Paid DLC expansions or micro transactions?

I don't mind paying for a story content expansion like trespasser. I find micro transactions tiresome when they design the game to make it strenuous to play without the transactions.

And I suspect they wouldn't do decent story expansions without a financial motive.

I really don't have a preference. Both carry their own pros and cons. Paid DLC/expansions tend to split the player base, MicroTs don't. However MicroTs tend to result in more RNG to keep people coming back as why would they come back if they can outright buy what they want right then and there? Quality wise it can be the same, both can be bad content, one doesn't make quality easier to make. DLC/expansion wise I tend to think most games do it wrong, Bioware has honestly been one of the exceptions though. Why? Cause they don't charge for maps or game modes, instead they give actual content with replay value that adds to the story. With Anthem however I don't know how it'll be handled. Will players get locked out if content they could previously do? Destiny had issues where if a DLC strike was the weekly, players who didn't pay up missed out that week or even more if another DLC strike came up in rotation. They need to make sure players aren't gated like how destiny did it if they do DLC/expansions or else you lose players.

One thing BioWare seem to want to do is to not split the player-base.

EA's Battlefront II appears to be taking a similar approach, so I'd guess microtransactions are more likely.

My one concern though with the "free" dlc approach that they'll be half-assed map packs that only add a couple of maps here and there. It'll force players to either grind or pay money up front and maybe get something decent with betting on the lottery approach that ME3 and MEA had.

I'm ok with both options.

Indeed.

Anthem 2 in early 2020s, after a Dragon Age 4, maybe Mass Effect and/or something else.

Anthem 3 in late 2020s in their longer hopes.

Huh, so most players in this thread want a split player base.

Okay, whatever.

What people personally want is not necessarily the same as what they expect to see or what would help the community.
So I'm not convinced that your assumption is correct.

Hopefully Bioware don't take a page from The Division and introduce microtransactions later into the game on top of splitting the playerbase with disc-locked content eXpaNSioNs.

But to answer the question, this game should have microtransactions from the start, but keep things that affect player performance like weapon/armor/skill recharge boosters out, but stuff like XP boosters, cosmetics and maybe javelins would be okay, as long as the javelins can be bought with in-game resources as well. Not at all a fan of splitting the playerbase with expansions.

Well, that's what I'd be hoping for with paid DLCs. A season pass that covers two or three DLCs that way it's a year long season pass. If said season pass covers two DLCs look at the numbers that buying it and microtransactions would allow you to release the third DLC for free or at a discount to season pass / people who own both 1 and 2.

It really feels like companies have lost the essence of what keeps them going...yeah the almighty dollar keeps the world spinning, but the best spreadsheet you can make is the one that has your consumer at the core.

The idea that microtransactions and "free DLC" would please the consumer baffles the hell outta me unless EA is coming out of pocket to fund Edmonton to make quality DLC. It will just make everyone go, "lol this was horrible no wonder it's free I'll never play anthem again"

Whereas if the consumer pays for the product and sees the company trying to meet them back halfway by releasing a quality DLC for free from the microtransactions + season passes / individual DLCs that end up being sold they will at least remember, "Yo, Edmonton did me good right there. Let me throw them some bucks to do them a solid"

Tl;dr: I'll never get the quantity over quality when it comes to DLCs. Don't we as gamers want the best DLCs we can get?

As long as microtransactions are only of the "Space Barbie" variety (meaning cosmetics, not better gear), I think that is the better way to go for long term earnings.

However, I am not opposed to paid DLCs either. but that requires much higher "entry cost" and usually means that more developers need to focus on making it more frequently to keep the cash flowing, and I think I would rather have more BWE doing the next Dragon Age or Mass Effect...