A forum for discussing and organizing recreational softball and baseball games and leagues in the greater Halifax area.
Nearly half of US kids want in-game currency this Christmas
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I went with my son to his friends house a few years ago, about 9. Me and his mom were hanging out while the kids gamed. Her son played roblox. I never liked the game, and know there are thousands of other games to play that aren't so predatory, so my kid was never introduced to it. Anyway, his friend was playing so I let my son play too for this day. After a time, her son asked for $10 for Roblox. Mom said not today and the child had a full meltdown. It hurt my ears he was screeching so loud. My son just froze and stared at his friend. It looked similar to a panic attack crossed with a toddler temper tantrum. Once he calmed down, she let him back on the game, but we went home. Certain games turn smaller children into addicts. Roblox is definitely one of those games, it seems.My nephew has talked about how lucky some of his friends are because they get more robux from their parents than he does and how he wishes his parents would give him more "nice things" like that. This is a kid who has been to disneyland *multiple times* and has gone on *multiple cruises* before he was a decade old. THey have a big trip basically every summer, but he doesn't want any of that, he just wants more robux.
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This is what I don't get, why would you get some in game currency or item that will help you for like five minutes for the same price as a game that will give you tens of hours of fun. Cosmetics I somewhat get, you wanna show off. Still think it's kinda dumb but I get it since I'm tf2 player.
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My nephew has talked about how lucky some of his friends are because they get more robux from their parents than he does and how he wishes his parents would give him more "nice things" like that. This is a kid who has been to disneyland *multiple times* and has gone on *multiple cruises* before he was a decade old. THey have a big trip basically every summer, but he doesn't want any of that, he just wants more robux.
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Its not the parents fault, its just how its going. As a kid I wanted pokemon cards, because all the other kids had pokemon cards and were showing off how many pokemon cards they had and it was on TV that you GOTTA CATCH EM ALL and the cool kid had a shiny raichu and I was a loser because I didnt have one so I really wanted one so I needed pokemon cards. It didnt mean my parents failed me. It means toy manufacturers have all but weaponised marketing/propaganda and children are especially susceptible. In my example, replace shiny raichu card with Peter Griffin skin.
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Kids my age: Remember when you could just download a skin for Quake from a website, install it, and still have other players see it? *And it was free?*You also learned some valuable PC navigation and troubleshooting skills in the process of adding the skin to your game. Kids today: why wouldn't I spend $20 to be able to dance the running-man as Goku in Fortnite?
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Kids want to play the games their friends are playing more than what their parents play. I will play Fortnite and Roblox and Rocket League with my son and I’ve never had a skin or a battle pass and have tried to show him you can have fun with out wasting your money but that doesn’t stop a kids FOMO. Publishers know kids have undeveloped abilities to delay gratification and are susceptible to peer pressureYeah, for this reason i don't plan to outright ban roblox and the like. I don't want to be a fun-dictator. Its also important that kids learn to deal with the reality that these games/practices do exist around them, and at some age i wont be there to guide every decision. But there will definitely be “a talk” before i install anything remotely like it. Being capable of understanding the dangers is a requirement to get acces.
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Kids want to play what their friends/community are playing.
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Kids my age: Remember when you could just download a skin for Quake from a website, install it, and still have other players see it? *And it was free?*
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While I agree that this is not a good thing, I have to say it is not much different to for example Pokemon cards. Sure you could sell physical cards - if you're lucky maybe even without loss - but I don't think it is so much different.Physical cards last for years. Maybe the online game will be around in ten years, but maybe not. I have most of my magic cards from my youth. They're a thing I own. I can do what I want with them- play the game, use them for decorations, sell them. Digital shit is transient with few options for the buyer.
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I worry about how I would raise a child in this landscape. Two of the people I know with kids, the kids don't care about video games. One of the kids is super into iPad games, and that feels like a haazrd brewing. Maybe I'd try to stick to real games for any child I was responsible for, but I don't think that would survive impact with peers.
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i have four nephews. 3 of them want fortnight/roblox money. i try to get them into different games and they won't have it. they are addicts for these freemium bullshit games
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Physical cards last for years. Maybe the online game will be around in ten years, but maybe not. I have most of my magic cards from my youth. They're a thing I own. I can do what I want with them- play the game, use them for decorations, sell them. Digital shit is transient with few options for the buyer.
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Kids my age: Remember when you could just download a skin for Quake from a website, install it, and still have other players see it? *And it was free?*My brother got minecraft to play with my niece and there are two versions now, from what I can tell one that’s like what I was playing a decade ago but updated, and one that has microtransactions. The old one lets you download skins and mods for free. It seemed like a no brainer but he went with the microtransaction one, and now my niece keeps asking for cosmetics. There must be a reason to yoke yourself to the pay-for-skins version, but I’m really not sure.
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Really? Your parents never bought you worthless junk meant to be throw away like fart putty or those rubber bubbles you blow up with a straw that barely work or packs of Pokémon cards or baseball cards? I don’t think it should be up to the parents to tell the kids what’s valuable to them. If the kid wants a vbucks card over a game then you can tell them that’s why they didn’t get a new game. (I do recognize that the current monetization models have ruined modern gaming which is why I only play games that are 15 years old or older)
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Kids want to play what their friends/community are playing."Hey look at this loser he's using a Jonsey skin!"
