You don't like how you're performing in your video game? Try this!

https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com

The economic principle I’m exploring is “People generally respond to incentives in predictable ways”

My research question to help me study the economic principle is “Should games who have microtransactions,
separate who buys the microtransactions, from those who do not for more fair matchmaking?

The article published in proquest titled “Activision’s patented method to drive microtransactions with matchmaking”
demonstrates this economic principle because it shows how large of a problem microtransactions are in the
gaming
community. It does not affect one person, but everyone who plays regularly and wants a fun new game to
play.

First, Within the article, the author shows that microtransactions are a problem by, "For instance, the system 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”. This quote shows that the matchmaking is not fair,
and it is causing not as experienced players to feel the need to buy microtransactions in order to get better.
The author shows this by, "A junior player may wish to emulate the marquee player by obtaining weapons
or other items used by the marquee player." It is not a good reason to have microtransactions. Microtransactions
should only be for cosmetics not to get things that are better and will help you progress more in the game.

Second,   To show how unfair the matchmaking is within the game, the author says; “For example,
‘the junior player may wish to become an expert sniper in a game (e.g., as determined from the player profile).
The microtransaction engine may match the junior player with a player that is a highly skilled sniper in the game."
The engine could also push items based on "usefulness." For instance, "an in-game item that may be suited for a
particular level that the player has repeatedly failed may be identified’”.  This shows how unfair the matchmaking
is in the first place. The engine wants to match a not as experienced player with someone who plays the
game nonstop.

Third, When it comes to the microtransactions as a whole, once you buy it once, you are pretty much stuck.
You are constantly reminded and encouraged to buy more. The author states, “‘After a purchase,
the matchmaking system could "encourage future purchases by matching the player... in a gameplay
session that will utilize the game-related purchase," according to the patent. "Doing so may enhance
a level of enjoyment by the player for the game-related purchase, which may encourage future purchases’”.

In my next blog post I will research:  Why are new video games that will soon come out, not include paid loot boxes?