When Ubisoft’s third-person RPG/Shooter hybrid The Division releases worldwide on March 8, gamers can expect to see microtransactions, despite paying full price for the game.
However, the microtransactions are said to be totally optional and won’t be necessary to play or even progress in the game, which is what you would expect when paying triple A prices for a game. It’s not clear yet though what exactly players will be able to spend their real-life cash on, although it is expected to be in-game items which won’t impact gameplay in any way, such as cosmetics.
Ubisoft hasn’t officially commented yet about microtransactions in the launch version of The Division, however they were spotted in a listing on the PlayStation Store for the game which stated in the description that “In-game purchases optional”.
The Division won’t be Ubisoft’s first game to include controversial microtransactions, with numerous Assassin’s Creed games including them to help players level up and boost quicker, despite being a single-player experience. In addition to that, Rainbow Six Siege, which launched in December, also has microtransactions despite being another full-priced game.
While The Division puts a lot of emphasis on PvE combat and teaming up with friends, players must take part in PvP via the Dark Zone in order to obtain the very best and rarest loot. It is possible that microtransactions may be a way for PvE players to obtain some of these items without having to face-off against other players.
The Division releases on March 8 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.
