Why Do Children Use Microtransactions?

In today’s world millions of people across the globe have at one point or another indulged themselves in video games; whether it be mobile, console, or PC games. However; recently a new controversy has arisen to the forefront of the gaming world involving microtransactions incorporated into full priced console games. This controversy has been around for a couple of years know, but has just exploded in popularity with the release of battlefront II in November (Faulkner). The topic is so popular that the resulting backlash from gamers on battlefront II has caused electronic arts three point one billion dollars in stock value (Faulkner). The main argument in this controversy is whether or not microtransactions are acceptable in full-priced games? I am against microtransactions in full priced games because it is a trap for kids, the transactions promote gambling, and the concept itself is just unnecessary. …show more content…
Children are notorious for their low-self-control, so it’s reasonable to imagine a child swiping their parent’s credit card and spending hundreds; if not thousands of dollars on microtransactions (Faulkner). Democratic representative Chris Lee from Hawaii has even stated that these microtransactions are “A trap,” (Roys). Microtransactions may also create a peer pressure environment for kids who don’t normally go and do these kinds of thing; in order to be able to fit in with their friends that do. What corporate greed has done with microtransactions is made the games which are supposed to be enjoyable experiences for children, into cash cows that has parents hesitant to even buy the games anymore in fear of their children being taken advantage of