Battlefield 3's Pre-Order Firepower Upsets Gamers

[Therumancer]

I'm not a big FPS player, but I will say that DICE does know what it's doing: What it's doing is making a truckload of money off of this.

Pre-Order bonuses are not something contrived by the game developers to favor one retailer or platform over another, rather they, or more specifically the producers, are offered money by a retailer to produce extra content so that people will be more likely to buy the product from them rather than the competition.

Right now there is a certain degree of contempt over the whole thing, as players are catching on to the whole 'cosmetic additions' thing and not really caring all that much, hence an increasing trend that we've seen for bonuses that actually have a bearing on the game. This is not a big deal with single player games, but it is a problem with competitive multi-player games... however that is also where players are most likely to want their "noob tube" so to speak.

The point of this exercise is that they figure players are addicted to "the latest FPS shooter" and will complain, but will also buy the game anyway, and as a result of this deal is that most of them will decide to purchuse from the retailer in question so as not to be left behind.

In the end the publisher gets truckload of cash, the retailer gets extra sales, the only ones who are boned are the gamers.

Also the need for more serious development in creating actual content as opposed to just a few cosmetic or trivial additions is probably going to raise the stakes substantially.

What's more if the publishers release this stuff as "timed content" meaning they get to release it publically after DLC after a period, that means they get to make more money directly as well.

It's messed up, but that's the way it is.

The big question is how much money was made off of this DLC deal, did the Battlefield producers sell out cheaply? I'm kind of curious personally. The exclusive 360 content for "Grand Theft Auto IV" cost Microsoft a cool 25 million. That was substantial amounts of content though (albiet for a limited time), still with the amount of units moving for series like this now, and the simple fact that I'm sure everyone involved knew what they were doing, I'm guessing this wasn't cheap even for comparitively trivial content, not because of the degree of programming, but what it's doing to the game......

 

[sergnb]

Hmm this looks like the logical conclusion to EA's preorder bonuses... Doesn't stop it from being any less bullshit though.

I doubt it'll really affect the game too much though. DICE know what they're doing

[sub]I hope[/sub]

To let you know, DICE had nothing to do with this, it was EA's decision and they didn't even tell the DICE employees about it.

 

[Elyxard]

Gamers are some of the most abused customers in any media industry. To people who say it's "not a big deal", Even though this is likely minor and inconsequential it's still customer abuse and manipulation; EA is trying to manipulate you into buying their games before reviews come out.

Most of us wouldn't be that pissed but this is what EA is known for, and they've often tried many times over to cross the line into downright extortion.

EA is constantly trying to nickel and dime us at every chance they get, and for what? They don't provide any more content than any other developer gives us. They often give us much less for our buck. They still sell their PC games for 60$ while almost everyone else (except Activision.. naturally) is at 50$.

At least when Valve sells hats and outfits for ridiculous prices, actual content of their games is always free. EA preorder bonus's are almost never cosmetic, they're always something functional to the game. That is a bad bad practice for our industry.

Gamers, stop letting EA and Activision rob or manipulate you blindly. It does none of us any good.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

It's fucking bullshit. All pre-order DLC is. I don't care what you say and what examples you give, pre-order DLC is an insult to me and to many other consumers. I'm excited about the game, yeah, but this has diminished my enthusiasm at an alarming rate.

It's insulting to me as an INTERNATIONAL consumer, seeing as I live in a city where the game retailers based there can't really give you much in the way of "pre-orders" let alone the pre-order DLC for a number of reasons like the lack of Xbox Live where I currently live and a myriad of other laws and restrictions. For a company to dictate where I should live and where I should shop to gain access to exclusive pre-order DLC is insulting to me as a gamer who has been an ardent fan of DICE and their work.

If it's something that should've been on the disc, on the actual game, and in the actual ranking system of said game, I see no reason why it should be exclusive pre-order only DLC. You think they'd have learned this after Bad Company 1.

 

[Fullmetalfox]

Fuck pre-orders and special editions. Give everyone the same content, you greedy basterds.

 

[FallenPrism]

Is there any word on what you do get with progression? Is it entirely possible that once you progress past a certain point these bonus weapons and accessories become obsolete anyway?

Admittedly there is still an imbalance, because in the above scenario the people with the slight advantage early on have excellent opportunity to progress faster than those who don't...but once enough people progress will it make much of a difference?

 

[bliebblob]

Lotta people here are missing an important point:
Some people will have access to equipment others never will. Therefore, the you-only-won-because-you-have-an-overpowered-exclusive-weapon situation will be inevitable. Especially if it turns out the exclusive stuff is not useless.

That by itself should be a good enough reason to not give anything other than cosmetic crap as a preorder bonus.

Honestly I could rant for (p)ages (see what I did there? ^^ ) about preorder bonuses, microtransations and free-to-play models. Especially about how they will never make games better. But let's just leave it at this for now.

 

[Serving UpSmiles]

Umm you guys do realize its just early access to 2 guns right? They aren't exclusive to the person who preordered...

 

[JET1971]

They started making the games unbalanced when they added unlockable weapons and no new player servers based on rank and weapon unlocks. Also with BFBC2 they had pre order bonus' that gave an advantage. So nothing new to see here except they take unbalancing the game to a slightly higher level.

 

[Sore Thumbs]

These advantages will end in the first week. No big deal.

 

[Mister Linton]

Nobody knows how powerful these bonus guns are. Based on my previous experience with Dice games, I'd guess they are fairly balanced. What a bunch of whiners.

