With all the talk of imp scrolls and what they would cost, I want to ask how often people pay for in game currencies/microtransactions in games they play?
Personally, I try to avoid paying money as much as possible. But if I get a lot of enjoyment out of a game, I don't mind spending a bit ($20-$60) one time as a treat and also to compensate the devs. But also for some reason, as soon as I spend money on a game I tend to fall off of it for awhile, like for a few months or even a year at a time.
Much the same here. I'm usually generally free-to-play but if I get really invested I might throw $5-10, 20 if I'm particularly spicy, at it every now and then. More if it's really something I'm into and that affects gameplay with my gaming group.
Like. Helldivers for example I've bought a few of the expansion packs to play with my friends, I think they're like the equivalent of $15-25 dollars each? (I forget it's been a while, I've been playing other games at the moment, I just know I have to buy bundles of the cash currency to get the game packs). I am more likely to spend money on stuff that affects gameplay than I am to spend it on purely cosmetic stuff, if that makes sense? Nexon kind of spoiled cosmetics for me way back in the day; used to be addicted to maplestory in highschool.
Um more specifically to FR? I think I've bought $15-20 worth of gems at least once a year. As a treat.
I make it a point to never do in-game microtransactions, especially if it's more "gambling" style (luck-based, lootboxes etc.) I'm really prone to just tossing money to see what happens if I'm not careful. And so I do not allow myself to! I don't think I've purchased anything of that sort since Overwatch was in its heyday in 2016ish, lol. But it sucks because a lot of games do this style now, it's predatory but it works. If it's a one-time purchase such as a cosmetic for something that I play a lot (and if it's an indie game and it goes to supporting the devs) I could be more tempted, but for the most part I have a no microtransactions rule.
That being said, in the many years I've played FR I have thrown $20 at them during Black Friday sales maybe twice or three times. I figure I've gotten years of enjoyment out of this site, so it's the least I can do to show them some support. I haven't done this recently though as I now make the bulk of my gems during NotN.
I buy gems once every couple of months. I use an ad blocker, so I like to support the game in other ways. FR is the only game I do this for, though -- I play a couple of phone games, and I've never given them a cent.
I buy gems (usually $20 - $40) a couple of times a year - typically around my birthday and Christmas. Maybe a little extra here and there. I don’t mind spending money on a game I like, especially if it’s otherwise free - it’s a little treat for me and I get to support the site. There’s way worse places I could be giving my money to.
I actually really love Pokemon Sleep and I pay for the monthly premium sub because I play it literally every day and therefore I get a lot of mileage from the perks. It's absolutely not crucial for an enjoyable experience, but the $10 a month goes a long way for me, personally. I've outright bought currency only once or twice, and that was because it was a package deal at a discount that was $5 at most.
I mostly F2P Flight Rising but I've occasionally tossed a few bucks during the gem sales because I like to support the devs while funding one of my dragon projects. I think the most I've spent at one time was $10, maybe $20 during the sales.
I have no self control and spend maybe 50-70 a month but also I do it on a really cute and pretty dress up game where I can make my avatar look like my OCs.
Other times it's on a dumb gacha with really attractive husbands but that's about 30 dollars every few months. Lol help me, I'm attracted to shiny basically like a dumb bird.
The way I see it, I was formerly paying Netflix and Spotify $20 and $12 or so every month and like 98%+ of that goes into the pockets of billionaires and not even the actual artists. I didn't blink at paying the fee even when there were months I didn't use Netflix (which is obvi why businesses love subscriptions).
I've been cutting spending recently but have decided to redirect part of that to FR. FR is a passion project staffed by ordinary working people who care about running their business ethically, and the game is a huge part of my life that I spend hours enjoying every week. On top of that it is a little haven for queer and neurodivergent internet culture and I've made meaningful friendships in what feels like a real community. The months ahead are going to be tough for all of us, and I want to support a small business which has had a significant positive impact on my life.
I have similar feelings. I've cancelled most subscriptions and put that money I've saved from the recurring cost instead into supporting patreons of artists I like, buying music from Bandcamp, or FR.
BANDCAMP!! i <3 owning my music files. spotify had my ass in college when i could use their cheapo student plan but i am NOT paying that subscription anymore especially with how little goes to the artists
AYRT, couldn't agree more. I've been slowly rebuilding a Spotify library in the thousands of songs to one that I actually own. It's a slow process, but it feels better to own your own music (not tied to a cloud software) and know that money is supporting artists tangibly. I try to save my music purchases for Bandcamp Fridays specifically, where 100% of proceeds go to the artist.
