Activision and Toys for Bob will release Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time for PS4 and Xbox One on October 2nd, 2020. However, multiple publication sites have gone up with a “microtransaction” story due to the Microsoft Store listing the game as having “in-game purchases.” To combat these stories, Toys for Bob says the forthcoming game will not sport microtransactions.
Toys For Bob had to issue out a notice via Twitter to correct multiple stories going around that Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time will have microtransactions. These false stories from mainstream media outlets like PlayStation LifeStyle, MSPoweruser, ScreenRant, VG24/7, and a big bloated soy boy with a top hat that talks silly all facilitated misinformation based on a Microsoft Store listing.
The official store page for Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time lists “in-app purchases,” as seen on microsoft.com. However, the “in-app purchases” are said to be skins for the digital version of the game as per Toys for Bob:
We’re seeing confusion about #MTX in @CrashBandicoot 4 and want to be clear: There are NO MICROTRANSACTIONS in #Crash4. As a bonus, the Totally Tubular skins are included in all digital versions of the game.
— Toys For Bob (@ToysForBob) June 30, 2020
The above information falls in line with the new mandatory rating system from the ESRB, which forces any game with a random or given item that calls for real-world money to be listed as “in-game/app purchases.” The blurb on said subject lies below via esrb.org:
“This new Interactive Element, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), will be assigned to any game that contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real world currency (or with virtual coins or other forms of in-game currency that can be purchased with real world currency) for which the player doesn’t know prior to purchase the specific digital goods or premiums they will be receiving (e.g., loot boxes, item packs, mystery awards).
In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items) will be assigned to all games that include purchases with any randomized elements, including loot boxes, gacha games, item or card packs, prize wheels, treasure chests, and more. Games that have the In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items) notice may also include other non-randomized paid elements.”
In other words, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time will have skins that you can obtain by paying for the digital edition. However, since soy boys and screeching feminists don’t research things and are driven by their hivemind groupthink, misinformation was bound to pop up in this case.
With that said, given that we are dealing with Activision, could more post-launch in-game purchases surface egregiously? Possibly. Nevertheless, time will tell. In the meantime, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time will drop this year across PS4 and Xbox One on October 2nd.
