History Main / Microtransactions

* CombatArms has a lot of equipment that can only be bought, or more often, rented, with real money.

** ''Calamity Trigger'' lets you pay a small fee to unlock the "Unlimited" forms of some characters, instead of playing for them.

* ''LeagueOfLegends'' uses Micropayments as a shortcut for unlocking heroes. Micropayments are also the only way to buy character skins, which are entirely cosmetic.

* {{Civilization}} V has DLC for civs, wonders, and map styles.

* To unlock all the characters and power-ups in ''VideoGame/TempleRun'', you need coins. These coins can be gathered within the game, but for the impatient they are also available for real money.

* ''WebVideo/ExtraCredits'' {{discussed}} the topic in detail in [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/3689-Microtransactions one of its videos]], calling it a useful tool that many games should embrace and offering some do's and don't's to any developers interested in adopting the model. (Build the content with the payment model in mind, give free players a way to earn paid currency without paying, avoid BribingYourWayToVictory, etc.)

* ''ExtraCredits'' {{discussed}} the topic in detail in [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/3689-Microtransactions one of its videos]], calling it a useful tool that many games should embrace and offering some do's and don't's to any developers interested in adopting the model. (Build the content with the payment model in mind, give free players a way to earn paid currency without paying, avoid BribingYourWayToVictory, etc.)

* ''SecondLife'''s core gameplay is based around obtaining in-game currency, which can be freely converted to and from real world currency. The exchange rate is adjustable, according to a supply-demand index called the "Lindex", after the currency, Linden Dollars, which is in turn named for the developer, Linden Labs.

* All ArtixEntertainment games (''VideoGame/{{AdventureQuest}}'', ''VideoGame/{{DragonFable}}'', ''VideoGame/{{MechQuest}}'', ''VideoGame/{{WarpForce}}'', ''VideoGame/{{EpicDuel}}'', and ''VideoGame/{{AdventureQuest Worlds}}'') have the basic storyline and most equipment available for free, but the best weapons, armor, Titan quests and battles (best for farming!), and so on are only available to upgraded players and (in the case of equipment) often only for special currency that must be purchased with real-world money. (although small amounts can be gotten rarely in AQ, DF, and MQ) The worst for it is probably AQ; MQ is probably the best, but DF and AQW both have an awful lot of content available for free players.

* RuneScape MMORPG now allows players to pay $5 in exchange for a 10% exp boost for one week. This can be done 5 times a year on the same account.

** ''BlazBlueContinuumShift'' went the extra mile by making it much harder to unlock "Unlimited" characters without paying for them. You can also unlock Mu-12 by either spending several hours playing story mode, or just buying her as well.

* On the Pictionary-like iPhone game ''Draw Something'' (where you draw something and another person has to guess what it is and is given letters to choose from), you earn coins based on how hard the words are. The coins can be used to buy more colors and also "bombs", which eliminate unneeded words from the letter choices.

* To unlock all the characters and power-ups in ''Videogames/TempleRun'', you need coins. These coins can be gathered within the game, but for the impatient they are also available for real money.
* Voltage Inc's [[RomanceGame reverse harem games]] ''PiratesInLove'' and ''MyForgedWedding'' run on microtransactions. The player downloads the free app, and then can buy as many or as few routes as desired.

* ''{{Battlefield}} Heroes'' has [[VirtualPaperDoll clothing]] available to all players, but some of it must be bought. Strictly cosmetic, though.

* Voltage Inc's [[RomanceGame reverse harem games]] ''Pirates in Love'' and ''My Forged Wedding'' run on microtransactions. The player downloads the free app, and then can buy as many or as few routes as desired.

* ''DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'' is an MMORPG which requires paying real cash to unlock certain areas, purchase powerful equipment or unlock certain classes.

* ''KingdomOfLoathing'' has an accessory you receive by donating $10 to the game. It is generally valued at about the amount of meat (in-game currency) that a reasonably well-equipped character could expect to make in a month's worth of farming for it. Because it is very easy to sell the accessory at the current market price, the price works as a very practical real-money-to-meat exchange rate, albeit a one-way one (the accessory's price also serves as a key indicator of the in-game economy).

* The Mann Co. store in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''. The in-game store has just about every item in the game, all of which can also be obtained through the random drop system. There is still a small market in Unusual hats, something of a status symbol amongst players. Three hats in particular, Bill's Hat (from the Left4Dead series), Max's Severed Head, (from the Sam & Max series) and the Earbuds, when Team Fortress 2 was released for Apple computers, are used as the de facto currency.

* ''{{Portal 2}}'''s multiplayer mode has its own shop where players can pay real-world money to unlock special emotes, accessories, and so on.

* The Mann Co. store in ''TeamFortress2''. The in-game store has just about every item in the game, all of which can also be obtained through the random drop system. There is still a small market in Unusual hats, something of a status symbol amongst players. Three hats in particular, Bill's Hat (from the Left4Dead series), Max's Severed Head, (from the Sam & Max series) and the Earbuds, when Team Fortress 2 was released for Apple computers, are used as the de facto currency.

* ''TaleOfVespiria'' has this. Some of the stuff is rather easy to get later on in the game, and some of it is free too, so the advantage is mitigated somewhat.

* ''ProjectBlackout'' sells special, more powerful equipment for real money.

* ''BloodlineChampions'' lets you spend real money to unlock characters.

* In the Xbox 360 version of ''Game/TheGodfather: The Game'', players have the option of buying weapons and upgrades off of the Xbox Live Marketplace.

* Many game apps on {{Facebook}} use Facebook coins, which are bought with money. Some use the direct method as well.

* ''{{BlazBlue}}: Calamity Trigger'' lets you pay a small fee to unlock the "Unlimited" forms of some characters, instead of playing for them.

* The Mann Co. store in ''TeamFortress2''. The in-game store has just about every item in the game, all of which can also be obtained through the random drop system. There is still a small market in Unusual hats, something of a status symbol amongst players.
** Three hats in particular, Bill's Hat (from the Left4Dead series), Max's Severed Head, (from the Sam & Max series) and the Earbuds, when Team Fortress 2 was released for Apple computers, are used as the de facto currency.