I feel this, as a kid I would've never been allowed to spend money on game purchases, but as an adult now I feel almost a responsibility to pay a bit if I like something that isn't predatory? Lol if that makes sense. Because if being ethical isn't sustainable, only the unethical game models will survive.
Yeah, I was paying for Directv and basically watching one, maybe two, channels, once or twice a week.
While I don't buy gems, I do pay for some microtransactions in games, but, I am also playing those games a heck of a lot more than I was ever watching TV...
i trimmed down subs last black friday while getting some black friday sub sales (Hulu w/ ads for $1.99/mo). i need to get in the habit of 'sub, watch, and cancel' for the more niche streaming services, because yeah they thrive off the 'sub and forget' mentality.
in the meantime, FR still has a decent chokehold on me, so i'm happy to send my monthly hobby budget their way via gem purchases. once my passion for FR wanes again, i'll pivot to a new hobby and if that hobby is sustained for a month, it can get my hobby budget.
Single player games with microtransactions, gachas, mobile games and loot boxes are on my never-ever list for microtransactions. I'm fine with mmo subs (or a cash shop if there isn't a sub, but on the balance of things I prefer a sub).
FR doesn't feel like any of those, especially since it's not that hard to grind out the treasure to exchange for gems and have a slow-but-steady influx even without paying. I buy gems a few times a year because I like the game and don't always want to do the slow-but-steady route, but that route isn't so slow that it feels predatory.
I spend money on otherwise free games occasionally. My rules are that I have to have been playing the game for at least a year and it has to be for an actual something (battle pass/cosmetics/etc.) instead of the chance of something (gacha/lootbox basically). If I like the game enough and feel like the paid stuff arent just scummy cash grabs then I’m happy to spend a bit. If it’s worth my time enough to play it for a year then it’s worth a bit of my money I figure.
Unfortunately FR is one of the games I’ve spent the least money on even though it’s probably the game I’ve spent the most time on barring, like, Pokemon. I find it really easy to get gems in FR so I’ve just never felt the urge to buy gems for my in-game spending because there’s a hundred other ways I would think of to get gems first. I love FR and want to support the devs so I do sometimes buy a pack of gems during the cyber sale but I completely forgot last year lol. The sale just slipped me by without my noticing.
I have bought gems a few times, back in the day, but now that I'm a well established player I don't have a need to. It's way easier to get gems when you already have a coli team established and you can level fodder, list any valuable drops on the AH, grind your own holiday currency, all that jazz. I spend more time than money on FR.
For other games, I only get stuff when I'm invested in the game. That isn't super often, but once in a while there will be DLC or skins or something for a game I enjoy, and I'll splurge. I wouldn't say it's a regular thing for me, I probably spend at most $50 USD a year on things like that.
FR is the only game thats kept my attention for over a decade really, so i don't mind spending RLC on it. usually on black friday ill buy the $100 pack for the bonus gems and thats my FR treat for the year. i play enough that its not too hard for me to get gems in-game but i cant say no to those black friday bonus gems lol.
I'll gladly spend like $5-to-$8 monthly on a subscription if I feel like I've gotten five(-to-eight) bucks' worth of entertainment out of a game in a given month.
There's a couple gacha games where I pay for a ~$5 a monthly login bonus pass, and the same general logic applies to pet sites subscriptions. Since FR lacks a subscription proper, I'll choose to spend $5 or so on gems every month (usually around holiday weeks just because it happens to be when I'm thinking about it) if I've been playing enough to warrant it. Then I just throw the gems into my vault. That way, I don't feel like I buy gems when I want to buy something; instead, I buy gems when I've been playing the game a lot, and then I just have the gems on standby.
(The one exception is that there is one gacha game where I always plan to splurge for my fave's birthday bundle -- about ~$60 -- every year because he's my #1 fave. I have traveled internationally for the sake of the series/character anyway, so that fandom is already particularly important to me.)
