microtransaction

noun

mi·​cro·​trans·​ac·​tion ˌmī-krō-tran-ˈzak-shən 

-tran(t)-ˈsak-

plural microtransactions

: an online transaction involving a small amount of currency

And each time a song is streamed on one of those platforms, a microtransaction occurs, ranging from around .001 to .005 cents per play.

—John Klyce

especially : such a transaction made within a video game (as to purchase exclusive content or competitive advantage)

The microtransactions that most mobile games are built on—$1 here, $5 there—can add up quickly.

—Seth Schiesel

Is it entirely legal for companies with business models based mainly on microtransactions to target young gamers who may not fully understand that they are incurring a charge when they purchase things with in-game currency?

—Eric Neigher

Blizzard [Entertainment] famously touted last week that "Diablo Immortal" made $24 million in its first two weeks purely from microtransaction purchases.

—Josh Rouse

Examples of microtransaction in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Analysts believe the company likely spent another $1 billion on gaming in 2024 alone, increasing its offering to 140 games made available to anyone with a Netflix subscription, all without ads or in-app microtransactions. —Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025

Does Assassin's Creed Shadows have microtransactions? —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025

Don't worry; money is earned in-game, so there are no microtransactions. —Jordan Minor, PCMAG, 4 Mar. 2025

Like some other Blizzard games, the latest iteration has added a battle pass system and microtransactions, which is a bit annoying since the standard edition already costs $70. —Brad Bourque, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

micro- + transaction

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for microtransaction

• dissatisfaction
• overreaction
• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction
• contraction
• detraction
• diffraction
• distraction
• exaction
• extraction
• impaction