User:Brandon Osier/Sociology Edits

In-Game Currencies
In-Game Currencies are a type of currency that can only be used within the parent video game's economy. Many sources regard these as the most popular type of microtransaction with Gimitheapp putting it at "50% of the gaming industry's revenue." Many games use in-game currencies differently with some games opting to use them for purchasing in-game items, loot boxes and cosmetics, while others use it to keep playing the game by speeding along a wait timer, or give an advantage. A game's mechanics can sometimes be modeled around In-game currencies in such a way that it encourages people to buy microtransacitons. Some games can have multiple in-game currencies, in which one or more can be bought with real money, or can have one in-game currency. Notable games that use in-game currencies are Clash of Clans, Game of War: Fire Age, Mobile Strike, Fortnite and many more.

Loot Boxes
Loot boxes are a form of microtransactions, which a player can use to gain a random Item, or a number of random Items that can be used in game. They can contain things from customization options for characters, items that can give you an edge while playing the game, or specific characters, or items that can only be unlocked through loot boxes. They can be Bought with real money, in-game currency, or earned as you play the game. According to the BBC Many gamers are against loot boxes as they see them as a way to give other players an advantage in a game. Recently loot boxes have come under fire for, as Parentzone describes, "using predatory techniques to push players to spend money while gaming." Loot boxes have been compared to gambling mainly because it's a random chance whether you get anything good when you buy them. You could compare them to a slot machine; You take a pull of the lever and you get 3 cherries. You then take two more spins but you get nothing. You keep going until you hit your fiftieth pull, and you get three 7s and hit the jackpot. Well with loot boxes it is similar you could pull three commons for your money, or you could pull one rare or even legendary item, which would be the jackpot in our analogy. Belgium banned loot boxes all together in 2018 for this very reason. Notable games that use loot boxes are Battlefront 2, The Fifa series, Overwatch, and many more.

Battle Passes
Battle passes are a recent addition to the Microtransaction scene. They provide additional content for a game through a tiered system which rewards players with in-game items for completing specific challenges. Battle passes are usually purchased through microtransatcions though sometimes they can be offered for free. They can also be offered in two forms, a free pass available to all players, and a premium pass which players have to pay for. The premium passes usually offer better items for their rewards. Notable games that use Battle passes are Fortnite, Call of Duty, PUBG and many more.