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Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 07:57 am (UTC)(link)Personally, I try to avoid paying money as much as possible. But if I get a lot of enjoyment out of a game, I don't mind spending a bit ($20-$60) one time as a treat and also to compensate the devs. But also for some reason, as soon as I spend money on a game I tend to fall off of it for awhile, like for a few months or even a year at a time.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 11:41 am (UTC)(link)Maybe I should pay for gems once tho, now that my 11 year anniversary on the site is coming up.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 01:12 pm (UTC)(link)Like. Helldivers for example I've bought a few of the expansion packs to play with my friends, I think they're like the equivalent of $15-25 dollars each? (I forget it's been a while, I've been playing other games at the moment, I just know I have to buy bundles of the cash currency to get the game packs). I am more likely to spend money on stuff that affects gameplay than I am to spend it on purely cosmetic stuff, if that makes sense? Nexon kind of spoiled cosmetics for me way back in the day; used to be addicted to maplestory in highschool.
Um more specifically to FR? I think I've bought $15-20 worth of gems at least once a year. As a treat.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 02:32 pm (UTC)(link)That being said, in the many years I've played FR I have thrown $20 at them during Black Friday sales maybe twice or three times. I figure I've gotten years of enjoyment out of this site, so it's the least I can do to show them some support. I haven't done this recently though as I now make the bulk of my gems during NotN.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 03:24 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)I mostly F2P Flight Rising but I've occasionally tossed a few bucks during the gem sales because I like to support the devs while funding one of my dragon projects. I think the most I've spent at one time was $10, maybe $20 during the sales.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)Other times it's on a dumb gacha with really attractive husbands but that's about 30 dollars every few months. Lol help me, I'm attracted to shiny basically like a dumb bird.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)I've been cutting spending recently but have decided to redirect part of that to FR. FR is a passion project staffed by ordinary working people who care about running their business ethically, and the game is a huge part of my life that I spend hours enjoying every week. On top of that it is a little haven for queer and neurodivergent internet culture and I've made meaningful friendships in what feels like a real community. The months ahead are going to be tough for all of us, and I want to support a small business which has had a significant positive impact on my life.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 06:34 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-13 12:54 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-13 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)im the same boat, i have a lot of disposable income and spend it on FR gems/ art comms/etc
supporting the arts is really important, esp during shit times like this
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)Because if being ethical isn't sustainable, only the unethical game models will survive.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-13 12:53 am (UTC)(link)While I don't buy gems, I do pay for some microtransactions in games, but, I am also playing those games a heck of a lot more than I was ever watching TV...
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-14 11:39 am (UTC)(link)in the meantime, FR still has a decent chokehold on me, so i'm happy to send my monthly hobby budget their way via gem purchases. once my passion for FR wanes again, i'll pivot to a new hobby and if that hobby is sustained for a month, it can get my hobby budget.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)FR doesn't feel like any of those, especially since it's not that hard to grind out the treasure to exchange for gems and have a slow-but-steady influx even without paying. I buy gems a few times a year because I like the game and don't always want to do the slow-but-steady route, but that route isn't so slow that it feels predatory.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-12 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)Unfortunately FR is one of the games I’ve spent the least money on even though it’s probably the game I’ve spent the most time on barring, like, Pokemon. I find it really easy to get gems in FR so I’ve just never felt the urge to buy gems for my in-game spending because there’s a hundred other ways I would think of to get gems first. I love FR and want to support the devs so I do sometimes buy a pack of gems during the cyber sale but I completely forgot last year lol. The sale just slipped me by without my noticing.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-13 04:29 am (UTC)(link)For other games, I only get stuff when I'm invested in the game. That isn't super often, but once in a while there will be DLC or skins or something for a game I enjoy, and I'll splurge. I wouldn't say it's a regular thing for me, I probably spend at most $50 USD a year on things like that.
Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-13 11:39 am (UTC)(link)Re: Game Microtransactions/Real Cash Purchases
(Anonymous) 2025-04-13 12:42 pm (UTC)(link)There's a couple gacha games where I pay for a ~$5 a monthly login bonus pass, and the same general logic applies to pet sites subscriptions. Since FR lacks a subscription proper, I'll choose to spend $5 or so on gems every month (usually around holiday weeks just because it happens to be when I'm thinking about it) if I've been playing enough to warrant it. Then I just throw the gems into my vault. That way, I don't feel like I buy gems when I want to buy something; instead, I buy gems when I've been playing the game a lot, and then I just have the gems on standby.
(The one exception is that there is one gacha game where I always plan to splurge for my fave's birthday bundle -- about ~$60 -- every year because he's my #1 fave. I have traveled internationally for the sake of the series/character anyway, so that fandom is already particularly important to me.)