Activision Adding Micro Transactions To Black Ops 2

Micro Transactions are making their way into just about everything nowadays. Now it seems as though Call of Duty Black Ops 2 will include the option to customize your character, add more personality to your emblems, and even the ability to share more of your Blops 2 experience via micro transactions. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything here that gives an inherent edge to game play by purchasing said micro transactions, so who’s to scoff at them? Look forward to these three packs being available tomorrow 3/13/2013:

Personalization Pack: Each pack as a unique weapon camo, three targeting reticles, custom calling card. $2.00/160 MS Points.
Extra Slots Pack: 10 extra Create-a-Class loadout slots, plus room for 20 more emblems, 32 films, and 40 screenshots. $2.00/160 MS Points.
Flags of the World Calling Card Pack: National flag themed calling cards. $1.00/80 MS Points.

If Activision hopes to keeps it’s E-Sport like competitions afloat they’ll have to tread carefully with the micro transactions. The only item that could be construed as any benefit would be the Extra Slots Pack. and to tell you the truth I don’t care if someone wants to create another Search and Destroy class or not. The type of consumer Activision is hoping to target, or even cultivate is typically referred to as a “Whale”. A consumer that will consume just about anything you throw at them and just keep asking for more. The term was coined in the early days of Zynga’s social games on Facebook that featured micro transactions, and plenty of people obliged in said business model. Some spent real money on just about any perceived “upgrade” they could get their hands on.