Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra has proposed that tipping culture could benefit games, particularly in "special" single-player games. Ybarra explains that some games, such as Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, Baldur's Gate 3, and Elden Ring, are "special" and would be tempted to pay extra for. However, most commenters dislike the idea of being asked for an extra tip after completing a game, as some gamers may not have the financial means to afford more than the game's price. Tipping culture already exists in some gaming spaces, with platforms like Itch.io offering tips options. Ybarra's comments come amid a challenging time for the industry, with major companies scaling back and AAA development costs increasing.
I'm really hoping we don't go down the path of what happened with the horse armor and microtransactions.
"It's just a dollar for a cosmetic item, what's the harm?"