Dragon's Dogma 2's microtransactions are the least of its worries

Dragon's Dogma 2's release was nothing short of a disaster, for lack of a better word. While I did anticipate players reacting harshly to the game's myriad performance issues, especially on PC, I did not expect microtransactions to be part of why the game, which is otherwise a fantastic RPG, would face backlash for, at least not while I had access to the review version of the title.

Don't get me wrong, I'm as anti-microtransactions as it gets, and had I known the extent to which Capcom is going to monetize the game, I would've mentioned it in my review. To be honest, I was completely oblivious to Capcom's monetization plans and how egregious the microtransactions would be for Dragon's Dogma 2.

However, now that the game has been released, and I can see the microtransactions for myself, I don't think it's as big a deal as many players are making it to be. In my honest opinion, Dragon's Dogma 2's microtransactions are the least of its worries, which is discussed below.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinions.

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Dragon's Dogma 2 microtransactions aren't as egregious as the internet is making it to be

Dragon's Dogma 2's microtransactions are bad. Period. However, they aren't as malicious or egregious as most players might think. In fact, if you take a look at Capcom's own back catalog, you'll find examples of games with worse forms of monetization. Remember how bad the microtransactions and DLCs were in Monster Hunter Rise? Yeah.

Compared to that, Dragon's Dogma 2's microtransactions are as harmless as it gets. The things Capcom is offering as DLCs and MTX are nothing that you cannot find in-game. If you play the game organically, complete quests, and do a bit of exploration and side quests, you'll get more than enough resources being offered as MTX.

However, I think the way the microtransaction issue got overblown by the internet somewhat undermined the real issues plaguing the game, i.e., the performance woes as well as the lack of basic accessibility and quality-of-life features.

Let me be clear: I enjoyed Dragon's Dogma 2 as it is, and in a perfect world, I wouldn't want to change anything that's there. However, let's be real; it's not a perfect world, and there are changes and additions that the game can benefit from, including, but not limited to, a dedicated "New Game" option, as well as multiple difficulty presets.

Okay, hear me out; I identify myself as a Souls-like enthusiast and someone who religiously plays either Elden Ring, Sekiro, or Armored Core 6 every single day, without fail. I understand the importance of having a dynamic difficulty system, but at the same time, I also want more players to experience what Dragon's Dogma has to offer.

And unfortunately, as much as I might like the game, it's not the most accessible RPG I've played in recent memory. Compared to Dragon's Dogma 2, I think Elden Ring is a much more accessible and easy-to-get-into action RPG, which is really wild to think about.

Dragon's Dogma's main focus is its combat, and while it's fun in the opening hours, it quickly gets extremely difficult once you step outside Vermund's opening area. Even for someone like me, who is no stranger to challenging games, there were times in Dragon's Dogma 2 when I felt overwhelmed.

Given that the original Dragon's Dogma had multiple difficulty options to choose from, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for the same in the sequel. And lastly, I really hope Capcom can fix the abhorrent performance issues with the game, especially on consoles.

While yes, microtransactions are bad, and they should not exist in a single-player game in the first place, the ones present in Dragon's Dogma 2 are quite possibly the most harmless version of said in-game purchases. I've seen significantly worse MTX in games like Assassin's Creed, which are more predatory in nature.