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Good Guy Nintendo Goes Full Monster after Embracing Microtransactions

Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:33 PM
William Worrall
Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:33 PM
  • VGC has discovered that Animal Crossing: New Horizons will contain in-game purchases.
  • The discovery was made thanks to the ESRB rating on the game’s store page.
  • Clearly, Nintendo has just given up on acting like they’re actually a good company.

It’s official. Nintendo has abandoned the pretense of being a family-friendly gaming company. VGC noticed that the ESRB rating for Animal Crossing: New Horizons shows it will contain in-game purchases .

As if the dreadful Pocket Camp game wasn’t bad enough, this garbage practice has now bled into Nintendo’s main games. Far removed from their bright and happy image, they’re now exploiting their players.

How long will it be before you can buy stars in the latest Mario game?

The ESRB rating for Animal Crossing: New Horizons revealed that in-game purchases were going to be a part of the series for the first time ever. | Source: Nintendo 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Might Just Kill the Series

If there’s something that goes against Animal Crossing’s philosophy, it’s microtransactions. On the other hand, it does sound like something Tom Nook would do. 10 – 1 he’s the way you access these in-game purchases.

Right now we don’t know what form these purchases will take. But, if they’re as egregious as the ones available in Mario Kart World Tour it might just be enough to turn people off to the entire series.

Will we be able to purchase clothes with real money? Maybe, it’ll just be actual DLC that you can buy in the game rather than in the store. Let’s just hope that it’s not the ability to pay for time travel because then we’re in serious trouble.

Nintendo Was the Last Bastion for Microtransaction-Free Gaming

Over the past few years, Nintendo has slowly been getting worse. Not so long ago they avoided making mobile games supported by microtransactions. They also avoided predatory practices in their games.

Now Nintendo appears to have just completely abandoned that approach. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the next step in their plan to tread all over their customers. They’ve already been blocking save transfers on several of their games for ages. Making things as inconvenient for gamers as possible.

What next? A game that is literally just Mr.Resetti screaming at you for turning the game on? I’m sure that if that happens, Nintendo will provide an ‘in-game purchase’ to allow you to get past the start screen.