Pay to win means, for $$$ you can by power ups which are not available in game any other way. I
If these items can not be obtained in anyway that does not involve money, and they are essential to winning, then the game is pay-to-win..
by Gothic Shark March 2, 2016
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Pay to win means, for $$$ you can by power ups which are not available in game any other way. I
If these items can not be obtained in anyway that does not involve money, and they are essential to winning, then the game is pay-to-win..
by Gothic Shark March 2, 2016
Get the pay-to-win mug.
Pay to win means, for $$$ you can by power ups which are not available in game any other way. I
If these items can not be obtained in anyway that does not involve money, and they are essential to winning, then the game is pay-to-win..
by Gothic Shark March 2, 2016
Get the pay-to-win mug.
Pay to win means, for $$$ you can by power ups which are not available in game any other way. I
If these items can not be obtained in anyway that does not involve money, and they are essential to winning, then the game is pay-to-win..
by Gothic Shark March 2, 2016
Get the pay-to-win mug.
Pay to win means, for $$$ you can by power ups which are not available in game any other way. I
If these items can not be obtained in anyway that does not involve money, and they are essential to winning, then the game is pay-to-win..
by Gothic Shark March 2, 2016
Get the pay-to-win mug.
Traditionally, pay to win refered to a situation in a videogame where paying real life money gave the player any sort of advantageous or otherwise gameplay-altering (non-cosmetic) effect or object. These could range from acquiring regular in game items that can be obtained easily through regular gameplay to powerful items and advantages via the use of real money, whether exclusively or not.

Nowadays, the meaning of the expression varies slightly. It is mostly used to describe games which either have significantly powerful perks or items exclusively obtained with real money or excessively grindy games where the advantage obtained by using real money can be accomplished through gameplay, albeit taking very long to obtain.

Some players argue that pay to win only applies to online games, in which paying real money can give players an edge over players who simply play the game in order to unlock more weapons, characters, progression, etc. while others consider it can apply to any kind of game (including single player titles) where paying real money gives an advantage to the player.

Games which merely offer some minor advantages (in game objects, currency, experience boosts...) via microtransactions, DLCs or other bonuses are regarded by most as not pay to win, even though they technically fit that description in the traditional sense, since they are still considered advantages tied to real world money.
+ You can pay real money in this game to obtain powerful weapons?
- Yes, but you can also earn them by playing the game normally
+ That is still pay to win

+ This game has no multiplayer, it is not pay to win
- You can still pay for advantages, even if they don't help you beat other real players, so it is pay to win
by LarsGontiel May 20, 2020
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Pay to Win is a situation in gaming (usually MMOs or Massively Multiplayer Online games) where companies allow you to buy items or advantages with real money that cannot be obtained normally by playing the game.

An exception to the rule is that if an item/advantage can be obtained in-game but the acquisition time is unreasonably long, that can also be considered Pay to Win.
You can only get the top-rated equipment in this game from the real money store... this game is Pay to Win at it's worst.
by Kaedan August 10, 2018
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