EA Brings Microtransactions to Dead Space 3

[Andy Chalk]

EA Brings Microtransactions to Dead Space 3

Dead Space 3 players who don't want to waste time scrounging for resources will be able to finance their weapon crafting needs with cold, hard cash.

Weapon crafting promises to be a big giggle in Dead Space 3, but you won't be able to spin an intergalactic laser-uzi out of thin air. These things cost money, you know; or more specifically, resources, the scrap and junk and bric-a-brac crapola you can scavenge on your travels and then slap together into new and interesting ways to vivisect slimy alien horrors. Can't be bothered? Then it really will cost money.

"You can buy resources with real money, but scavenger bots can also give you the currency that you can use on the marketplace," Dead Space 3 Associate Producer Yara Khoury told Eurogamer. "So you don't have to spend [real world] dollars."

As with most microtransaction-powered games, the in-game currency needed to buy resources will be available in different amounts for different prices, although Khoury didn't say what those prices will actually be. She did, however, note that players won't be able to just buy up all the best weapons at the start of the game and pull a one-man Wild Bunch. "There are a lot of weapon parts that are only available to buy later in the game. Unless you're playing through it again [on New Game Plus]," she said.

This actually isn't EA's first kick at the microtransaction can: Mass Effect 3 introduced a similar system with its multiplayer "reinforcement packs."

Dead Space 3 [http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Space-3-Xbox-360/dp/B0050SWVIQ/ref=sr_tr_sr_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358874511&sr=8-1&keywords=Dead+Space+3] comes out on February 5 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-01-22-dead-space-3-includes-micro-transactions-for-buying-better-weapons]


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[kommando367]

No thanks. I'll just scrounge for resources.

inb4 vitriol

 

[VanQ]

Well this is just plain stupid. I can understand why micro transactions are a thing in MMOs or other multiplayer games, where resources are limited and you can show your cool stuff off to strangers. But this is not the kind of game where either of these situations apply.

Oh EA, I certainly hope you don't make it a major pain in the ass to get resources in this game just to get people's money.

 

[kajinking]

UGH...

I can understand the temptation to spend money in a multi-player game but in a singleplayer/co-op?

Who in the hell would want to buy this crap when all it means is that you'll do slightly better in co-op?

I swear at the rate this is going the next elder scrolls game will let you buy Daedric armor and weapons from the start, won't that be fun?!

 

[Gearhead mk2]

...knew it. I knew when EA announced the free N7 armour they were gonna think of some way to screw people over. In fairness though, this isn't too bad. It's not like they're making you pay to fight Necromomrphs or anything like that and I'm going to shut up before I give them ideas.

 

[dalek sec]

No thanks. I'll just scrounge for resources.

inb4 vitiriol

Damnit, you beat me to it.

OT: Yeah, I'd rather muck around for resources than pay real money for it as well. Finger's crossed the game doesn't suck since I really want to play it.

 

[loa]

This is gonna be a good game.

 

[Callate]

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA...!

Oh, I'm sorry, it's just too funny. First they decide that what the horror atmosphere really needs is a buddy to watch your back. Then they decide that isolation and doom is best served by a floating marketplace where you can buy your way to the monstrosity-chewing weapon of your dreams.

At least one could argue in Mass Effect it made a certain kind of sense- war often sees hoarding and black markets that could lead a conventional force to spending their financial capital in unconventional places to get what they really need.

This is:

"In space, no one can hear you-"

"Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but wouldn't you be better prepared to deal with the face-chewing monstrosity around the corner if you shelled out $1.99 so you can build that plasma-uzi?"

"-ahem. Scream."

 

[The White Hunter]

Well it has to somehow make money if it doesn't meat their projected 5 MILLION sales target.

You keep hoping EA, cuz I'm still not buying it.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Good think I plan on ignoring the hell out of using those microtransactions then.

I will just scrounge around for stuff like I normally would in a horror game.

I can't help but wonder if that takes some of the starch out of it being scary though... Hmm...

