The Most Unethical Monetization Practices in Gaming

13 November 2025

Let’s face it—gaming isn’t just about fun anymore. In this digital playground, publishers aren’t just chasing high scores; they’re chasing high profits. And while there’s nothing wrong with developers making money (hey, they’ve got bills too), some of the ways they go about it? Well, let’s just say they’re about as shady as a boss that heals every time you land a hit.

Nowadays, games don’t just sell for a flat fee. Nope, they’re packaged like never-ending vending machines—tempting you with shiny skins, extra lives, or that one rare item that feels oh-so-close… but not quite in your grasp. What started as harmless upgrades have snowballed into manipulative mechanics designed to drain your wallet.

So, grab your controller (or mouse), and let’s dive into the most unethical monetization practices in gaming. And yeah, prepare to be a little annoyed.

1. Loot Boxes: The Digital Slot Machines

Alright, let’s kick things off with the notorious loot boxes. If you’ve played a game like FIFA, Overwatch, or any of the countless mobile gacha titles, you’ve encountered these “mystery” boxes.

Here’s the deal: You pay real money for a chance to get a virtual item. Sounds a lot like gambling, right? That’s because it is. The whole thing is built around randomness. You’re not buying a specific item—you’re buying the hope of getting it.

And let’s be real: hope doesn’t come cheap.

These boxes feed off of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and dopamine addiction. That little rush you get when you open one? That’s no accident. Developers engineer that excitement to keep you coming back—and spending more.

Worse, younger players who may not understand the concept of gambling are especially vulnerable. That alone crosses a serious moral line.

2. Pay-to-Win Mechanics: Cash Over Skill

Remember when online multiplayer games were all about who's got the better reflexes or strategy? Good times. But now, we’ve got "pay-to-win" mechanics messing up the field.

In these games, you can literally pay to become stronger, faster, or deadlier. It doesn’t matter how skilled your opponent is—if you’ve got the deeper pockets, you win.

Games like Clash of Clans, Dungeon Keeper Mobile, and even some PvP MMOs have fallen into this trap. It’s no longer about skill. It’s about who’s willing to spend more money. And that’s not gaming—that’s auctioneering with extra steps.

The worst part? It kills competitive balance. Nobody wants to lose to someone who bought their power.

3. Artificial Grind and Time-Gating

Ever feel like a game is dragging things out just a little too much? That’s no accident, my friend.

Developers often design games with artificial grind—meaning they make progress so slow that you're practically forced to pay to speed things up.

Whether it’s waiting 12 hours to build a castle or needing 500 rare items that drop once every blue moon, this tactic frustrates players into paying for boosters.

Time-gating is the evil twin here. It limits how much you can do in a day unless—yep—you pull out your wallet. It’s like being told you can only play your favorite RPG for 10 minutes at a time unless you pay extra.

What happened to letting us game at our own pace?

4. Season Passes and Battle Passes That Never End

Battle passes were kind of cool at first. You paid a one-time fee, and in return, you’d get rewards as you played. But now? It feels like a never-ending treadmill.

Developers pack these passes with so much content and time-limited challenges that they become a full-time job. Miss a day? You risk missing a reward. Can’t grind for five hours every evening? Better cough up for those tier skips.

It’s supposed to reward play, but it ends up punishing people for having real-life responsibilities.

Plus, the FOMO is intense. Skins, emotes, mounts—you name it—are often locked behind these passes and never return. It's psychological warfare.

5. Aggressive Microtransactions in Full-Priced Games

This one’s a double whammy. You pay $70 for a AAA title, expecting a full-game experience. But what do you get? A monetized mess full of extra charges.

Want that cool armor? Costs extra. That bonus dungeon? Also extra. Fast travel? You guessed it—extra.

When games like Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, or NBA 2K pull this nonsense, it feels like being nickel-and-dimed after buying a car... and then being charged to use the steering wheel.

If we’re paying full price, we should be getting the full experience. Period.

6. Preying on Whales and Vulnerable Players

Not all players spend equally. Game developers know this. That’s why they use behavioral tracking to identify “whales”—people willing to spend hundreds or even thousands.

These players are then targeted with special offers, exclusive bundles, and constant nudges to spend even more. It’s like putting a candy shop in front of someone on a sugar detox.

And it’s not just whales. Players with addiction issues, kids with access to their parents’ credit cards, and people with compulsive spending tendencies are all at risk.

Targeting them isn’t just unethical. It’s exploitative.

7. Endless Cosmetic Monetization

Sure, cosmetics don’t change gameplay. But that doesn’t mean they’re harmless.

Games like Fortnite, Valorant, and League of Legends earn billions from selling skins, sprays, and dances. And while players opt-in, the pricing is often ridiculous. $20 for a gun skin? That’s dinner money!

These purchases tap into identity and social status in-game. Players feel left out if they’re not rocking the latest look. Skins become a badge of honor, and suddenly everyone’s spending money just to fit in.

Sound familiar? That’s textbook peer pressure—digitized.

8. The Illusion of Free-to-Play

Let’s talk about “free-to-play” games. They lure you in with the promise of being totally playable without spending a dime. But once you’re hooked? They make life miserable unless you pay.

Suddenly, missions get harder, timers get longer, and progress slows to a crawl. It’s like being in a maze where the exit only appears after you hand over your credit card.

Free-to-play isn’t free. It’s just free-to-try-until-you-give-up-and-pay.

9. Reselling Content That Was Once Free

Remember the good ol’ days when unlocking a skin meant completing a brutal side quest or achieving something epic? Those days are fading fast.

Nowadays, old content—stuff that used to be available through gameplay or events—is brought back and locked behind a paywall. And that’s not cool.

It’s like being told you have to buy the same T-shirt twice—once for being a loyal fan, and again because your progress was reset.

Gamers deserve better than being charged for nostalgia.

10. Unclear Pricing and Currency Systems

Ever notice how some games have weird in-game currencies? Like instead of $5, they ask for 550 gems or 1,200 gold coins. Why?

Because it disconnects players from real-world money. It’s not just confusing—it’s designed to make you forget how much you’re actually spending.

Plus, these bundles rarely let you buy exactly what you want. You either get too few gems or way too many, which encourages overspending to "make use" of the leftovers.

It’s predatory math wrapped in sparkly UI.

So... Where Do We Go From Here?

Yeah, all of this sounds pretty grim. But here’s the silver lining: gamers are waking up.

We’re asking questions. We're pushing back. We're voting with our wallets—and when enough of us do that, companies notice.

Look at the backlash against Diablo Immortal or the regulations hitting loot boxes in countries like Belgium and the Netherlands. The tide is turning.

As long as we keep the pressure on—demanding transparency, fairness, and respect—we can help shape a gaming industry that values fun over fleecing.

So next time you boot up your favorite game and it asks you to open your wallet, ask yourself: is this fun… or is this a trap?

Final Thoughts

Gaming is supposed to be an escape—a joyful, thrilling adventure that brings people together. But when unethical monetization takes center stage, it turns passion into profit, and players into prey.

We don’t have to accept that. By staying informed, standing together, and supporting games that do it right, we can reclaim the joy of gaming.

Let’s make gaming about playing again—not paying.