Microtransactions - Part 1

Ahh microtransactions, this is certainly a topic I've been stepping around for a while. For those who aren't aware, microtransactions are small purchases that are made within a game for additional content that may otherwise be unattainable. These purchases can be anything from simple reskins and XP boosts to new weapons and skills for use in combat. This particular article will cover what should and should not be part of a microtransaction based system, next time I will cover ideal pricing and such.

Microtransactions are most commonly found in free to play games as their primary (or only) source of income. Because developers are all different, microtransactions can end up flawed in certain cases. Today I will discuss what I consider acceptable in terms of microtransactions.
The most important thing to consider here is this: Microtransactions should never give a player an unfair advantage, regardless of how much they cost.
By giving paying players a distinct advantage in a game you are basically turning a game into a pay to win title; a game in which people feel that they cannot compete unless they're paying for advantages. This can cause non-paying players to stop playing the game altogether in belief that they are unable to have fun without dropping cash on an incredible weapon.
What you should and shouldn't allow paying players to have is merely a matter of common sense. If it's unfair, don't add it. This means avoid powerful weapons that are otherwise unattainable, avoid ammunition that straight up does extra damage and avoid direct stat boosts.

"But hey, what will they sell? How will they make a profit?"

Well, that's simple, just sell things that may not necessarily...do anything.
If you have a good game with microtransactions, some people are going to purchase things just to support the developer, regardless of what those things are. Things like cosmetic armour changes or weapon skins are perfect for the microtransaction model; paying players can feel unique while having no real edge in combat over free players.
Another acceptable thing to sell is XP boosts in games that allow equipment to be unlocked as you level up. These may seem like at unfair advantage but at the end of the day they're simply speeding things up for players who may not have as much time to play as others.

Fair microtransactions can be implemented into any genre. MMOs can have unique weapon and armour skins along with horse armour for their mounts. Driving games can have bonus decals for the sides of their vehicle. Even a poker game could have custom card sets to spice up gameplay a bit, the possibilities know no bounds.
In summary: Cosmetics are good, advantages are bad. Hats are good, buying power is bad.

As always, thank you for reading.