What do you guys think of EA removing microtransactions from Star Wars Battlefront 2

:point_up_2:
the question!

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It kinda speak for itself.

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They will be back in a few months. This is just a quick way to get people to buy the game so they don’t look quite as bad to investors.

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since its only temporary i don’t think its good enough.
Edit: but its a step in the right direction at least…

yeah…trends have changed recently, there was a tine when in game ‘experience’ really mattered, now you pay and will beat the player who’s been playing for a long time.

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I firmly believe there should be no gameplay-altering items in loot boxes. The only things that should be allowed are cosmetic changes (camos, uniforms, calling cards, etc) or XP boosts.

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Any type of in-game transaction is a complete turn-off for me, particularly when it shows up in a AAA title. It is little more than a cash grab, a way to milk consumers repeatedly. It began in web-based and mobile games, and more companies are trying to implement it.

On the bright side, the general consumer reaction has been “Take it out, now!” Considering Bethesda backed off to some degree, and Middle-Earth: Shadow of War finally removed loot boxes after over a year, there is some progress. The key is for consumers to remain firm. If the games don’t sell and end up getting lousy reviews, companies end up pressured to avoid in-game transactions altogether.

When I see so-called “Free to Play” games, I immediately look in the other direction. MMO’s seem to be the most prolific with in-game transactions. The end result is usually a player base filled with the dregs of society, particularly when one sees the game go from subscription-based to “Free to Play”.

Regardless if it is an item that provides an advantage, or even cosmetic, it always instantly diminishes my interest. I look at it from a financial perspective, and when one realizes hundreds, even thousands of dollars can end up being spent on one game, it is almost sickening. It is why I always told my stepchildren I wouldn’t shuck out money for that type of thing, there was no real return on the investment.

I’m old school in the sense when I purchase a game, I expect to own all the content. DLC is tolerable to a point in the form of expansions, as long as it doesn’t get excessive (Sims 3 is an example of utterly excessive DLC). I realize some of it is the era I grew up in, and others are more lenient about such things, but each to their own. Everyone has a right to their own opinions.

Nonetheless, I believe it is important we don’t let in-game purchases go any further, particularly in AAA titles. I used to love Guild Wars, and was quick to pick up Guild Wars 2 when it came out. Once it became “Free to Play”, I quickly lost interest. Though a lucrative business model, “Free to Play” and in-game purchases are akin to slot machines, roping some in with the “just one more purchase” mentality.

I think the whole idea is going down a dark road, particularly with the impact on younger players (with the “just one more purchase” mentality). From a young age, my parents always tried to guide me on when to spend, and when to save. As a teenager, I was expected to get a job (which I did), and 60% of my wages were to go into a savings account for my future. At the time, I wasn’t too pleased with that idea, but in time, I quickly came to understand their reasoning.

With the lack of pensions, and the unreliability of Social Security, it is more important than ever the younger generation learn to invest early and often. By 20, I already had two IRA’s at the behest of my parents. Their guidance led me to think ahead when it came to financial planning. Though perhaps a bit off-topic, it relates to the whole in-game transaction model encouraging short-term thinking and instant gratification.

Of course, I’m 45 now, so I’m focused on being able to retire one day, as well as care for my elderly father. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy games greatly, but I actually have a budget for them, and almost always only pick them up on sale. When it comes to Electronic Arts as a company, I tend to avoid their games due to some of their shady business practices. They are of course, not alone, but manged to get on my “avoid” list.

Well, it seems I got on a soapbox about that matter, but it is something I do feel rather strongly about. I’ve spent over 22 years in the corporate world, and seen things change in very negative ways. Quarterly profits outweigh employee value to the point of working employees to exhaustion, then laying them off. What were once “associates” are little more than resources. Things have changed such that profit and exploitation have reached epic levels, right down to the consumer level.

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I think that they shouldnt be commended for something they should have done in the first place, but i hope that they learn from it, though i doubt it. microtransactions don’t seem to be going away anytime soon unless everyone goes all Belgium on them.

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DLC and micro-transactions will be a thing as long as AAA games are priced at 60$. Production costs are increasing, so they have no other choice than either lowering the production cost (worse games) or hiding additional content behind a paywall.

this video sums it up nicely https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhWGQCzAtl8

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TBH I agree with you @Chris on some parts but maybe not the xp boost. That defeats the purpose of grinding for stuff in my opinion

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Battlefield 4 had “shortcuts”, EA doesn’t care about the user experiance as long as no one complains and they make money.

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Yes but if your doing multiplayer is it fair that you purchase “XP Boosts” to your character and have the upper advantage on the Battlefield. I hate how most games are going “Pay to Win” games are designed to be unlock after you play and master each thing, not this micro transaction payments for a xp boost. Bleh just not the same anymore…

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Agreed. :slight_smile:

Yep @I3loodDevil, it is truly the epitome of human greed. Whenever I see that kind of cash grab, I avoid it like the plague. I’m a “buy it, own it” type of fellow. EA really became a bunch of greedy wankers once they began to buy out their competitors. The only thing they’ve actually developed is a poor reputation among consumers. It really amazes me at times how much money people are willing to shovel into a single game. Forget that, I’ll take my money and go buy myself a bottle of schnapps, then go play something else!
:grin:

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