Microtransaction

A microtransaction is a small real-money purchase made inside a game, usually for cosmetics, virtual currency, loot boxes, or convenience items. They are the main way free-to-play games earn revenue, and they appear in many paid games too. Individual purchases are small, but they can add up quickly over time.

Microtransactions range from purely cosmetic skins to power-granting items that edge a game toward pay-to-win. The value a player has already sunk into microtransactions — skins, characters, and unlocks — is a big part of what makes an established gaming (general) accounts worth buying rather than starting fresh.