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How Activision Uses Matchmaking Tricks to Sell In-Game Items
- Thread starter tebunker
- Start date
The entire point of using these sorts of analytics is that you can figure out which buttons to push to get the positive response instead of the negative one on a player by player basis. Show them the cool items juuuusssttt enough and in just the right ways that they're tempted but not so much that theyre turned off.
NightShift
Member
At least they patented it. I don't really care for Activision games any way.
You're right. That they use this kind of data at all is pretty scary.
lifeexpectancy
Member
If someone is gullible enough to buy microtransaction shit thinking it will make them get better to be like their "idol" in a game, more power to Activision to capitalize on their fleeceability.
I would say it's shady because of impressionable kids making the purchases, but that is where mom and dad need to step in and do their job. It isnt even remotely on the level of the CS:GO scandal as far as how predatory that was.
I would say it's shady because of impressionable kids making the purchases, but that is where mom and dad need to step in and do their job. It isnt even remotely on the level of the CS:GO scandal as far as how predatory that was.
michaelius
Banned
that's pk he already paid 60+ $ for game.
One day in the right hands it could be transformative. There are already stories of people adjusting their games difficult on the fly based on player behaviour. If you applied this sort of technology to goals like "engagement", "fun", or "suspense" you could make something great. But that's more of a consolation for the existence of this sort of thing than a good reason for it to exist.
Look guys, it is actually achievement for drug dealer/alcohol seller/gambling den if they managed to get themselves an addict? Jesus Christ, the US had TOO many government already, can't they just let corporate do as they please to maximize profit? Let market run loose and see the industry usher into golden age by the Invisible Hand of Algorithm!
SoulUnison
Banned
It's more likely more often the other way around.
The "well equipped" players get vindication for their collections and/or their "skills" by constantly getting a stream of less experienced and poorly outfitted players to stomp on.
Daffy Duck
Member
Activision Statement said:
The US is trully fucked up if their (soon to be) expert can't have ethics in their own field expertise.As a Psych major going into Marketing, I think this is fucking BRILLIANT.
As a gamer, I think this is scummy as fuck and it's a practice that should be dropped immediately.
¯_(ツ_/¯
Francokid1
Member
1. Buy gun with real money
2. Get matched against players with lower skill
3."Wow this gun made me a better player" "I'm wrecking these fools!"
4. Buy more guns
2. Get matched against players with lower skill
3."Wow this gun made me a better player" "I'm wrecking these fools!"
4. Buy more guns
Daffy Duck
Member
Condrey tweeted saying hes never heard of the system and that means its not in WW2, well I mean you would say that wouldnt you.
aygomyownroad
Member
I am not buying call of duty because of loot boxes and will happily stay away from Activision games in the future.
If u was a new player and matched with someone who kept kicking my ass I would stop playing rather than pay more money.
If u was a new player and matched with someone who kept kicking my ass I would stop playing rather than pay more money.
aygomyownroad
Member
Randomizer123454444
Member
You can appreciate the engineering and technical brilliance of a nuclear bomb and at the same time still think it's a horrible idea to ever use one.
Depends on how much money you have spent.
Aizo
Banned
This was by Crecente? Doesnt that guy eat poison?
Wouldn't make sense. At least on PS4 matchmaking is still fast (Live in NA), and the game has enough variants and weapons that I would imagine the system would be a nightmare to work. Plus it's easy enough to get all of that stuff that it would be pointless.
DiscoJer
Member
It's not really gullibility though, it's psychology. Hell, it's beyond that, it's brain chemistry, even. Gambling addicts have brain chemistry that spits out dopamine when gambling. Stuff like this is no different.
Militaratus
Member
Other publishers CAN use it, they just need to license it from Activision. If microtransactions is as profitable as they say, the high license cost wouldn't stop other publishers from using this.
Only way to stop publishers from using this is for the public to keep mtx profit below the license fee bar,or just stop buying mtx/playing mtx-games entirely.
