I don’t have a problem with cash shops as most gamers do, but I do find the author’s defense of the price point to be kind of problematic.

IMO, the only reason you should want to buy cosmetics is that you like how it looks, not because most people won’t have it due to its high price. It’s a kind of mindset that is frustrating to see incentivized since it’s less about having something you like and more about having something others don’t (or can’t, at worst).

A counterpoint to most business models like this is Deep Rock Galactic, which doesn’t value scarcity at all and has no time-limited cosmetics, or even cosmetics that cost more $15 USD (and these are all bundles that get you several sets). Despite the lack of exclusivity I still see a lot of people with different appearances because People Just Want to Look Cool.

I know we’re probably pretty far away from Blizzard (or any other AAA dev for that matter) ever adopting a philosophy like that, but I can dream.

I think if there was any game I wouldn’t mind taking forever to finish it’d be that game. Hope you enjoy it.

Project Zomboid for me. It’s kind of strange since the game can be super stressful at times, but once you get past the initial stage of the game and have a good base setup, you can spend a lot of time just surviving. Farming, reading books you’ve found, cooking things, it can be a very relaxing and meditative experience.

Outside of that, I guess a more typical response would be just about any JRPG, particularly the Final Fantasy series. Some of my most comforting memories are just me getting back from work, sitting back in my chair and slowly playing through Final Fantasy X or XII.