Gran Turismo 6 microtransaction pricing revealed
UPDATE: Yoshida: microtransactions are "an alternative path" for "busy people".
UPDATE: Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida has taken to Twitter to address concern about microtransactions in PlayStation 3 racing game Gran Turismo 6.
In a series of tweets he insisted the ability to pay real-world money for virtual currency which can then be spent on cars was an "alternative path" through the game's progression system.
"The game is just offering an alternative path to busy people," he replied to one follower on Twitter. "Read reviews when they come out."
Then, responding to another: "Microtransaction per se is not a bad thing, how the game is designed around it could become a problem."
Gran Turismo 6 launches tomorrow, 6th December.
ORIGINAL STORY: We already knew Polyphony's racer would include microtransactions - a first for the series. Now we're nearing the game's Friday 6th December release more information on how these work has been revealed.
Let's start with the virtual currency, credits. Credits, which you use to buy cars and parts, can be bought in 500K, 1 million, 2.5 million and 7 million denominations.
The PlayStation Store updated today with the prices for these. They are as follows:
- 500,000 In-Game Credits (£3.99/€4.99)
- 1 Million In-Game Credits (£7.99/€9.99)
- 2,500,000 In-Game Credits (£15.99/€19.99)
- 7 Million In-Game Credits (£39.99/€49.99)
The video, below, showcases GT6's cars and reveals one of the top priced, the Jaguar XJ13, which costs 20 million credits. You can grind for it in traditional Gran Turismo fashion or you can buy it straight away if you drop £119.95 - that's the total you pay for two packs of 7m credits, two packs of 2.5m credits and one pack of 1m credits.
The issue is, will Gran Turismo's progression system be adversely affected by microtransactions? Eurogamer's Martin Robinson has been playing the game and tells me GT6's economy works exactly the same as GT5's, with progression, payouts and car prices very similar.
Sony maintains that GT6's microtransactions offer players an alternative fast-track route through the series' famously grindy progression. Eurogamer's review will be published on Friday.
