EA building micro-transactions into all their games

[Jaggy2872]

During the ongoing EA investor’s call, the publisher has revealed that they are adding microtransactions to all their upcoming games, something that was seen in Dead Space 3.

Electronic Arts Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen said:


We’re building into all our games the ability to pay for more, to unlock faster… trucks, levels, etc. microtransactions. Consumers love that.


The company later referenced Battlefield and FIFA, while still on the topic, but did not offer specifics.


Do you like the sound of it? Can you see yourself paying to unlock content? Or is it lazy cheating? Let us know in the comments below.


Stick to PSLS for more coverage of the call, as it continues.

EA Building Microtransactions "Into All Our Games"

[wcamicase]

This is really stupid
"Want to 100% the game with all weapons and such? Buy all of them for just 50 bucks!"

[Mihalick]

This is pure horse shit. I hope that the next time an asteroid hurls into Earth, it misses Russia and hits EA headquarters.

[Luckay]

How in the hell is this a bad thing at all? They aren't keeping (big, mattering) things from you that are exclusive to the DLC, it's simply a way to pay to get things faster and easier. Or if it's buying some weapon that is OP as hell, why should you care? These just make your experience easier than what was originally intended. No one complains when MMOs do it, so why the fuck should you care about this? You aren't forced to buy them, this is just a way to get the things you want faster with a cost. So stop complaining.

More on topic, great. I know people buy things like these, but I won't be one of them unless absolutely necessary. If they keep it how Dead Space 3 is where you don't even have to use real-life money to buy them and just use in-game resources, then I'm all game.

[Tmac718]

Well I see why they do it on theyre sports games but we all knew this was happening anyway they have been doing it for a while now they are just gonna put it in every game now. Alot of others are guilty of this as well. Nothing we can do about it " Consumers love that"

[Qurb]

How in the hell is this a bad thing at all? They aren't keeping (big, mattering) things from you that are exclusive to the DLC, it's simply a way to pay to get things faster and easier. Or if it's buying some weapon that is OP as hell, why should you care? These just make your experience easier than what was originally intended. No one complains when MMOs do it, so why the fuck should you care about this? You aren't forced to buy them, this is just a way to get the things you want faster with a cost. So stop complaining.

More on topic, great. I know people buy things like these, but I won't be one of them unless absolutely necessary. If they keep it how Dead Space 3 is where you don't even have to use real-life money to buy them and just use in-game resources, then I'm all game.

100% agree with Luckay.

I wouldn't mind this. It's more of an advantage that you have to pay for but not necessary .

[Mihalick]

How in the hell is this a bad thing at all? They aren't keeping (big, mattering) things from you that are exclusive to the DLC, it's simply a way to pay to get things faster and easier. Or if it's buying some weapon that is OP as hell, why should you care? These just make your experience easier than what was originally intended. No one complains when MMOs do it, so why the fuck should you care about this? You aren't forced to buy them, this is just a way to get the things you want faster with a cost. So stop complaining.

It ruins the integrity of the game, taking away fair competition and giving people a leg up on others in exchange for a few pesos.

[STRANGEgenius]

How in the hell is this a bad thing at all? They aren't keeping (big, mattering) things from you that are exclusive to the DLC, it's simply a way to pay to get things faster and easier. Or if it's buying some weapon that is OP as hell, why should you care? These just make your experience easier than what was originally intended. No one complains when MMOs do it, so why the fuck should you care about this? You aren't forced to buy them, this is just a way to get the things you want faster with a cost. So stop complaining.

More on topic, great. I know people buy things like these, but I won't be one of them unless absolutely necessary. If they keep it how Dead Space 3 is where you don't even have to use real-life money to buy them and just use in-game resources, then I'm all game.

if you think EA aren't gonna make it real money only, than go get your brain checked, mate.

They did this in FIFA 12, could ONLY use real money.

[HELLO]

How in the hell is this a bad thing at all? They aren't keeping (big, mattering) things from you that are exclusive to the DLC, it's simply a way to pay to get things faster and easier. Or if it's buying some weapon that is OP as hell, why should you care? These just make your experience easier than what was originally intended. No one complains when MMOs do it, so why the fuck should you care about this? You aren't forced to buy them, this is just a way to get the things you want faster with a cost. So stop complaining.

More on topic, great. I know people buy things like these, but I won't be one of them unless absolutely necessary. If they keep it how Dead Space 3 is where you don't even have to use real-life money to buy them and just use in-game resources, then I'm all game.

MMO's? You mean F2P MMO's which make their only source of income microtransactions? You're trying to relate that to games which we pay £40 (and $60 respectively) to play? It's just downright greed.

"So stop complaining." Yes, please do Mr Ironic.

