Rising Development Costs Drive Microtransactions in Tekken Series

The producer of the Tekken series, Katsuhiro Harada, has attributed the inclusion of microtransactions in the latest installment to the significant increase in development costs. Compared to the 1990s, the cost of making games has surged tenfold, driven by factors such as higher resolution, online capabilities, and the need for continuous updates. Harada explained that the current economic landscape and the desire for long-term game support have contributed to the rise of microtransactions. He noted that simply abandoning microtransactions would lead to the game becoming obsolete within a few months, emphasizing the importance of ongoing economic activity and support. The development costs of Tekken 8 are reportedly more than double or nearly triple those of its predecessor, Tekken 7. Recently, Bandai Namco unveiled its post-launch plans for Tekken 8, which include the introduction of an in-game shop where players can purchase cosmetic items and classic character costumes with real money. This move has sparked discussion about the trend of adding microtransactions to games after their initial release.