Rolling Stone Article: COD files patent to base matchmaking off of microtransactions

Welp,
This is likely the nail in the COD coffin.

quote:

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Activision was granted a patent this month for a system it uses to convince people in multiplayer games to purchase items for a game through microtransactions. Why Microtransaction and Loot Boxes Are Destroying Games
Death by a thousand purchases
But Activision tells Glixel that the technology is not currently in any games.

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quote:

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This patent, though, specifically discusses how that system for pairing up players can also be used to entice a player to purchase in-game items.

"For example, in one implementation, the system may include a microtransaction engine that arranges matches to influence game-related purchases," according to the patent. "For instance, the microtransaction engine may match a more expert/marquee player with a junior player to encourage the junior player to make game-related purchases of items possessed/used by the marquee player. A junior player may wish to emulate the marquee player by obtaining weapons or other items used by the marquee player."

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In short:
Patent will build the technology into the Activision matchmaking engine to match players who haven't spent $$$ on microtransactions with players who have purchased better weapons via microtransactions. In an attempt to sway them to purchase supply drops / better weapons via microtransactions

Also, this patent will put players who have spent $$$ for better weapons via microtransactions into lobbies where they will excel with their new weapon. Thus making the player feel their money was well spent and convince the other players in this lobby that they also need to spend money on the same weapon.




What in the frickity frick COD?
Instead of updating graphics or the fluidity of your ancient FPS engine...you are further pushing microtransactions down players throats? Nope, just nope.

I'm out on COD WWII