EA Asserts Customers Enjoy Microtransactions

[Xarathox]

Microtransactions only work favorably for free to play online games. Asian MMOs use the model extensively and some have had great success, but the "pay for power" option always kills them in the long run.

Anyways, EA can suck a fat donkey dick for all I care.

 

[kael013]

Gamer: "I'm tired of this crafting mechanic with it's random stats giveout not giving me a good gun, I'll just buy one that's good!" "I need these resources now, but I don't want to waste 3 hours on gathering missions. I'll just buy them." "This booster pack stuff is BS! Guess I'll use this microtransaction BS instead!"

Translation to the company bigwigs language:[quote/]"And consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of business."[/quote]

ALSO:[quote/]"We are building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way; [b/]to get to a higher level, to buy a new characters[/b]; to buy a truck or gun or whatever it might be,"[/quote]

Note to self: Don't buy EA MP games since they're going Pay-2-Win.

 

[Vegosiux]

Gee, EA, I forgot what I enjoyed, good thing I have you to remind me.

I'm a "customer". How about you don't speak for me. If you want to know what I enjoy, fucking ask me. Don't presume to tell me what I enjoy.

 

[1337mokro]

Of course Consumers enjoy it.

That's their entire existence. To Consume, to pay you money despite the fact that the product they get is several times more expensive than otherwise. No thought goes in the necessity or the purpose of the item. They just consume things as if they are on autopilot.

Now CUSTOMERS (I will never accept being called a consumer) receive a good, service or even an idea from a vendor or a salesperson. I buy a product that I expect to be complete and not partially held behind bars that I have to open by throwing my credit card at it.

Consumers can do all they fucking like. Consumers can continue paying for their Flash games that they could literally download and play for free without breaking a single law on their phones. I on the other hand will not stand for a full priced game that will then nickle and dime me for content. If you want the micro-transactions, fine. Release it for free or at a reduced price. You just enlarged your potential user-base, which with micro-transactions means much more potential profit and we all benefited from being advertised to in-game.

Don't sell me your game at an already arbitrarily inflated price (Australia, EU, US, UK all have different prices when normalizing to dollars despite similar welfare levels) and then shove micro-transactions in so you can afford that second diamond horse.

 

[Dandark]

Why yes EA, I have been known to enjoy microtransactions..................IN MY FREE TO PLAY GAMES!

I am just not going to buy any game that has both an actual price point and microtransactions, they are asking for too much money just for another game when I could already go play other games I enjoy such as LoL, Mount and blade, FTL or even Skyrim.

It would be great if people would just stop buying crap from EA.

 

[RicoADF]

Well, I guess I'm done with gaming.

Not to say that the feeling is mutual, but at this rate freakin' Board Games offer a much better deal in terms of entertainment value and social enrichment.

Heck model railroad is better value for money (I'm referring to the proper collection ones not toys for kids), seriously EA your pushing me into canceling my sim city order. I don't want to have to do it but if you include that crap the thin line will snap.

 

[goodman528]

I assert I will never buy an EA game ever again.

 

[Therumancer]

I think there is a differance between "enjoy" and "tolerate". I don't think I've met many people who liked the idea of microtrasnactions, well customers at any rate. They do it because they pretty much have to if they want an entire game, especially given as the term "optional" has been being stretched greatly with DLC that has included substantial plot elements and content for existing games, especially when it comes to things like say a Prothean Party member for Mass Effect 3 that was released as Day 1 DLC.

EA has a special kind of gall under these circumstances to sit here and suggest that the customer base likes something despite all the complaints being made.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Well f***, if they've done the research...

All I can say is that I f***ing despise microtransactions and it would take EA publishing a Monster Hunter, Armored Core, Dark Souls or Metal Gear game for me to consider buying anything with them in it. And my principal objection is this: It encourages EA to ream players whether that is its intention or not. I can't say that it is a definite increase in price of a game because often these things are optional, and it's subjective to say they ruin the game's challenge or atmosphere or something like that, but the fact is having microtransactions allows EA to easily promote poor design choices in their games that encourage use of the microtransaction system, like not having quite enough of something you can buy seperately to upgrade your weapon at a difficult boss.

And to be more broad, I think EA are going for games that will have an initial price, mechanics and story arcs in the game locked off for seperate purchase, microtransactions and a subscription model all at once, and will try to justify that by saying "Well, it's comfortable for all the people who are used to paying this way on their other games!"

It just boggles my mind that EA think people like giving them money. It's atrocious and...and...and they should all die in a fire. Really.

 

[S1leNt RIP]

My name is S1leNt RIP...and I spent way too much on ME3's multiplayer microtransactions (and the Javik day-one dlc).

I am contributing to the problem.

But I can change.

I MUST!!!

 

[theultimateend]

ITT: People angry about something that'll never affect them if they don't choose to use it.

