EA Exec: On-Disc DLC Complaints Are "Nonsense"

[alj]

I think he is trying to confuse the issue. DLC that is on the disk is A) not DLC at all but gated content) B) Something that has been held back since the game went GM.

Now day one, true day one DLC that is not on the disk but an extra is fine as long as its not a whole character thats held back ( looking at you ME3). After the disks have RTM the team needs to be doing something before the game comes out so they could work on stuff like new weapons or start working on a map or something but that second one is a bit of a stretch as you don't want to split your community. The art team have been finished with there work for ages , so they could be working on cosmetic skins and the likes , nothing wrong with selling them.

But content that was on the disk when it went RTM and was done for months before launch can NEVER EVER EVER be justified.

 

[Lightknight]

Awww, I thought EA was trying a lot harder as of late. That's a sad step backwards.

He just doesn't get that we find the practice sleazy. DLC needs to be content that is produced after the game has been finalized. If it is already on the disk then the company has decided to hold back content they clearly could have included in the game so they spent time on this DLC when they could have been spending that time on the game.

Ergo, it is evidence of a lesser quality product than what they could have put out.

Add that with the fact that in purchasing the disk you HAVE purchased the contents of the disk. So trying to bar us from accessing parts of what we've already paid for is equally sleazy.

Look, EA, just do what other companies do. Release it after the fact as DLC and then we won't know any better. You're still being sleazy but at least we won't feel as abused by it.

FYI, saying that the customer is being silly or nonsensical? Huge mistake. The fact that the CEO of a corporation is making that mistake is wildly troubling. That's business 101. The customer has to be treated like they're right. It's OK to think these things, that they're just ignorant of something, but ultimately you have to project a face of accommodation to all but the most unreasonable of clientele. Perhaps you should consider hiring a better PR agent to explain this. Hell, reach out to critics of your practices online and consider even employing them to get a better read on how things will be perceived.

 

[Gluzzbung]

I'm sure this will be met with a calm and well thought out response by everyone on the internet. Except me.

The perfect response!

I'm beyond the point of being angry about this kind of stuff at this point. EA is just a vacuous space that used to make halfway decent games and is now just killing themselves and the industry in a, for the moment, very profitable way. I don't buy their games anymore, and I don't think i ever will again unless it's 2nd hand. Fuck EA.

 

[immortalfrieza]

Well it's been a while since someone at EA said something to remind us of their scum business models.

Or you can trust the man in the expensive suit. He -MIGHT- want what's best for you.

I was actually starting to miss laughing at EA every other week at the least as they continuously top themselves in assholery. EA especially with what their execs have been saying have been comically inept in every possible way to the point it's looking like outright psychopathy for years now, it's extremely hilarious and extremely disquieting at the same time.

FYI, saying that the customer is being silly or nonsensical? Huge mistake. The fact that the CEO of a corporation is making that mistake is wildly troubling. That's business 101. The customer has to be treated like they're right. It's OK to think these things, that they're just ignorant of something, but ultimately you have to project a face of accommodation to all but the most unreasonable of clientele. Perhaps you should consider hiring a better PR agent to explain this. Hell, reach out to critics of your practices online and consider even employing them to get a better read on how things will be perceived.

EA knows all this, probably including what everybody else here has said they're just too big of a company with far too many blind idiots as their customers to give a rat's ass about their image much anymore and have been for a very long time. All the PR agents in the world couldn't make EA even so much as look good if not actually be good because EA's image is just far too damaged at this point and they wouldn't even listen to those agents anyway. At this point it's clear they either have one of the most inept PR agents in the world working for them or not even have one at all.

 

[Edl01]

Geez that picture of him, it's like he's intentionally trying to make himself look like the devil.

OT: I've honestly never been again DLC myself, I actually quite like the concept and will continue to defend it until I'm proven wrong. It is an excellent way to provide more content to a successful game without me having to invest a full £40-£50 in a sequel and allows for developers to experiment with ideas that where cut out of the original project for various reasons, for examples of good DLC look at Dark Souls' Artorias of the Abyss.

On the other hand the fact is DLC already developed on release, cut out of the game and then sold back to us on release is a completely scummy practice that I really hope will die out. After all if you don't want to sell me the whole game then you shouldn't charge me full price for it!

 

[Zulnam]

their execs have been saying have been comically inept in every possible way to the point it's looking like outright psychopathy for years now, it's extremely hilarious and extremely disquieting at the same time.

EA has been disrespecting it's customers for years upon years, because of careless consumerism and the monopolization of sport championship games. They milking customers continuously. All large corporations act this way, nowadays; we don't see it because the gaming industry is among the most interesting.