 

[Therumancer]

This is like a nightmare, the logical evolution of this is to of make scavenging so much of a pain in the arse grind (a barrier to enjoyment and progression) that people will be tempted to pay more money on top of what they paid for their single player game just to have fun.

To be honest if this kind of thing continues, I might just have to give up on gaming. I pay a decent amount of money into my hobby (well more than a decent amount) but this is just getting ridiculous, I shouldn't be expected to pay money to not be harassed over resource shortages and such in a single player game. The real kicker here is that there are probably some people that are pretty rich that are looking forward to this, I've met more than a few people who get off on "pay 2 win" elements in games and being able to terrorize the peasants in MMOs. Now it's like they will be able to actually enjoy their general gaming more as well.

To be honest I REALLY want to play Dead Space 3, but it might have just died for me. Seriously... despite everything else I heard (and comments about the new enviroment) I was stoked... but now it's rapidly turning into utter rage.

At least with ME3 the microtransactions, as ridiculous as they were, were tied into a side-line multiplayer mini-game, not to the core single player experience. Garrus didn't ask for my RL Credit Card # to upgrade my ship weapons.

 

[Bindal]

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA...!

Oh, I'm sorry, it's just too funny. First they decide that what the horror atmosphere really needs is a buddy to watch your back. Then they decide that isolation and doom is best served by a floating marketplace where you can buy your way to the monstrosity-chewing weapon of your dreams.

You're acting as if Dead Space would be a Horror Francise - despite being obviously a third-person action-based shooter. No horror to be found.

 

[Erttheking]

Buying weapons in multiplayer. Understandable, you don't want to get your anus wrecked by other people with superior equipment.

Buying weapons in single player. BEYOND FUCKING LAZY

Yeesh, I hate to say it but Yahtzee's "200$ to win game" is ringing a little bit of truth here.

 

[archvile93]

No thanks. I'll just scrounge for resources.

inb4 vitriol

Knowing EA they'll probably only put enough resources in the game to make one weapon. What better way to make microtransactions work than forcing people to use them right?

 

[Wuvlycuddles]

Was going to say "Didn't see that one coming" but I fear the universe would collapse in on itself due to not being able to cope with the extreme sarcasm I'd employ.

 

[Abomination]

Who else but EA, guys?

Then again, what if they added things like "Garrus replacement character", replacing all enemies with husks, actual DLC missions/sections? Some of that I know people will pay through the nose for.

 

[ArcossG]

At least with ME3 the microtransactions, as ridiculous as they were, were tied into a side-line multiplayer mini-game, not to the core single player experience. Garrus didn't ask for my RL Credit Card # to upgrade my ship weapons.

Don't give them ideas

 

[loa]

This is like a nightmare, the logical evolution of this is to of make scavenging so much of a pain in the arse grind (a barrier to enjoyment and progression) that people will be tempted to pay more money on top of what they paid for their single player game just to have fun.

Because nothing says survival horror like farming.

Not only that but your resources stash is probably shared between all playthroughs which might completely fuck the flow of the game up for consecutive playthroughs.
The fact that it's a coop game makes this very likely.
Imagine having 50 powernodes and all fully upgraded weapons you collected from an earlier new game+ every time you start a new game no matter what so the natural progression of the game is just fucked sideways.

The alternative is that you can drop real money on 1 playthrough of which you will probably overwrite the save file anyway.

 

[DrunkenElfMage]

Its clear that EA has little to no faith in the strengths of Deadspace; the lonely environment, creepy and deadly enemies, and strong horror. The first nail in the coffin was the inclusion of co op in the main campaign which absolutely ruins the tension, no matter what anyone says. These microtransactions are another. Now every single fire fight that the player has difficulty with will no longer be filled with tension because the game instead of knowing that the game is asking for a certain degree of competency too proceed, you'll feel as if you lost a fire fight just because you didn't shell out for the rocket launcher attachment for your laser pistol. The worst part is that each of these "improvements to the core experience" sound like decisions made by a room full of executives that the developers have been forced to put into their game.