The one thing that makes me stand out most from other industry veterans is that I fully reject live service monetization.

I will never talk about games that sell these things, unless the topic of the post is to discuss predatory mechanics.

We deserve better.

And sometimes, monetization design does change for the better. For instance, Assassins Creed Black Flag Resynched DOES NOT sell premium currency! No Helix Credits!

Just look at how much clearer the digital store pricing is for costumes when you compare this year’s Assassins Creeed Black Flag (green markup) to last year’s Assassins Creed Shadows (red markup).

How much is the Dragon Storm Character Pack in AC Black Flag? $9.99 USD, clear as day.

How much is the Hatou Dual Pack in last year’s AC Shadows? 2,300 Helix Points. What the hell is that in USD? Who the hell knows!

One sales technique is clear and fair. You buy the costume in AC Black Flag, and you don’t have to break out a conversion calculator or buy more “Helix Credits” than you need to get the thing you want.

The other sales technique… sucks. Forcing players to buy proprietary currency to buy digital items is the worst. It’s a scam.

I’m not opposed to DLC… I’m opposed to the cost obfuscation that comes with “live service” monetization.

Ok this blog, I want to concentrate on a hobby and business that rejects the current trend of games as a service. I want to move away from monetization driven design. I want to celebrate the art of the medium, and look at games as being similar to films, or novels. Narrative art that happens to be interactive.