and PC titles) is all an attempt to gather back the costs of making the game, which have grown quite a bit in recent years. He feels a better option is to raise the cost of the base game, that way they can be sure that people are getting them, and players don’t have to worry about “pay-to-win” systems.

Ironically, Weaver is a teacher now, and laughs about how he doesn’t have to “worry about the economics anymore.” But for the rest of us, both as developers and as gamers, the issue is still very real. What will the future of this be? Only time will tell sadly.