What really is probably illegal at this point is officially calling it all “pledges”, i.e. “donations”, and calling ships and stuff a “reward for the generous donation”.
Dudes, this is literally what a purchase is. If I don’t donate, I don’t get a ship (or even a base game).
This seems to be a ground to sue the hell out of them.
You can purchase the base games (Star Citizen and Squadron 42) for around $40.
Or you can wait until they’re released.
The larger packages are 100% unnecessary to play the games once they’re released, or the alpha versions now, and practically every ship they’re selling is also obtainable in-game, without paying for anything else than the base game (there might be a few limited edition exclusives, but those shouldn’t provide any significant gameplay advantages).
Hell, you can even play for free every once in a while (granted, whenever that happens it’s to stress test the servers and engine to the breaking point, so it’ll probably be a suboptimal experience, but still, it is an option.)
Any money you give CIG after that base game price is 100% out of your own volition, and won’t get you anything you can’t get in-game (and last time I checked CIG were pretty clear about that).
It’s basically giving them money in exchange for nothing of any real value (again, with the arguable exception of any exclusive or limited edition ships). Sounds an awful lot like a donation to me.
I never said it’s not voluntary. The decision to buy the game is voluntary as well.
But it being voluntary doesn’t mean it’s not purchase. When you buy, idk, jewelry, or something to the same extent of not-survival-necessity, it’s still a purchase.
And here it is as well. It is not a pledge, it is not a donation. When you’re explicitly asked to “pledge” to get a ship, it’s a purchase.
You’re not asked to “pledge” to the jewelry shop and get a “kind owner’s gift” of your earring? You just buy it.
No, but some are arguing that they might be due to peer pressure (which I find unlikely in this particular case, but if someone can be peer pressured into wasting $48,000 on digital assets, they probably can easily afford it), or gambling addiction (which also seems unlikely to apply in this case), since those are common causes of people (especially children) wasting money on microtransactions.
The great thing about capitalism is that I can choose where I spend my money. And use my money to make money. If people wanna be stupid with their money, that’s on them. I don’t give a shit if they go broke because that is on them.
If you’re paying almost $50k for video game items the only person fucking you over is you. Grow up and learn a little bit about personal responsibility.
But what if you don’t actually want it, but you are addicted because other people exploit the psychology of humans?
One could argue that it’s “their fault”, but then everything is ones own fault. Furthermore this wouldn’t change the fact IMHO, that we shouldn’t prevent people from exploiting or harming other people, yk what I mean?
Anyways, as this doesn’t seem to be a loot box or such, I think I agree with you here mostly.
Addicted to what? This isn’t a loot box, there’s no gambling seratonin rush. This package unlocks stuff you could earn by simply playing the game. It’s an expensive cheat code. How many people are addicted to that? Does your crime have a victim?
I don’t think they expect anyone to buy this. I think this is a marketing move. “Our game is so big that if you were to buy all these items individually they’d cost as much as a new Lexus. What a value!”. Pure PR stuntery. And here we are, discussing it, so it worked.
Isn’t it time to get some regulations on m(i/a)cro transactions? This seems very illegal to me and it is exploiting people’s addictions.
What really is probably illegal at this point is officially calling it all “pledges”, i.e. “donations”, and calling ships and stuff a “reward for the generous donation”.
Dudes, this is literally what a purchase is. If I don’t donate, I don’t get a ship (or even a base game).
This seems to be a ground to sue the hell out of them.
You can purchase the base games (Star Citizen and Squadron 42) for around $40.
Or you can wait until they’re released.
The larger packages are 100% unnecessary to play the games once they’re released, or the alpha versions now, and practically every ship they’re selling is also obtainable in-game, without paying for anything else than the base game (there might be a few limited edition exclusives, but those shouldn’t provide any significant gameplay advantages).
Hell, you can even play for free every once in a while (granted, whenever that happens it’s to stress test the servers and engine to the breaking point, so it’ll probably be a suboptimal experience, but still, it is an option.)
Any money you give CIG after that base game price is 100% out of your own volition, and won’t get you anything you can’t get in-game (and last time I checked CIG were pretty clear about that).
It’s basically giving them money in exchange for nothing of any real value (again, with the arguable exception of any exclusive or limited edition ships). Sounds an awful lot like a donation to me.
I never said it’s not voluntary. The decision to buy the game is voluntary as well.
But it being voluntary doesn’t mean it’s not purchase. When you buy, idk, jewelry, or something to the same extent of not-survival-necessity, it’s still a purchase.
And here it is as well. It is not a pledge, it is not a donation. When you’re explicitly asked to “pledge” to get a ship, it’s a purchase.
You’re not asked to “pledge” to the jewelry shop and get a “kind owner’s gift” of your earring? You just buy it.
You’re asked to “pledge” to PBS to get a tote bag
Of their own volition? Do you think the complaint is that people think these purchases are done by players held at gunpoint?
No, but some are arguing that they might be due to peer pressure (which I find unlikely in this particular case, but if someone can be peer pressured into wasting $48,000 on digital assets, they probably can easily afford it), or gambling addiction (which also seems unlikely to apply in this case), since those are common causes of people (especially children) wasting money on microtransactions.
peer pressure and ones wealth is probably inversely related if anything.
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Exploiting peoples addictions is what literally drives capitalism.
Plus making people pay for essentials by gatekeeping everything behind the owner class
Addictions like food, clothing, shelter… and capitalism is the best system we have for providing those things.
Given that EVERY single company in the top 10 largest companies by market cap are luxury goods, your comment is less valid
Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Tesla hardly sell essential products
Amazon sells food, clothing and shelter.
Cope
No U
The great thing about capitalism is that I can choose where I spend my money. And use my money to make money. If people wanna be stupid with their money, that’s on them. I don’t give a shit if they go broke because that is on them.
Hahahaha
The government is not your parents and they do not exist to protect you from your own bad decisions.
Why am I paying them to allow consumers (which I am a group member) to get fucked over?
If you’re paying almost $50k for video game items the only person fucking you over is you. Grow up and learn a little bit about personal responsibility.
Did you buy the pack but it sucked?
I just couldn’t resist, the devs showed up at my house with guns, it was a whole thing. If only the state would step in and regulate stupidity!
That’s exactly what they exist for
They exist to protect you from other people. You can waste your money on whatever dumbass shit you want.
But what if you don’t actually want it, but you are addicted because other people exploit the psychology of humans?
One could argue that it’s “their fault”, but then everything is ones own fault. Furthermore this wouldn’t change the fact IMHO, that we shouldn’t prevent people from exploiting or harming other people, yk what I mean?
Anyways, as this doesn’t seem to be a loot box or such, I think I agree with you here mostly.
Addicted to what? This isn’t a loot box, there’s no gambling seratonin rush. This package unlocks stuff you could earn by simply playing the game. It’s an expensive cheat code. How many people are addicted to that? Does your crime have a victim?
I don’t think they expect anyone to buy this. I think this is a marketing move. “Our game is so big that if you were to buy all these items individually they’d cost as much as a new Lexus. What a value!”. Pure PR stuntery. And here we are, discussing it, so it worked.