RuneScape player spends $62,000 on microtransactions

[midian182]

WTF?! We’ve heard of people building up massive amounts of debt through microtransactions in the past, but rarely to this level. A UK man is reported to have spent over £50,000 ($62,000) on in-game purchases for browser-based MMORPG RuneScape.

The situation was highlighted in the UK Parliament’s recent report on immersive and addictive technologies, which includes a subsection on RuneScape. It mentions “a member of the public whose adult son built up considerable debts” of around $62,000.

“For example, bank statements showed that in one day the individual spent £247.95 ($309) by making five separate payments” to developer Jagex.

As noted by Kotaku, RuneScape players have been complaining about the game’s aggressive microtransactions since the “squeal of fortune” update in 2012, which let players pay up to $99.99 for wheel spins in exchange for armor, money, or experience points.

“Outrage over microtransactions in Runescape isn’t a new thing,” said one of the game’s players. “There is just an overwhelming sense of ‘this company really doesn’t care about us’ when they keep, keep pushing these promotions after many years of being told to stop, or at least tone down, without any signs of interest from Jagex.”

Jagex said that about one-third of its revenue comes from microtransactions, while two-thirds come from an alternative subscription model. Its director of player experience said players “can potentially spend up to £1,000 ($1,247) a week or £5,000 ($6,238) a month” in the game but claims only one person had hit that limit in the last 12 months.

Last year, a man discovered he had spent over $10,000 on FIFA, while in 2017, an 11-year-old accidentally spent almost $7,500 on microtransactions using his father’s credit card.

If you want to try a version of RuneScape with fewer in-game purchases, check out the Old School incarnation—a separate entity that’s an official recreation of the game’s 2007 state. It’s available now on desktop, Android and iOS.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/81968-runescape-player-spends-62000-game-microtransactions.html

 

[Uncle Al]

First of all, why would any sensible adult give their child access to a credit card much less their own? If that adult understands the principles of electricity they could easily remove the cord from the back of the computer and "sell it" back to the child for the amount of debt (could be having the lawn mowed and trash taken out for several years or decades). And lastly, he needs to learn the DOS command "FDISK" and use it.

 

[amstech]

I have no problem with it.
If someone is dumb enough to buy 'big wiener' pills, then take their sh!t.

 

[Toju Mikie]

Really? On RuneScape?!?! That game is so boring. I played it for a while and there was just a ridiculous amount of grinding. If I wanted to chop trees all day then I would rather be a lumberjack.

 

[kira setsu]

Whatever

-if your a grown up with money to burn then so be it
-if youre also stupid enough/have enough coin to let your child blow thousands of it...so be it

hey, at least their not doing drugs!

 

[hahahanoobs]

Whatever

-if your a grown up with money to burn then so be it
-if youre also stupid enough/have enough coin to let your child blow thousands of it...so be it

hey, at least their not doing drugs!

It mentions “a member of the public whose adult son built up considerable debts” of around $62,000.

Debt = money to burn???

 

[ShagnWagn]

P2C, Pay To Cheat. Praying on people's gambling addictions because of forced grinding. What happened to the days of actually having content than artificial grinding? And when developers had even a glimmer of morals?

 

[Ravalo]

Soooooo loot boxes aren’t the problem anymore?

 

[Ravalo]

Really? On RuneScape?!?! That game is so boring. I played it for a while and there was just a ridiculous amount of grinding. If I wanted to chop trees all day then I would rather be a lumberjack.

You can also do stuff like this

 

[wiyosaya]

P2C, Pay To Cheat. Praying on people's gambling addictions because of forced grinding. What happened to the days of actually having content than artificial grinding? And when developers had even a glimmer of morals?

"Modern" society trains people well to worship the great dog Money!

 

[DukeJukem]

Parents should only allow their children to play Classic Runescape. Runescape 3 is a polished turd on easy street.

 

[p51d007]

P.T. Barnum....There's a sucker born every minute. Boy, just think how rich he'd be, had he lived in the 21st century, instead of the 19th.

 

[Godel]

First of all, why would any sensible adult give their child access to a credit card much less their own?

Probably stolen. I suspect many children have had access to their parents' credit cards by going through the parents' wallets or purses.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Whatever

-if your a grown up with money to burn then so be it
-if youre also stupid enough/have enough coin to let your child blow thousands of it...so be it

hey, at least their not doing drugs!

It mentions “a member of the public whose adult son built up considerable debts” of around $62,000.

Debt = money to burn???

If you have $62.000 worth of credit, you have some serious money or assets. Only people with good financial sense get that much credit.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

He should have watched his CC account. My card alerts me if a significant amount is spent in a short time. You also should give someone else your CC info.

Given he was spending hundreds a day, it would have taken half a year to build up that debt. Sounds like Daddy dearest is either an oblivious m0r0n or doesnt care about his finances, and his son didnt fall far from the tree.

Take these sucker's money. If they cant be bothered to track their own spending, they are going to blow that cash, might as well take it for yourself. It's not like this is the first major story of its kind, these people are too absent-minded to read something and learn from it.

 

[hahahanoobs]

If you have $62.000 worth of credit, you have some serious money or assets. Only people with good financial sense get that much credit.

I know how credit works, sir.

he said: "-if your a grown up with money to burn then so be it"
I said: "Debt = money to burn???"

The article is about an adult son with debt that is described as "considerable" by someone very close to him - his mom. That he lives with I assume. Does that sound like someone that has money burn? Now tell me how the comment I replied to has any relevance to the story. Now tell me how your comment is relevant to mine?

 

[Evernessince]

Runescape has more bots then players. The devs don't make an attempt to block them.

 

[retsxel]

Who the eff plays, let alone spends ANY money(let alone 62k) on the trash that is RuneScape? Lameness...

And lastly, he needs to learn the DOS command "FDISK" and use it.

It would be easier to yank out the drive.

 

[Markoni35]

Where's that player? I have a bridge to sell him.

 

[Someone8MyPosts]

Uh...so instead of checking yourself and becoming responsible in how you manage your money, it's now someone else's fault for "making" you spend insane amounts of money on stuff like this.

 

[Someone8MyPosts]

Whatever

-if your a grown up with money to burn then so be it
-if youre also stupid enough/have enough coin to let your child blow thousands of it...so be it

hey, at least their not doing drugs!

Agreed, but wouldn't it be more appropriate to tackle the real problem, rather than just an enabler?

 

[retsxel]

Where's that player? I have a bridge to sell him.

And I have some beachfront property in the marshal islands to interest him in too! LOL!

 

[kira setsu]

Whatever

-if your a grown up with money to burn then so be it
-if youre also stupid enough/have enough coin to let your child blow thousands of it...so be it

hey, at least their not doing drugs!

Agreed, but wouldn't it be more appropriate to tackle the real problem, rather than just an enabler?

The real issue is gamers themselves and the fact they will buy literally anything placed before them, I get dlc/preorder/micro culture is bad and is being abused but honestly if I was a company and saw my customers put up no fight whatsoever to block it or bypass it............then I'd do the same thing.

vocal youtubers and news sites are the minority that speak out, the rest seem to not care at all, to them a game is 60 dollars and thats "cheap" the extra stuff is just that, EXTRA! you dont need it but its there for a few bucks more...if you want it, yknow.

I mainly play FF14 which needs a sub, they have a cash shop for clothes n mounts etc, but when they release a new outfit or mount for 25dollars you can bet within 10 minutes you'll see a player passing by decked out in it.

as long as players see no real issue then nothing will change, as long as "base game" is considered a normal term then this is it

 

[That Dude There]

Just pay for him a single wide trailer...to get him away from their wallet.