Ubisoft says microtransactions make games more fun, but not everyone is buying it.
Ubisoft’s latest annual financial report has raised eyebrows after claiming that microtransactions can actually enhance the player experience. The statement appears early in the 325-page document filed on 19 June, where the publisher outlines its long-term business strategy, including monetisation plans for its premium games.
While the report is primarily aimed at investors, it has not escaped the wider gaming community’s attention. As first reported by MP1st, a section covering Ubisoft’s “business model and strategy” talks about its approach to in-game purchases, saying its policies are designed to be both respectful of players and “sustainable in the long term.”
This includes a firm focus on post-launch monetisation as part of a broader effort to keep players engaged with titles well beyond their release. According to Ubisoft, offering additional paid content, whether cosmetic, convenience-based or otherwise, helps make the overall experience “more fun” for players.
Ubisoft’s report presents two statements that appear at odds with each other. On one hand, it says the company’s “golden rule” for premium titles is to let players enjoy the full experience without needing to spend more. On the other, it claims that its monetisation “makes the player experience more fun” by offering optional purchases that let users personalise their avatars or speed up progression.
Some fans aren’t finding the fun in microtransactions
Understandably, that particular phrasing has not gone down well with many fans. While Ubisoft insists its monetisation methods are carefully considered and player-friendly, critics argue that introducing microtransactions into already full-priced games tends to do the opposite, disrupting immersion and turning core features into gated content.
“Such a Ubisoft thing to say,” Redditor _felagund said, a comment that got many upvotes from other Redditors.
While cosmetic microtransactions are generally accepted in free-to-play games—particularly when they don’t affect gameplay balance—the situation is very different for paid titles. When players have already bought a game upfront, being asked to pay more for in-game advantages or convenience is often seen as overstepping, unless it comes in the form of meaningful expansions or DLC.
“You know what’s more fun? Getting to do all that stuff and not have to spend more money on a game I already spent money on,” FriendlyBrother9660 added.
Others, however, justify that Ubisoft isn’t the only company that implements microtransactions. “I mean, we can complain as much as we want about such statement. But the truth is that people are still buying sh** through microtransactions, and they are making sh** load of money from that,” Redditor JerbearCuddles explained.
Whether players agree with Ubisoft’s definition of “fun” or not, the company’s stance is now on record. For better or worse, monetisation remains a central part of its approach, and the reaction suggests that players will continue to push back when the balance doesn’t feel right.
