EA and Microtransactions

[Zynux]

(I figured this deserved its own thread because it can incite discussion. My apologies if it don't deserve its own thread)




God damn you EA.

And people wonder why I don't buy nor support any of EA's stuff anymore. I'm glad I didn't even buy ME1 or BF3; my older brother was the one who originally bought those games, so I was able to play it on his computer. And I sure as hell will stay clear of ME2 & ME3; I will never spent a cent on it.

I really hate this gen of gaming; and companies like EA and Capcom are part of the reason why.

And you know what's sad about this? EA is going to get away with it become idiot gamers WILL pay extra money just to reload their clip in a videogame.

So what do you guys think of this? I personally hate stuff like this, Day 1 DLC, DIsc-Locked Content, DRM, this whole "war against used games" (LOL); and I will usually never support a game or company that tries these tactics to milk money from me.

[HYRUL3]

If you don't like microtransactions, don't partake in the microtransactions. If you don't like day one DLC, don't buy it. I think depriving yourself of great games like ME2 and 3 is stupid. While you may hurt the PUBLISHER, which is what EA is, simultaneously you hurt the DEVELOPER, who usually are being pushed by the publisher to do things like DLC, online passes, etc.

Sure EA and Capcom are scum companies, but they're corporations. Just don't get involved in their shitty practices and you'll be fine.

Missing out on good, totally worth it games? That's your loss. Go be angry in a corner if you want.

[Zynux]

If you don't like microtransactions, don't partake in the microtransactions. If you don't like day one DLC, don't buy it. I think depriving yourself of great games like ME2 and 3 is stupid. While you may hurt the PUBLISHER, which is what EA is, simultaneously you hurt the DEVELOPER, who usually are being pushed by the publisher to do things like DLC, online passes, etc.

Well, that is the ideal solution. That would also discourage other game's and companies for pursuing such practices. Of course, the problem is that many people will be stupid enough to buy ammo in a middle of an online match just to reload. In fact when I first saw that stockholders meeting I laughed because I thought no one would really be that dumb to pay real cash to reload your clip. Of course, I realize the sad truth that people will do it. They will buy Day 1 DLC and Disc-Locked Content, and buy useless alternate colors when they could just wait for the next version that will have it anyway (Blazblue/Street Fighter 4 anyone?).

Why do I personally find this a problem?

Well, to me the problem stems far beyond Greed, but how games in general are made today. Want an alternate ending? $5 to 10 dollars please. Extra accessories that should unlockable? $2 a piece please. Swap costume colors? More money please. Why is it that a 1995 game (I'll just use Chrono Trigger as an example) features up to what, 12 (?) multiple endings but modern games you need to sometimes pay money if even want to see one "correct ending". Want a complete game? Pay 60$...plus $20 or more dollars in DLC with half probably already on the disc, and instead of traditionally unlocking it through, ya know, playing the game you just hand over the Green Paper. It makes games less rewarding for the hours you spend on it, and encourages "incomplete games". "Pay now, patch the game later to finish it" and all that other bullshit.

One could argue "Well, games are getting more expensive, therefore they need the extra money" (lol). Well maybe if they didn't spend so much money on graphics and cinematics and instead focused on, ya know, the gameplay, content and features and actually make the sure the game fucking works before shipping it (lol at Day-1 Patches) then maybe they wouldn't have such "financial problems." Maybe if they focused on the content of their game a bit more, then they wouldn't find their games practically taking up the "Used Games Aisle" right after the game came out.

And I hate to be the "Retro games are better!!!" guy because I surely don't believe that at all (Nostalgia hardly affects my view on a game's quality). But when it comes to the point where I can find older games longer, more replay value, more rewarding, with more content than some newer games then there is definitely a problem, which is what I want to avoid. But all that bullshit from Publisher and Developers, and supporting said publishers/Developers, just makes that whole industry worst IMO.

Oh, and I feel no sympathy for the developer at all. Bioware knew EXACTLY what they were getting themselves into when they signed up with EA (like seriously, they would really be stupid if they didn't). One could even interpret that they support their practices because they signed up with them (which isn't necessarily true, but can be interpeted that way). Therefore they should have more and less expected themselves to get "bullied" by the publisher and maybe should have re-thought their choices in a publisher if they truly felt that would have been a problem.

Missing out on good, totally worth it games? That's your loss.

Which is fine. I don't need to have the next "totally worth it" games, for their just that, games (and from what I played, its no real loss. Their not bad; in fact their great games, but they're just that). Its not like its crack cocaine or anything; I'll be perfectly fine. There are thousand of games, both retro and new, that can fill that void if I ever need it.