Current Events > New Jim Sterling vid on microtransactions, whales, and predatory practices.

(+) Yeah! (+)

kenio8185 posted...

snesmaster40 posted...

l Dudeboy l posted...

twitterfriends posted...

So Jim hates video in-game shops but has his very own merchant shop selling pins, poster,s T-shirts and on top of all of that a Patreon account. All of this on top of his YouTube ad revenue ("the entry fee"). So why is Jim so greedy dude

He doesn't make any money through Youtube.

His non-Jimquistion stuff is monitized
https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/jimsterling

I'm pretty sure socialblade gives values based on the assumption that the video IS making money. So even if he demonitizes it, socialblade won't see that.

https://www.twitter.com/JimSterling/status/877868052037029889

ruh roh
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snesmaster40 posted...

His non-Jimquistion stuff is monitized
https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/jimsterling

Isn't that just how much money he could be backing?

@Asherlee10 posted...

I've said it previously, but I think Halo 5 is the best example of this method. In fact, I greatly enjoy loot boxes when they are done right. It gives me a little dopamine rush to unlock them, as you mentioned.

That's part of the problem. Jim actually likes the part of loot boxes that's entirely random, because he likes opening random shit to see what you get. If they were just something you could acquire natively in game, without needless busywork or stupid random currencies, he would have no problems.

What he doesn't like is the predatory nature of loot boxes, where you pay money for a chance at getting something good, but is oftentimes crappy. It's little more than unlicensed and unregulated gambling to him, as it hits the same psychological markers that real gambling does. The dopamine rush you feel when opening one is what they count on to keep people buying them.

I was watching a video earlier that was detailing an interview that an ex-Bioware employee - Manveer Heir - gave regarding EA and its monetisation practices. In it, Heir said that he's "seen people literally spend $15,000 on Mass Effect multiplayer cards." These are the whales that the games industry rely on: people with a lot of money, or the lack of willpower to stop spending. It's why Vegas and gambling are regulated as they are; this can be devastating to families and individuals. What's worse is that loot boxes are a paid economy like gambling, that's easily accessible to kids. That's a big problem.

http://www.usgamer.net/articles/ex-bioware-says-anthem-is-an-example-of-eas-monetization-plans
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