I look at it from these two scenarios I've encountered over the years of multiplayer gaming.
Scenario 1: No micro-transactions, instead multiple map packs over the course of the games life. Each one dwindling down the player base because you now have "people who like game and bought map packs" and "people who like game but didn't buy map packs". Halo 3's map packs were pretty much ghost lands after the first week because not everyone got them, so it turned into paying for something you almost never use unless you enjoy sitting in a matchmaking queue for 30+ minutes at a time.
Scenario 2: No map packs, instead various micro-transactions involving cosmetic goodies or sometimes EXP/Currency boosters. Map packs now become free for all that bought the game thus never fragmenting the player base. Yes Johnnyrocks207 might have a higher in game number then me next to the level due to paying for some exp boosts, but that doesn't impact my ability to enjoy the game with the mass audience that plays it, especially if the game has good MMR systems in place.
I never, ever want scenario 1 again. It wasn't even good at the time when we didn't know any other way, it was a pain in the ass and hurt most of the multiplayer games that used the model. Scenario 2, while not perfect, is better for the vast majority of players, and the vast majority of players never have to even touch the micro-transactions, yet can still benefit from constant updates, features and maps at no cost to them.
Yes micro-transactions can be horrible if done wrong, but the games that do them wrong don't stick around to matter.
Also side note, I would think people would be over the micro-transactions in games thing by this point...it's been what...5 years? That doesn't excuse games that do it poorly, and they should be continuously called out for that, but seeing people be like "ew no I don't like the trend gaming is going"....guess what? We aren't going towards that trend, we are there. We've been there a while now.
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