Electonic Arts, the video game publishing giant, is no stranger to controversy. Early last year, consumers voted EA "Worst Company in America" on The Consumerist web site. EA has won many detractors over the years for its downloadable content abuses, its mistreatment of smaller studios, and its mismanagement of online servers.But today, it announced something that really is beyond the pale, something that cements its reputation as an anti-consumer juggernaut largely uninterested in evolving the medium we love so much. Today, EA announced it will build micro-transactions into all of its future games. For those unfamiliar with the term, micro-transaction are small payments, made in game and with real money, that unlock certain items: weapons, accessories, characters, maps, levels, etc. They are a big part of the "free-to-play" model, which some fans -- including myself -- deride as "free-to-play, pay-to-win." Most recently, EA built micro-transactions into Dead Space 3.
Speaking at a technology and media conference, EA's Blake Jorgensen explained the business decision:
"We are building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way; to get to a higher level. And consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of business."
I can only speak for myself, but I neither enjoy nor embrace such ugly business tactics. Micro-transactions are one of the many things currently wrong with the industry. It's a manipulative model that erodes the wholeness of a game by breaking it apart and hiding its component parts behind a paywall.
When I first read this news today, it was like getting punched in the stomach. Not because EA is trying its absolute best to rob video games of their art and integrity, but because I fear they will be successful.
You don't just speak for one, Evan. I think microtransactions are a bane on the video game industry. It's already bad enough that developers deliberately withhold certain content so that it can be downloadable later on for pay. I can understand why they do it. They make more money and it increases the longevity of a game. Unfortunately it's becoming such a common practice that it's almost the norm. I fear game developers will start making all games with this business model. In the future, no one but Nintendo will release a complete game that you can pay one price for and have everything included in the box.
ReplyDeleteThe next generation won't know what it feels like to unlock a super awesome item or power armor or whatever as a result of their in-game achievements, but instead will be forced to pay for better weapons and gear every time they want their character to level up.
Silly people smart company tictacs = lots of money
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