Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra recently proposed a new idea that has sparked conversation within the gaming community. Ybarra suggested that players should have the option to tip developers after completing a game, especially if they felt that the game was worth more than its initial price.
In a recent interview, Ybarra mentioned games such as Horizon: Zero Dawn, God of War, and Red Dead Redemption 2 as examples of titles that players may consider tipping for. He acknowledged that while this concept may not sit well with everyone, he compared it to tipping in other service industries.
While independent developers often have virtual tip jars, it is rare to see this practice in big budget gaming. Some players have even suggested buying a game twice as a way to show their support for developers, especially in light of publishers raising game prices to $70. This price increase, combined with microtransactions, has led to frustration among players.
In an effort to avoid negative reviews, some publishers have introduced microtransaction stores post-release. However, this strategy is not always successful and can lead to further backlash from the gaming community.
Ybarra’s former employer, Blizzard, operates on a subscription model for World of Warcraft and sells additional items in games like Overwatch 2 and Hearthstone. With the ongoing debate surrounding game pricing and microtransactions, the idea of tipping developers is certainly a unique concept that has the potential to change the way players support the creators behind their favorite games.