 

[AgedGrunt]

I'll play Devil's Advocate for a change.

Microsoft sells different versions of their PC operating systems, Windows, and all of them ship on the same DVD. When you buy a copy, you buy the code that unlocks the content you purchased. Boycott Windows, too, if you don't like on-disc content that you didn't technically purchase by having the physical media in your hands.

Considering how integral Javik was to the core story of ME3, I'm quite certain he was always meant to be in the game.

I'd disagree with that; the character actually ticked a lot of people off, as the eradication of the Protheans and the great mysteries around who they were (similar to the Reapers, themselves) is what really drew fans into the story. I think I would have been happy picking up audio and video logs, but not a living being who pretty much took all the intrigue away by being a one-dimensional example of who the Protheans were (which looks arguably lame).

 

[Recusant]

In a way, this makes sense (though it's horribly mercenary): this isn't new behavior from them; if you object to it enough to do something about it (usually, not buy their products any more), you're already doing it. Everyone who keeps buying in has demonstrated that this isn't going to stop them. Why should their actions change?

 

[RJ 17]

Considering how integral Javik was to the core story of ME3, I'm quite certain he was always meant to be in the game.

I'd disagree with that; the character actually ticked a lot of people off, as the eradication of the Protheans and the great mysteries around who they were (similar to the Reapers, themselves) is what really drew fans into the story. I think I would have been happy picking up audio and video logs, but not a living being who pretty much took all the intrigue away by being a one-dimensional example of who the Protheans were (which looks arguably lame).

Whether you liked him or not has nothing to do with the fact that he was built into the game before-hand and then removed to be turned into DLC.

 

[CaitSeith]

Ignoring the crappy tone, isn't he sort of half right?

Full DLCs on-disc is pretty shitty no doubt, but as I understand it, DLC development starts as soon as the game goes in for bug checks and certification, right? Wouldn't it make sense to put as much resources on disc as possible before shipping, so you can avoid forcing the user to download it in full with the DLC while avoiding the upload fees charged by the distributor? Please, absolutely correct me if I'm wrong on this, but it seems like just stopping all development until the disc launches or holding code just so it isn't on the disc (but is still already developed) seems like an even worse option.

Maybe, but that is the justification for day-one DLC only. They can't alter the disc's content after being certified, so the on-disc DLC is already inside when the disc is sent for certification.

 

[AgedGrunt]

Whether you liked him or not has nothing to do with the fact that he was built into the game before-hand and then removed to be turned into DLC.

He actually seemed like he was thrown in and lazily made to sell DLC, considering how vapid and irrelevant he is, but whatever. I'd support the decision to cut him out too, but more important is I don't think there's any moral wrong in the developer doing this given the context of him being unimportant.

The only cases I see on-disc DLC or additional paywalls being truly bad are when they unbalance the game, make certain things inaccessible or basically show how boring or thin a base game is without more content.

 

[RJ 17]

He actually seemed like he was thrown in and lazily made to sell DLC, considering how vapid and irrelevant he is, but whatever. I'd support the decision to cut him out too, but more important is I don't think there's any moral wrong in the developer doing this given the context of him being unimportant.

Yet again: whether or not you liked him or whether or not you thought he was important or relevant does not change the fact that he was on the written into the game from the start, then locked behind a paywall.

To correct your "Boycott Windows" example: it would be like buying a Windows OS and then having to pay another $10 in order to use the calculator program.

So indeed, by your very own description of bad on-disc DLC:

The only cases I see on-disc DLC or additional paywalls being truly bad are when they unbalance the game, make certain things inaccessible or basically show how boring or thin a base game is without more content.

Javik would still qualify as bad on-disc DLC.

 

[Lightknight]

FYI, saying that the customer is being silly or nonsensical? Huge mistake. The fact that the CEO of a corporation is making that mistake is wildly troubling. That's business 101. The customer has to be treated like they're right. It's OK to think these things, that they're just ignorant of something, but ultimately you have to project a face of accommodation to all but the most unreasonable of clientele. Perhaps you should consider hiring a better PR agent to explain this. Hell, reach out to critics of your practices online and consider even employing them to get a better read on how things will be perceived.

EA knows all this, probably including what everybody else here has said they're just too big of a company with far too many blind idiots as their customers to give a rat's ass about their image much anymore and have been for a very long time. All the PR agents in the world couldn't make EA even so much as look good if not actually be good because EA's image is just far too damaged at this point and they wouldn't even listen to those agents anyway. At this point it's clear they either have one of the most inept PR agents in the world working for them or not even have one at all.

