. In addition, WOTC brass have consistently mentioned aspects of in-game and premium transactions as part of their financial goals [for D&D].
No, they have not. A whole lot of click bait stuff and anti-WOTC people have tried to spin some comments made as if that's what they're saying.
WOTC have not said "in game" transactions to be able to play the game about D&D.
First They've committed to selling everything as physical books still in addition to digital so any digital strategy they have isn't an over-arching issue. Anything on the VTT or DNDBeyond is in addition to physical books, and the digital isn't a requirement to play just like it's never been a requirement to play. And they stuffed so much into the Creative Commons others could publish it as books too, particularly since 5.5e really is looking quite backwards compatible at this point.
Second, the existing DNDBeyond micro transactions everyone already likes, which are things like "You can buy just the new subclass from this setting book for a lower price than buying the entire book at the higher price."
Third, the new digital transactions are likely things like paying for premium digital figures and dice and terrain and such if they're using the VTT, but again the VTT won't be needed to play the game either, and they dumped so much into the Creative Commons license that other VTTs will be able to host D&D too without such transactions.
Forth, they've always had "premium" transactions, like boxed sets and alternative covers, and people are happy with those as well and those have never interfered with playing the game. I expect more of those, and a lot more branded products too. They're looking to sell more D&D stuff
that people actually want to buy, and not stuff you're "forced" to buy just to play the game.
If someone is spinning stuff about WOTC to claim they're going to stuff the game full of required micro transactions and premium transactions
or else you won't be able to play the game, they're likely fibbing and you should seek out the full quote in context to figure it out for yourself rather than depending on the spin of that person making a lot of noise about that claim.