 

[Giest4life]

ok, the early unlocks are nothing
its the exclusive weapon buffs, if this is usable in multiplayer, it will create a shit storm
not to mention rage against people who use them.
they should give things like golded weapons models, not something that actualy changes a gun's abilities that the none pre-orders can't get.

edit: was considering pre-ordering this, but if this goes through, i'm not even gona get it, this is as good as using mods/hacks in my book, shame.

Pretty much this.

OT: I've been a fan of the series and would love to buy the game. If EA or DICE (whoever has control over this) continue with this, I won't getting it. I like pre-order bonuses, I feel that players should be rewarded for their loyalty. But bonuses, I feel, should only be cosmetic or be unlockable at the very least.

 

[theultimateend]

Except that where I'm from pre-ordering doesn't cost any extra, you just have to put a deposit down sooner as a sign of interest in the game. I find it hard to imagine this works differently anywhere else.

Fact: Developers like pre-orders because it's guaranteed sales.

Fact: Retailers like pre-orders because it's guaranteed sales.

Gamers hate pre-orders because it requires them to leave their house and pre-order the game. Discuss.

IMO, sounds like sensationalist BS to me. Want the weapons, go put a deposit down. Don't care? Don't. It's not the end of the world.

Amazon invalidates your sensationalization of why gamers hate it.

The real reason pre-orders are supported is because they guarantee sales and do so before reviews tear apart games.

Fuck pre-orders and special editions. Give everyone the same content, you greedy basterds.

NO! You have no idea how much I love book ends, everytime a game has a special edition with book ends I blow a nerdgasm.

I swear to god if they read your post and somehow it motivates a cease to book ends...there will be blood >: (.

I don't like pre-order bonuses, but giving me the ability to spend a little more to get cool toys and shit with my games is GREAT . Doesn't hurt anyone else and I get silly shit for my room.

Yes I am a consumer whore, but at least in such a way that it doesn't hurt other people. (I don't play multiplayer so SE's that break that don't concern me, nor do I tend to buy those games since they tend to prioritize MP).

 

[DTWolfwood]

Have they even shown any Multiplayer Gameplay yet? because until i see that i'm going to keep my hype lvl low.

As for this, you can't unlock these weapons. So are they more powerful than ones you can unlock? or are they simply another weapon to choose from? It doesn't hurt balance when they do pretty much the same dmg. BC2 didn't have a problem with all the different weapon configs.

I wish they just went back to the good old days when they just gave you a STANDARD ISSUE LOADOUT for you class, ala BF1942. Pretty sure the average soldier is going to have the same gear as the grunt next to him.

GIVE ME MULTIPLAYER GAMEPLAY VIDEOS!

I don't give a damn about a Single Player Campaign in a BATTLEFIELD GAME! this isnt Call of Duty for fuck sake!

 

[punipunipyo]

personally, I LOVE what the EA did for the Limited Edition Dead Space 2 (which I own a copy of), but this is just a display of MMO-ism... where games lets "paid(more) players" mount the normal players, it's immoral, like having to give 2 queens in a chess game when one contestant decides to pay extra cash... this is low, reminds me of Hellgate london....

 

[Twilight_guy]

I would be more upset but considering that the game isn't out yet and thus testing has not show any foul on the developers part and the nature of gamers who always have a bug up their butt when anyone does anything I just see a lot of hot air being blown around. I'll be upset if something actually happens beyond the usual wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

[MazeMinion]

This confirms that I will not be buying this game.

And that it looks like a dumbed down game from BF2 (no commander, WTF?)

 

[Upbeat Zombie]

I don't know why people are assuming that these bonuses are overpowered. Just because they get another gun doesn't mean it will be the best gun ever.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

ok, the early unlocks are nothing
its the exclusive weapon buffs, if this is usable in multiplayer, it will create a shit storm
not to mention rage against people who use them.
they should give things like golded weapons models, not something that actualy changes a gun's abilities that the none pre-orders can't get.

edit: was considering pre-ordering this, but if this goes through, i'm not even gona get it, this is as good as using mods/hacks in my book, shame.

Yeah, early unlocks are one of the better pre-order bonuses. Exclusive content, though? Fuck that. If my money isn't good enough to get the entire game (excepting for future DLC), then they get none of it and I buy it used. When Gamestop is the good guy, or at least the neutral guy, then you know you need to reevaluate what you're doing.

 

[klasbo]

3) These will hardly be game breaking. DICE know what they're doing, and have done for years. As far as I recall there were no overpowered guns in Bad Company 1 or 2, and I highly doubt there will be in 4.

whatever you are taking, i want some. did you ever play bc2?

magnum m60, 1911, bolt action sniper rifles in hc (pre-nerf), the abakan before it was toned down..the whole thing was an utter clusterfuck, balance wise.

Actually what you described is balance you, should of added the ump-45 to it also, but that just means every class has a good weapon not just 1 class. BC2 had some great balance but was ruined by whiny bitches that could not play properly.

Wait wait wait.
Do you even know why the competitive FPS community moved back to BF2/CoD4/CS? That's right: the balance sucked. Among other things, sure, but that was the main reason.
The "whiny bitches" from Team Dignitas who won the tournament at i40 don't know how to play the game? The "whiny bitches" from Team >Rush who were the only team to beat Dignitas in any round of the tournament don't know how to play? These guys are the best of the best in the Battlefield Scene, and they - and everyone else - gave up on BC2 less than a month after release.

Bad Company 2 balanced, my ass. Did you even look at the maps? Yeah..
I too want some of those "meds" Kathinka is asking about.


Anyway: More stuff iAndrew has to remove from the promod. With the mod tools he won't get...