Microtransactions have become an unavoidable reality in games in the modern context, especially with game development budgets continuing to balloon to ridiculous degrees, but even so, seeing in-game monetization in single-player experiences never quite sits right with the vast majority. We had a very recent example of that with Dragon’s Dogma 2, a game that, despite widespread acclaim, still drew plenty of backlash for its post-launch inclusion of microtransactions. Not all players in the industry see the value in such a strategy, however.
The Witcher and Cyberpunk developer CD Projekt RED has held the stance for years that microtransactions shouldn’t be included in any game that is designed as a single-player experience. During a recent Q&A with investors, about being asked about potential microtransactions in future CDPR games, CFO Piotr Nielubowicz once again reiterated that the developer doesn’t intend to include microtransactions in single-player titles, before adding that in-game monetization is something that the studio might still consider for multiplayer experience.
“We don’t see a place for microtransactions in the case of single-player games, but we do not rule out that we will use this solution in the future in the case of multiplayer projects,” he said.
Currently, CD Projekt RED has a number of titles in the works, including The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2, while it has also partnered with Fool’s Theory for a remake of the original The Witcher. All of those are, however, set to be single-player experiences, which means CDPR is unlikely to include microtransactions. That said, the same might not be the case with The Molasses Flood’s Witcher spinoff, which is confirmed to be a multiplayer title.
