Resident Evil 4 Fans Are Split Over New Microtransactions

Microtransactions have been a tricky proposition ever since they became a trend in gaming. Fans tend to be fine with paying for a fancy new suit or some other cosmetic for their favorite characters (as long as they're not hideous or overly expensive), but balk at the idea of paying for randomly generated items or stronger gear. When the latter is purchasable in a game, accusations of said game being "paid to win" are sure to follow — and the new "Resident Evil 4" microtransactions have even the most hardcore fans seeing red.

A new update for "Resident Evil 4" was rolled out this week, bringing the highly anticipated "The Mercenaries" mode to the remake. But while fans are enjoying the arcade-style trappings of "The Mercenaries," a new purchasable upgrade isn't being so warmly received by all gamers.

"Resident Evil 4" players can now pay a few bucks a pop for Upgrade Tickets, which unlock buffs for Leon's weapons. As the DLC listing explains, "With this, you'll have access to a weapon's exclusive upgrade at any time, regardless of the weapon's level. Not only that, but once unlocked, the upgrade itself is free of charge!" If you've been wanting to seriously ratchet up the Stingray's fire rate without grinding through a bunch of requests from the Merchant and saving up all your Spinels, this is the quickest route to an upgrade.

The general vibe among "Resident Evil" fans seems to be one of confusion regarding the new Upgrade Tickets, with the microtransactions overshadowing the hype for "The Mercenaries." Fans on social media have largely been frustrated by the addition of Upgrade Tickets, with some already calling the system a pay-to-win cash grab. Some are confused why any of their fellow players would go in for something like this, noting again that players can unlock these upgrades with a bit of work.

I'm so confused by the Weapon Exclusive upgrade ticket thing they just added.
Why would you even buy these ? It's so easy to get the upgrade tickets in the game.
Like I'm not even mad about them I'm just trying to wrap my head around why you would buy them. pic.twitter.com/6mns39Cjoy

— 尺ㄖ乃乙ㄖ几乃丨乇 (@SlayersMarker66) April 7, 2023

But not every gamer out there is crying foul just yet. Some are content to ignore the new microtransactions and play the game the same way they have been, earning the upgrades with their own efforts. Others are already figuring out that the tickets can be resold for a huge amount of in-game cash, which means players can just turn around and fully upgrade their weapons from the start of the game. This detail probably won't do much to change the minds of fans who think these tickets are a pay-to-win feature, especially since the tickets are made available across every save file upon purchase.

Those new in-game tickets for #ResidentEvil4Remake can be sold for 80k a pop. Not bad! I can see these being used for runs maybe? Easily upgrade your guns out of the gate with that cash 🤔 pic.twitter.com/vlOwt4IjZE

— Rewind Mike (@RewindMike) April 7, 2023