MTX often stood for “micro”-transactions. They’re usually small incremental items that you can purchase in an in-game store for $10 at most. However, there are also times when MTX can mean macro-transaction, especially in Blizzard’s case for the recently released World of Warcraft Trader’s Gilded Brutosaur mount. The price? Well, Blizzard’s WoW mount is only $90, the same price as a deluxe edition of a AAA game.
This WoW mount thankfully comes with gold armor. As a bonus, you also get Morten and Killia riding on the sides for player convenience.
Granted, you can purchase the mount indirectly with World of Warcraft Gold by exchanging that currency with Tokens. But that is assuming other players are selling Tokens in WoW‘s in-game auction house. Otherwise, you need to purchase the Tokens with real money. This officially makes the Brutosaur Blizzard’s most expensive MTX to date. It also comes with an element of FOMO (fear of missing out) sprinkled on top; you can only purchase the mount until January 6, 2025.
The $90 WoW Brutosaur is an optional purchase, of course, but it’s still currently selling like hotcakes, making it a strong case study for how there is only overpriced stuff because people will still buy them. At some point, however, you have to ask when did this start happening? From where did it snowball?
Bethesda’s Horse Armor was the Progenitor of the $90 WoW Mount
It all began in 2006 when Bethesda sold a set of Horse Armor in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for $2.50. It was meant to be a DLC. This Horse Armor was the first-ever official micro-transaction in video games.
That didn’t stop critics from lambasting the Horse Armor and making fun of Bethesda for selling cosmetics in a single-player game. Because modders can also make cosmetic mods for free. Still, the Horse Armor DLC sold millions according to Todd Howard, Bethesda’s director and executive producer. Turns out we might have all been hopeless from the start.
Since then, various forms of micro-transactions have popped up in other games due to their success in Oblivion, but they mostly found traction in multiplayer titles such as MMORPGs. Nowadays, even single-player games have no shortage of MTX, with some notable Ubisoft titles– Assassin’s Creed games, for reference.
As it is, cosmetic MTX is the best item to sell in-game since they do not provide pay-to-win advantages. Thus they typically have no stigma attached to them– even if they cost $90 apiece. And while the mouth might whisper ‘no,’ the heart always seems to shout ‘yes’ for many gamers. Meanwhile, the wallet can only scream in pain.
