this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2024
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On a much smaller level, sure. Advertising in general is predatory and manipulative. F2P models are stores you cannot leave without leaving the game entirely, unlike paid games.
Advertising in general is a way for a person to show people they have a product worth buying, so the producer is able to make a living on it.
This argument isn't even about consumer protections anymore, it's just anti-business. I'd be completely with you if there were only giant FAANGS corps in gaming, but there are also small developers trying to make a living.
Also, the same example I've been using, I just now opened league, the homepage is defaulted to the latest patch overview. If you hit the play button you go straight to the lobby and from there into a match, all without seeing an advertisement. You're making broad generalizations that only accurately describe some of the worst store models, and you're generally acting like it's a horrible thing for a business to pursue profits
I'm aware of the purpose of advertising, that doesn't make it not manipulation. Additionally, advertising to purchase more of the product you're already using while you're using said product is scummier than advertising a one and done transaction, or a continuous transaction that isn't further advertised in-game.
I'm against the profit motive, but obviously I understand that there are degrees and shades. That's why I said I'm more okay with products that don't manipulate you while you're using them, like one and done transactions or subscriptions.
You still see advertisement in LoL because nearly every player uses skins that aren't the base, whether they paid for them or not. It gives out free loot crates that further incentivize gambling by giving you a taste of something addictive.
The profit motive leads to bad things, yes, but the way you go about them is different. See: Celeste, or Hollow Knight, or Signalis, or even AAA games like Prey, or multi-player games like CS:Source, all games that advertise and then cease to advertise once you're actually in-game or have purchased them.