Battlefield 4 Gets New Microtransactions

[Steven Bogos]

Battlefield 4 Gets New Microtransactions

Don't have enough time to play Battlefield 4 for the unlocks? Now you can shell out $1-$3 for a random pack.

Anyone who has spent any time with EA's Battlefield 4 will know of "Battlepacks" - which can be best described as a random collection of unlocks awarded when players hit certain milestones (new levels, X amount of kills). Ever since their inception, players have been wondering how long it would be before EA decided to monetize them. Well now, that day has come. For the low, low price of $1, you can purchase a random pack of unlocks for your Battlefield 4 character.

"Bronze, Silver and Gold Battlepacks will be available for purchase at Origin.com, Battlelog.com, through the in-game store, at Xbox Live Marketplace and at the PlayStation Store. Pricing will be $1 for Bronze Battlepacks, $2 for Silver Battlepacks, and $3 for Gold Battlepacks."

Just for reference, the Bronze Battlepack contains just three items, with the silver and gold ones containing an additional item, with an additional chance to be an "advanced" (rare) item, such as a knife or a 100% XP boost.

Fortunately, it's impossible for players to get an unlock they already have (with the exceptions of the XP boosts), so you'll never have to worry about wasting money on the packs.

With Battlefield: Hardline [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134831-Battlefield-Hardline-Leaked-New-BF-Title-With-Cops-And-Robbers-Theme-Update] seemingly creeping around the corner, and the expansion packs of Battlefield 4 Premium about to come to a close, it looks like EA is now preparing to milk its BF4 playerbase as dry as it can before the next game comes around. It's a pity, because Battlefield 4 is actually a really fun game, under all the bugs and performance issues.

If there was a "bug fix" microtransaction (pay $1 to fix 1 bug!), I'm sure that would be a more popular option for the majority of players...

Source: Battlefield Blog [http://blogs.battlefield.com/2014/05/a-new-way-to-acquire-battlepacks/]

Permalink

 

[Vegosiux]

If there was a "bug fix" microtransaction (pay $1 to fix 1 bug!), I'm sure that would be a more popular option for the majority of players...

Don't give them ideas!!!

But yeah, well, nothing unexpected really. The only way this is going to stop, though, is by people stopping to buy that stuff.

 

[Erttheking]

Now let's wait and see if they try to pull that whole "giving gamers choice" bullshit Jim was talking about.

 

[Callate]

So they want people who have shelled out money for their buggy game to shell out more money for... grab-bags of random in-game stuff?

...BWAAAAAAHHH HA HA HA HA HA!

Oh, good God, EA! There's "Whoops, we didn't know this was evil", there's "Okay, so it's evil, but we've got to do what we've got to do", but this... this is just marinating in it.

It really has wrapped around to the point where I can't be outraged; I've just got to laugh at the sheer chutzpah.

Oh, I'm sure as hell not going to buy anything having to do with Battlefield 4, but from a safe distance away... Yeah, it's pretty funny.

 

[Strazdas]

so more illegal gambling with random packs? well done EA.

 

[warmachine]

A knife is an advanced (rare) item? What?

 

[Rodolphe Kourkenko]

And the worst is that people will buy this crap...

 

[FumblesO'brian]

Damn we made a buggy unfinished game that didn't make us enough money, lets put micro-transactions to make up for profits lost due to our laziness!

 

[vallorn]

If there was a "bug fix" microtransaction (pay $1 to fix 1 bug!), I'm sure that would be a more popular option for the majority of players...

Don't give them ideas!!!

But yeah, well, nothing unexpected really. The only way this is going to stop, though, is by people stopping to buy that stuff.

The publishers already charged us for difficulty modes in Last Light for god's sake DO NOT GIVE THESE PEOPLE ANY MORE IDEAS!

Also I... Just... No... No I cannot handle this I'm going to go bash my head against the wall till either I'm so braindead I could pass off as an EA exec or... the wall gives in, whichever comes first.

 

[Supertegwyn]

I don't see any problem with this; if somebody wants to pay to skip progression that's their choice. I would never do it but I know some people who would gladly spend a few dollars to unlock some weapons. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[laggyteabag]

As someone who plays a lot of Battlefield 4, this seems like a pretty stupid idea. For those who don't play the game, Battlepacks are awarded every few levels, and then every level past level 40 or so, as well as weapon specific Battlepacks unlocked for just using the gun. These Battlepacks contain random weapon attachments for random weapons, camouflage for both your soldier or your weapon, knives or experience boosters. Just through leveling up, I unlock about 1-3 gold Battlepacks a day, and these almost never hold anything useful, almost always a 1x red dot sight for some sniper rifle that I will never use, or just a flood of experience boosts to add onto my mountain of backed up experience boosts. It seems a tad weird to monetise something that can be obtained so easily.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

When i had battlefield 4, those battle packs really didnt give me anything worthwhile. Some new paint for a weapon i dont use, some attatchment for a weapon i dont have...blah blah. Paying money for random hope is balls. But EA do really love their cash, cant expect anything else really.

 

[epicdwarf]

Wow. Even more reasons not to touch Battlefield 4. This makes me worry A LOT for the upcoming Battlefront. It already looks like a reskinned Battlefield, imagine if they applied the Battlefield 4 business model with it?..

 

[Aircross]

Well, at least it's not as bad as...


...but I still don't like it.

 

[tdylan]

Wow. Even more reasons not to touch Battlefield 4. This makes me worry A LOT for the upcoming Battlefront. It already looks like a reskinned Battlefield, imagine if they applied the Battlefield 4 business model with it?..

What do you mean "if?" You mean "when." It's gonna happen. EA is not letting go of micro-transactions.

 

[Nazulu]

They haven't even fixed the bugs yet?! And they've brought in gambling-transactions! Jeez EA, you really are a 2nd hand car dealer. And some wonder why there are so many assumptions about EA.

 

[Zac Jovanovic]

Was I the only one who was a bit surprised when I realized that battlepacks weren't purchasable for $ at release?

Come on EA, step it up. You're not being nearly as bad as we expect you to be.

 

[Rozalia1]

Don't see why practically everyone in the thread is getting their panties in a bunch over this. Its good business and its unlikely you'll be playing any of their games anyway if you hate them as much as you do, and have actual integrity.

I'm really shocked how naive people can be when they call a company evil for wanting to make more money...come now.