But I'm not particularly bothered. I just wanted to point out how silly your statement was. I will, personally, never pay a single dime for "easier experience". The more challenging a game is to me, the better the experience is for me.

[johnny_leyenda]

I'm fine with Micro Transactions as long as they don't change the core experience.
Advantages like more resources and stuff I can understand since some people may want help and it's not necessary to clear the game.
Stuff like story DLC or even extra dialog I'm against since they want to make you pay over $60 (more than enough money already) for a complete game. No.

And adding it to ALL their games? Fuck off, EA.
And just saying, CONSUMERS DON'T LOVE THAT. They may be fine with it, but in no way or shape they love that.

[daftprophet]

I know people buy things like these, but I won't be one of them unless absolutely necessary. If they keep it how Dead Space 3 is where you don't even have to use real-life money to buy them and just use in-game resources, then I'm all game.

Exactly my point as well. If it's not absolutely required, I'm ok with it. Just makes the n00bs have to pay more, lol.

[wandarer]

i saw the same thing in Mass Effect 3 Co op. What is the big deal? I haven't played DS3, but I thought that ME3's model was fine. If I wanted to bypass earning credits via MP, then I could choose to pay for better weapons. I chose not to, played the game as normal, and enjoyed it.

So again, what is the big deal? You don't want to pay micro transactions to bypass things? Don't participate. You don't like EA's policy? Don't buy EA games. Its that simple. No need to bitch and whine about it.

[Ps360]

How in the hell is this a bad thing at all?

aka it's a terrible idea

[Gauss]

The primary problem here isn't the microtransactions, its the application of them.

See, every consumer study I've ever read says that most gamers nowadays prefer their games to be smaller and cheaper, with the capability of buying into the feature sets you want at some reasonable level.

The problem comes on two fronts:

First, most games are expensive undertakings when you talk about larger scale productions. Yes there are indie games, but thats a completely different story to your typical titles. Not to say one is better than the other, but the reality is not all games can be made out of a garage, and 99.99% that are turn out to be garbage.

Second, most gaming studios have a lot of last-gen baggage that is difficult to shake off, and this I pin on the publisher. There are long-standing cost-models and structures that rely on certain investments in and certain returns per item out. In other words most publishers can't even function on a cost model something like Steam promotes. Its impossible for them to rationalize that if they sell 1.8x the product at 70% their original planned cost, that this actually ends up being a net positive.

So, the end result is we get what we have now... Microtransactions and DLC (which we do want), but without the drop in price that we require to feel satisfied as a buyer.

This is why I don't encourage Valve taking over the world, but I hope their models start seeping into the industry because stuff like this needs to stop. High priced games + DLC will slowly kill this industry, and these publishers are morons if they don't realize that.

[daftprophet]

aka it's a terrible idea

That's a little different. You don't HAVE to buy the ones in Dead Space 3 to help with the game...n00bs can if they want, but it's not necessary at all.

The DLC story part is different and probably could have been included. That I agree with you on.

[parkerdip]

They aren't forcing you to buy these things. I don't know why you you would pay to unlock things though. Why not play the game properly and enjoy it.

[johnny_leyenda]

So again, what is the big deal? You don't want to pay micro transactions to bypass things? Don't participate. You don't like EA's policy? Don't buy EA games. Its that simple. No need to bitch and whine about it.

It IS a big deal because DLC started as a nice thing but now it has become another way for developers (or publishers in most cases) to withhold content that was developed along the main game to sell it separately.
Even if it "doesn't hurt anybody" it's most likely in the future it will.
Just because something doesn't affect me personally it doesn't mean it's not a bad thing anyway. If games keep costing more and more yet are just as lengthy as they are today (6 to 9 hours) then it's bad.

[Shuklar]

I'll post the same thing I wrote on this topic on another site:

So long as the microtransaction only unlock things which can be naturally unlocked through regular gameplay, I have no problem with a company milking the stupid and impatient.

The one time I bought a microtransaction, was not for the item it was offering, yet because I wanted to show my support for the game and the company behind it. When Rainbow Moon was released on the PSN, it was only $12 for PS+ members, $15 regular. I felt it was worth more than that (had the same or more fun than a lot of $60 games), so I bought some items, spending about $6 (50%) more. Now they’re working on getting the game on the Vita, and working on a whole new sequel.

I’m happy that I contributed to their success and continued growth of the game I loved. Now when it comes to big name studios, where the entry fee is $60+, and knowing any extra money is probably only ensuring an executive with no creativity can have toilet paper covered in flakes of gold, yeah, I’m definitely not interested.

[Ps360]

oh look this old guy i watch on youtube is back like black magic

[Chaotically-Epic]

Money grubbing developers these days...