Even a company that big can be turned around by the right CEO with the correct vision.

Same as the truth that a good company can be ruined by the right CEO with the wrong vision.

 

[Magmarock]

You know something. I agree with Peter. Gamers should stop complaining about things like on Disk DLC or bad DLC practices in general. As well as DRM and EA as a whole. No instead I think gamers should stop... giving EA money. Lets just ignore EA with how clicks and our money. Wouldn't it be nice if there was an E3 without EA. Hey Peter maybe after that you can pursue a career as a banker. They make a lot of money sitting on an office. I think you'd make a great banker.

 

[AgedGrunt]

To correct your "Boycott Windows" example: it would be like buying a Windows OS and then having to pay another $10 in order to use the calculator program.

Not a good analogy. Calculator is functionally unique, useful and essential in work; Javik in ME is redundant, optional and unnecessary. It's comparing utility with extra content.

We get upset when a game developer creates optional content alongside the game and packages it at additional cost. Yet when we set up our Windows computers we have a copy that includes every program and feature that was developed, yet if we don't pay for the full access code (license), then we don't get everything, and we're not mad about that.

So I guess I'm left with a question: if on-disc DLC was changed to a licensing system, would you stop complaining that you aren't getting access to everything you supposedly bought?

 

[RJ 17]

To correct your "Boycott Windows" example: it would be like buying a Windows OS and then having to pay another $10 in order to use the calculator program.

Not a good analogy. Calculator is functionally unique, useful and essential in work; Javik in ME is redundant, optional and unnecessary. It's comparing utility with extra content.

The issue with that statement is that all the adjectives used to describe both the Calculator and Javik are entirely subjective. The completely objective link that makes it a fair comparison is that the Calculator comes built into the Windows OS, just as Javik comes built into ME3. The difference: MS doesn't charge you $10 to have the Calculator show up and be usable, EA did this with Javik.

There's still evidence of Javik in ME3 even if you don't have him, as seen by the random soldier guy standing in the back of the crowd during Shepard's final speech to the crew before heading out of the Forward Operations Command. That guy is a placeholder, because something is supposed to be there. That something is Javik. As such: he was meant to be in the game, then removed from it and sold as an "optional" character.

 

[Secondhand Revenant]

To correct your "Boycott Windows" example: it would be like buying a Windows OS and then having to pay another $10 in order to use the calculator program.

Not a good analogy. Calculator is functionally unique, useful and essential in work; Javik in ME is redundant, optional and unnecessary. It's comparing utility with extra content.

The issue with that statement is that all the adjectives used to describe both the Calculator and Javik are entirely subjective. The completely objective link that makes it a fair comparison is that the Calculator comes built into the Windows OS, just as Javik comes built into ME3. The difference: MS doesn't charge you $10 to have the Calculator show up and be usable, EA did this with Javik.

There's still evidence of Javik in ME3 even if you don't have him, as seen by the random soldier guy standing in the back of the crowd during Shepard's final speech to the crew before heading out of the Forward Operations Command. That guy is a placeholder, because something is supposed to be there. That something is Javik. As such: he was meant to be in the game, then removed from it and sold as an "optional" character.

Also about the calculator, you *could* just use wolfram alpha. So the windows calculator is hardly as essential as grunt paints it

 

[Zacharious-khan]

Knock, Knock...
Who's there?
Never buying another EA game
oh... fair enough

 

[Tuxedoman]

As unpopular as this may be, but the guy does actually have a good point that he's making. Having some of the newly made content on disk in order to keep download sizes down, or to help integrate new content into the gamer easier is -not- a bad thing, and no doubt people would jump on the hate train if a news outlet spun that in a negative light.

Thing is, there are many examples of studios withholding content that was on disk that should have been a part of the base game. The game should either have been delayed, or the dlc should have been included as a 'free content!' buzzword mubo jumbo in order to make the devs seem light generous saints.

Mass Effect 3 is one example of this. Jarvik had so many -critical- interactions throughout the game that added a lot of context, and that was almost entirely on disk.
Capcom's done this many times too, though they were pretty shameless about it. Including full characters on disk that could be played without hassle before the dlc was released? Yeah, thats pretty shitty.

Once again, both sides are missing eachothers points because no one in this world really seems to communicate properly. Peter More needs to take the complaints critically and look for what they're stemming from, while gamers (as a whole) need to not blindly hate something without taking a step back and reading whats actually being said.

 

[Flammablezeus]

Wow, even his suit looks like something the devil might wear.