Gotta love Microtransactions...

[sikkinixx]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6160864.html


Thanks EA :rolleyes:

[clayj]

I honestly don't see what's wrong with this, although I suppose there should be some visual difference (an icon, maybe) between someone who's bought their character's skill and someone who's actually played the game and ranked up.

In the Tiger Woods 07 game, for example, you can either practice and play golf to develop your skills, or you can plunk down some money to max out your skills all at once. Going the money route definitely saves time, but I had a lot of fun actually getting better the hard way. I ultimately plunked down the money anyway, so that I could have maxed out skills AND wear whatever I want in the game (if you don't do this, the maxing out requires wearing certain stuff which you may not like).

[Jovian9]

My personal opinion with regards to "microtransactions" in games is:

.....it does not bother me one bit as long as a gamer can acquire the same thing through hard work and time put into the game. If one can only obtain it by paying more $ then we are heading down a terrible path in video games. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford new systems and new games all the time.

[sikkinixx]

The thing I worry about is that if this works, then slowly EA starts adding "exclusive" content to buy. Then it becomes more and more like GT:HD. Soon you buy a base game and then you need to spend another x amount to make it the full game.

Maybe if ,say, 6 months after release EA offers a pack of tracks, cars, upgrades or whatever for a decent price, then those who still play the game will get a little more mileage out of it. I just worry about where this will lead things, you know how marketers and business exec's can be...

[Counterfit]

I would never pay $10 for a 240SX :rolleyes:

Seriously though, since this content is already available in disc form for the same difference in price, I don't have a problem with it. Kind of like how the special/limited edition of Jade Empire had an extra character choice in it, except downloadable too.

[Dagless]

What's micro about this? When did buying something the same price as a meal count as 'micro'?

I hope Sony and Nintendo don't go down this silly route. I suppose this is what happens when you really push online abilities on consoles. Hopefully we can all look back in 10 years and laugh our faces off to how stupid EA and the people who bought these "add ons" were.

[MacRumorUser]

I noticed this last night on marketplace.

Whilst some content is unlockable via playing normally.

other content available on marketplace is only un-lockable via the marketplace transaction.

800 points gives you some new tracks and new cars - clocking in at an impressive 106kb obviosuly this just unlocks stuff already there.

This to me is a rip, if it's there - then it's not ADDITIONAL content.

EA can go **** themselves.

[takao]

well one has just to look at what the 360 versions of the multiplattform EA games are... nearly all of them are actually stripped down in features...

for example: fifa 07 has 36 leagues in the ps2,xbox,gc version, 34 in the DS/psp version and how many in the 360 version ? _6_ ... that's less than fifa 99 on the n64 had...

i'm pretty sure that within months there will be a "add-on" (more like and "unlock") available to get all the teams and you end up paying even more than the 10-15 you already paid more for for 360 version

knowing EA i'm sure they will try to sell you fuel for racing cars in need for speed sooner or later

[jdechko]

knowing EA i'm sure they will try to sell you fuel for racing cars in need for speed sooner or later

That, and probably have to pay real money for car upgrades/effects. Can you imagine a game like Underground in which you'd have to pay real money to put new rims or a new spoiler on your car? Down with the microtransactions and down with EA! (Hang on, gotta grab my torch and pitchfork. :) )

EDIT: Oh wait, reading the article, EA's already done that. Thanks for ruining gaming, EA.

[Haoshiro]

I must admit that this didn't bother me until MRU pointed out the size of the download pack... 106KB definitely says "yeah, I was already in the game hidden away"

That is without doubt some serious trash there, looks like EA is doing what everyone was afraid of. I think this also shows their intentions to do this so long as it's possible. Once PS3 and Wii have a marketplace up and running I'm sure they will do this across all platforms... right now they just can't do it on the PS2, which is the only reason they aren't!

[SpankyPenzaanz]

Well I just got Ghost Recon AW chapter 2 mission pack but that is not in the same category as the bs ea is it?

[MacRumorUser]

Well I just got Ghost Recon AW chapter 2 mission pack but that is not in the same category as the bs ea is it?

No - that's a proper expansion pack (same as a pc expansion pack) and is a proper 440mb or so size, definitely worth while and 100% additional.

I have no issues with these kind of expansions, but the kind EA or providing is a complete ripp off.

I actually think they may be breaking the Trades Description Act / Law by calling these 'additional content' seeing as though they are not.

[Dagless]

Well I just got Ghost Recon AW chapter 2 mission pack but that is not in the same category as the bs ea is it?

Did they steal your kidneys and demanded you pay for them back? Nope, it's not in the same category as EA :D

[zero2dash]

EDIT: Oh wait, reading the article, EA's already done that. Thanks for ruining gaming, EA.

EA ruined gaming a LONG time ago, the day they bought Criterion and Free Radical and b@$t@rdized Time Splitters and Burnout with their "EA Trax" BS and threw enough money at the NFL so we'd get screwed having to play Madden if we wanted to play an American football game rather than being able to play the much better NFL2k series. :D

[SpankyPenzaanz]

I wonder if there is a way to approach the nflpa about getting out of the deal. But then agian most of the players only see madden as the game because the old fat waste of space has been around for so long.