CEJames
Member
It's never about the veterans. Once they're well-established, they know they won't spend too much more money on the game. It's always about getting new people into the game to entice them to pay to catch up to the veterans. And the cycle goes on. Once they have your extra MT money, small or large, they've won. Onto the next newbie.
fabricated backlash
Member
Just when you thought it couldn't get any more grotesque... Fucking hell.
Can't they use it just go about it slightly different?
Like how Sony patented checkerboard rendering so ms uses sparse rendering but they're basically the same things?
Hamster Plugin
Member
WW2 is apparently launching with cosmetic loot boxes, so there's no point for it to be there at launch.
Two months later when they add the new loot box guns it'll be a different story!
Daffy Duck
Member
Expect two months of awesome lobbies with on-point connections, then magically matchmaking goes to shit.
Don't forget the "game development is expensive".
Maintenance
Member
Holy shit, no words.
Wonder what he means. I don't believe Activision for a second.
Randomizer123454444
Member
It's legal because that's how money is made. Marketing techniques that have existed for a long time. Just in algorithm form now.
Example: Store layouts are intentionally planned so that people buy things they wouldn't otherwise when coming into store. Most common items (the ones people come into store for) are all the way back in the store, so you are forced to walk trough "we want you to buy THESE items" -sections.
Example 2: Pretty people in adverts. Most of the time being pretty has nothing to do with product that is being sold, it's just there to produce a halo effect (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_effect) so you are more likely to buy the product.
Very few adverts in todays world have anything to do with helping the consumer and all to do with tricking you to buying things by any means necessary.
test_account
XP-39C²
How does that tweet confirm that its being used elsewhere?
xviper
Member
does Bliazzrd uses this system in Overwatch competitive mode ? i know that OW has no microtransactions but why the fuck do i get matched with a Torbjorn in attack ?
EA uses a much worse system in Fifa Ultimate team, it's called Handicap, when you pay hundred of dollars to open packs and get good players, your team will suddenly become retarded and you will probably lose most of the matches, you will miss most of the shots even if you are playing as Messi
EA uses a much worse system in Fifa Ultimate team, it's called Handicap, when you pay hundred of dollars to open packs and get good players, your team will suddenly become retarded and you will probably lose most of the matches, you will miss most of the shots even if you are playing as Messi
SillyEskimo
Member
I only play CoD vs bots so this doesnt really effect me personally.
Can understand it, even if it's shitty.
In MWR I was getting killed by the BOS14 a fair amount and I was like hey I want to try this gun. Proceed to get the gun and wreck fools with it completing the cycle.
Should add I didn't pay to get the gun (and wouldn't) just acquired through playing the game, but some people would pay to do this so it works.
In MWR I was getting killed by the BOS14 a fair amount and I was like hey I want to try this gun. Proceed to get the gun and wreck fools with it completing the cycle.
Should add I didn't pay to get the gun (and wouldn't) just acquired through playing the game, but some people would pay to do this so it works.
Yeah but I bet they can account for that. Their's likely a different method to exploit you. Their getting detailed metrics on all their players. Does everyone think they just ignore it and throw it away. I bet everyone would be shocked with the things they can figure out just from studying the data they have of you.
And all these people saying it doesnt work on me all these other people are idiots, your the biggest idiot if you don't think this stuff works on you.
This is par for the course now, and personally I dont think it bodes well for the future. With the technology they have now their getting increasingly better at manipulating people.
ScientificPizza
Banned
but we should just accept loot boxes because if you dont like them you can just ignore them right guys
feint_ruled
Member
Devil's advocate - people are totally misreading this. It is putting people ON YOUR TEAM. So, if your profile shows you have an interest in sniper weapons, it pairs you with some dudes with sick sniper items.It's not a matter of "no items, get rekt". Doesn't seem quite as scummy, just trying to get you to buy stuff through envy. Which I guess is still a bit scummy, lol.
What do lootboxes and rigged matchmaking have in common?
NullPointer
Member
Gameplay purposefully designed to apply pressure towards microtransactions.
Add techniques that use metrics to apply strategies down to the individual level to foster buy-in and you've got something pretty damn insidious afoot in modern gaming.