Microtransactions in Lost Ark are summarized as...
The game is free-to-play with an optional subscription fee. This subscription grants you many convenience features such as lower prices at certain shops, lower cooldowns on fast travel abilities, more inventory slots, and many other features. Some of these are intentionally inconvenient by default to get you to buy the subscription.
The game features several currencies, one of which can be purchased directly via real-world money. This currency can then be exchanged for other non-premium currencies, essentially letting you straight up buy gold and gear. The premium currency can also be used to purchase cosmetic items such as skins and mounts. Some skins grant small stat bonuses, but these skins can also be purchased through non-premium currencies. Although farming for them might take quite a while.
You can play for free without every spending money, but doing so will put you on a significant disadvantage to other players, forcing you to put far more time in to the game to get to a similar power level.
👎
Premium currencies come in quantities that do not match the price of regular shop items, forcing you to spend more for less.
👎
Some in-game services can only be purchased with real money (e.g. server transfers, character appearance changes, name changes, etc.).
👎
Pay-to-win elements. This games contains purchasable items that give you an advantage.
👎
Rewards in-game items for external purchases (e.g. Twitch Prime subscriptions).
👎
Includes mechanics that are intentionally slow or inconvenient, but can be bypassed with real money purchases.
👎
Includes a limited-time always rotating store with exclusive discounts and/or cosmetics.
👎
Contains premium currencies that can only, or almost exclusively, be purchased with real money.
👎
In-game currencies can be purchased with real life money.
👎
Contains cosmetics for extraordinarily high prices, sometimes costing more than full priced games.
👎
Contains lootboxes that can be bought with real money.
👎
You can (or could) gain early-access to the game by spending more money.
âž–
Features an optional subscription fee.
âž–
Features daily log in rewards that scale up in quality as you continue your log in streak.
âž–
Has a "deluxe" edition of the game which features (almost) nothing but in-game cosmetic items.
