How do you know people want these things? Do you actually think “yay! I love that this new game has a battle pass system and lootboxes” is a common sentiment? The point is that there is no choice. Sure, companies are very likely making more money off these systems than otherwise, but to say this is because people want it doesn’t ring true to me, simply because they can’t just pivot to a similar game without them, or avoid it entirely. Games like Fortnite are so predatory on monetization that they strip you out of even choosing the base nothingburger characters available for free, instead randomizing which one you get per match to force you to buy something to even have a consistent player model you somewhat like. That kids, a demographic that’s by nature desperate to express themselves, spend piles of money on these systems is no surprise. Not to mention the fact that they’re too young to know there’s even an alternative at all.
There’s also mountains of evidence that contradict the statement that a game without a battle pass won’t succeed. One of the most profitable and respected MMOs currently is Final Fantasy XIV, a game that has nothing like it, in the genre that had micro-transactions and lootboxes before most people even heard the terms. Middle Earth Shadows of War is also a great game that was ruined by loot boxes and progression systems, where the outcry was so big that the developers completely removed them after the fact.
There’s also mountains of evidence that contradict the statement that a game without a battle pass won’t succeed. One of the most profitable and respected MMOs currently is Final Fantasy XIV, a game that has nothing like it, in the genre that had micro-transactions and lootboxes before most people even heard the terms. Middle Earth Shadows of War is also a great game that was ruined by loot boxes and progression systems, where the outcry was so big that the developers completely removed them after the fact.