There will likely always be people who have different opinions about what constitutes a microtransaction and what doesn't. It really doesn't matter, though. The real question is what people consider acceptable and what they do not. So here is my view...
Pay to Win - Never acceptable. If you have to spend money in order to complete a game without it taking significantly longer or in order to be on a level playing ground with other players, that's not okay. I avoid such games.
In-game purchases using real money - Rarely acceptable. If the purchases are not needed in order to play the game and so are entirely optional, AND the purchasing system is not directly in your face, then I don't really care. If I constantly have a button or ads or something popping up or always on the screen for buying stuff, then that's not okay. An example of something that I don't mind is Idle Champions. The in-game purchases aren't necessary to play everything in the game and don't have any significant impact on how you play the game. The location to purchase it is a small button in the "menu" and you don't ever have to click it and it isn't obtrusive. That format is something I can live with, and I might even consider the occasional purchase from that kind of setup if the game and devs are good.
DLC of any kind other than Pay to Win stuff - Acceptable. A DLC that is sold outside of the game, no matter what kind of DLC it is (other than Pay to Win), is fine. It doesn't matter if it's an expansion or a cosmetic item. If people want cosmetics, let them have them. It has no impact on my ability to play the game. There isn't anything wrong with such things being made for sale or with some people wanting to buy every cosmetic item they can get their hands on. I don't do that, but if others want to, good for them.
Again, those are my opinions only. Some will have the same or similar opinions, and others will have different opinions. There's nothing wrong with that.
But what I originally responded to was the idea that TFP is the one promoting microtransactions and that BI will change that. The fact is that BI is the one who will be pushing microtransactions so much that TFP will look like they never even considered it in comparison. In other words, if you thought TFP's cosmetic DLC were bad, you're in for much worse from BI. That is an assumption based on their track record, and may be incorrect, of course.
I'll add onto this with my own summarized takes.
1) Pay to win heavy - Never acceptable for what I hope are obvious reasons. I have a life and I respect my purchasing power.
2) Pay to win light - Not as bad, but still woefully unacceptable in my eyes. Think of XP boosters, power boosters, etc. Even if the game balance dictates that you don't need them, and might even throw off the balance, it still leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
2) FOMO tactics - Examples include being incentivized to login every day, grind for multiple hours, rinse and repeat until you get a cheeky daily, weekly, or monthly reward. Failure to do so results in content being lost forever. Even if it's only cosmetic, I avoid these games like the plague.
3) In-game purchases using real money - Very similar to your thoughts you listed above. As long as it isn't in your face and doesn't affect gameplay, I couldn't care less about it. In-game references, such as voice dialogue breaking the fourth wall and notifying you of the cash shop existing isn't acceptable for me. If a game shovels in content that you can't use or interact with unless you purchase DLC content are a no-go for me, especially if I'm not interested in that content to begin with. ASA (Ark Survival Ascended) allegedly does this by spawning in creatures you can't interact with (taking up the population cap) unless you fork over some real world doubloons.
4) In-game purchases using in-game currency bought with real money - Hard freaking pass. These systems are typically heavily predatory, creating situations such as needing to purchase x amount to buy an item, but the only available option gives you additional currency to spend, costing more in the end. They're also typically shoved in your face at every available opportunity.
5) Macrotransactions - Skins costing the price of the game itself, for example. Hard pass.
6) Cosmetic microtransactions - Very rarely do I participate in this. I've purchased two, maybe three cosmetic microtransactions in my life, and the only one within decent memory is 7D2D. I typically view these with a stinky side eye. It is undeniable that these have had a negative impact on game design philosophy over the years. No, they don't affect you directly, but being stuck with a loincloth and a ragtag shirt and having no other option (if you want to look fancier than a hobo or like Gollum) than having to spend cash is something I will never not judge. Even if it didn't open the door to other forms of monetization to being as widely acceptable by the general masses today, it showed that given enough time, people will come to accept such practises. Still, comparitively, they're harmless (mostly), and allow dev teams to fund their projects for far longer than they otherwise might have. Free to play games require them to exist, as well.
7) Battle passes - Not interested, I see it as another way to squeeze cents and dollars from people's pockets. These typically use FOMO tactics. (Battle) pass.
8) Expansions - Hours upon hours of new content added - new characters, new zones, biomes, so forth. I'm perfectly okay with these existing in their current form. I had no gripes purchasing The Frozen Wilds expansion for HZD after I had completed the main game.
9) Mini expansions - For 7D2D, this would take the form of POI packs, vehicle packs, etc. Undecided, steering towards no, but I'm open to them ajar.