They weren't a big deal in Dead Space 3 (at least not to the people who weren't trying to make them a big deal), but hey, it's EA trying to make money, so fuck them I guess.

*sigh.

Yes because nothing done in games I don't play will ever impact the development of games I do actually enjoy.

Or...

Wait no, it looks like that is the case always. So perhaps you might think a little deeper about it.

If one company realizes people will bite their lip and pay more for X, almost all other companies will do the same.

It always affects you.

Remember, kids! It's all right to make money. Just don't make it obvious that you like to make money, otherwise people will hate you.

Seriously, though, this is what people consider horrible news? The fact that EA has realized that microtransactions are working, and is planning to continue to use them? Quick question: does Valve use microtransactions? The answer is yes, in Team Fortress 2. Which, unlike most EA games, is entirely multiplayer. Yet people love that game. It's almost as if...microtransactions are not enough to ruin a game by themselves. Funny, that.

As for lowering the game price, I agree that that would be the right thing to do...IF the microtransactions were actually necessary. If not, I'll tell you what would happen. People would be the 30-40 dollar game, go off and not buy anything else, and EA would lose money on the game. Do you really think the only reason games are $60 is because of pure greed? If so, someone needs to inform...every console game developer for this generation. By the way, SNES games cost, when adjusted for inflation, the equivalent of $80-97 new. N64? About $70. We are fucking spoiled today if we are complaining about how expensive games are.

Valve added them to a game already completed.

EA will be building games around the model to better promote purchasing. It's largely different.

edit: I wish I had the time or energy to get into why the SNES example is disingenuous. But honestly a Google and a little bit of research might help you out.

 

[Easton Dark]

I think I finally gave up on the worst RPG I've ever played, Dragon Age, because when I got to the DLC vendor the first time I just lost it that someone could so blatantly put advertising in the middle of a game.

So EA, every game where I'm playing, and I see any indication of a credit card input, I will keep the money, and buy from a different publisher.

 

[FEichinger]

So every game published by EA will not only have a required multiplayer component, but also try to sell you something on top of the initial price. All I have tho think is John Ravioli in his office saying, "your move, Kotick."

Well, Actizzard has Always-On, EA has Microtransactions + ALL THE MULTIPLAYERS!, oh and Ubisoft has "Huh? Consistency? What are you talking about?" ... I think they all made their moves by now.

I miss THQ.

So the next Mass Effect will have microtransactions in it? Great, it's time to stop the reapers' backup plan but first, would you like an orange colored helmet for a dollar and twenty cents?

To be perfectly honest, this wouldn't be a problem at all (and ME3 already had microtransactions). Personally, I don't give a flying fuck about cosmetic items. But once tht orange coloured helmet is a "specialicium coated helmet", no money from me, thanks.

 

[Yureina]

I'll gladly continue not buying anything from EA with the hope that the loss of my business will just be one small part of what ultimately makes EA go bankrupt from all their anti-consumer BS.

Hopefully that will be not too long from now.

 

[SecondPrize]

I do like micro-transactions. They're a great pricing alternative to box purchases in an era where a lot of crap sits on the shelves in nice, shiny $60 box. I don't think i'd 'enjoy' a combination of the two though, because I can't see it being put into practice in a way that never effects my experience, even if I choose not to use them.

 

[marurder]

Micro-transactions work when the initial offer is free. Not when you have to pay full price for just the starting product.

 

[Little Gray]

"People will pay for it" does not equal "people like it."

And personally, as long as they're optional, I don't give a damn.

Just stop playing the poor starving game company card if you're going to do this.

Nobody who is not a complete moron would pay for completely optional micro-transactions if they did not like it.

I do like micro-transactions. They're a great pricing alternative to box purchases in an era where a lot of crap sits on the shelves in nice, shiny $60 box. I don't think i'd 'enjoy' a combination of the two though, because I can't see it being put into practice in a way that never effects my experience, even if I choose not to use them.

In that case you should go take a look at deadspace 3 or Dragons Dogma because they are excellent examples. All of the microtransactions are for minor things that you can very easily get in the game and it never effects your experience if you dont want it to
.

 

[In Search of Username]

Nobody likes microtransactions except the people who make money from them. A lot of people PUT UP WITH microtransactions, which is not the same thing at all.

 

[Norrdicus]

Several years ago, when devs and publishers said that games would start having more and more in-game adverts, I didn't realize at that point it'd be adverts for stuff that exists in-game.

Captcha: "love me"
No, sorry Escapist, I wouldn't take advantage of you when you're acting this vulnerable

 

[Darks63]

Oh for god's sake EA, just grow a twirly mustache already.

They have that already they are working towards tying women to RR tracks next.


OT: and this is why I'll wait a year or longer before buying their games cause 60 + Micro = me not interested