The EA games & Star Wars Battlefront II fiasco thread. Belgium rules loot boxes are gambling.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - The EA games & Star Wars Battlefront II fiasco thread. Belgium rules loot boxes are gambling. (Page 1 of 7)

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:08:20 PM EDT

Update 11/22: Belgium authorities declare loot boxes to be gambling. http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/11/21/belgiums-gaming-commission-has-declared-that-lootboxes-are-gambling.aspx?utm_content=buffer781c6&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Update 11/16 at 9pm: EA has removed micro transactions all together! https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2017/11/16/ea-has-removed-star-wars-battlefront-2s-microstransactions-hours-before-launch/#73296d3b1d64

Yesterday, EA responded on Reddit about why gamers have to pay extra money in-game just to unlock hero characters in their new game. It seems the consumer base for video games has had enough of micro transactions and loot-box progression systems, and are successfully boycotting EA's new game.

EA's comment is currently at 435,476 down votes.

Screenshot before it inevitably disappears:

Attached File

Link to thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/7cff0b/seriously_i_paid_80_to_have_vader_locked/

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:09:56 PM EDT

[#1]

The boycott of EA is going to show up in their bottom line any day now.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:10:20 PM EDT

[#2]

EA being EA.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:11:34 PM EDT

[#3]

looks locked already...

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:11:56 PM EDT

[#4]

The comment has disappeared while I was making this thread!

I might be the owner of the last screenshot of that comment lol

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:12:38 PM EDT

[#5]

EA: Ruining video game franchises for 30 years

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:13:29 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
It seems the consumer base for video games has had enough of micro transactions and loot-box progression systems, and are successfully boycotting EA's new game.

View Quote

That'd be nice, but downvoting shit on reddit and convincing enough people to not buy the game to make EA notice are two different things.

I bet the game sells just fine.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:13:42 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
The boycott of EA is going to show up in their bottom line any day now.

View Quote

But every time a new EA game is released kids can't keep from buying it, and they know it.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:14:59 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
The boycott of EA is going to show up in their bottom line any day now.

View Quote

All the sports ball game player lovers will prevent that from ever happening.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:15:23 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
EA: Ruining video game franchises for 30 years

View Quote

This, I'm through with them, there are plenty of alternatives available now.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:16:30 PM EDT

[#10]

I do my damned best to not buy games by EA.

This tactic of not releasing full games or holding back content for an expansion goes back to the days of Battlefield 2 when they came out with stupid mini expansions.

Microtransactions evolved after the MMORPG farming for gold showed there was money in it with damn Chinese selling items and gold on ebay.

Gaming has taken a turn for the worse over the past 8-10 years. Even single player games have the bullshit now like Shadow Of War. You really dont need to use the premium currency AT ALL but it is there for whatever sucker is dumb enough to pay for it.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:17:34 PM EDT

[#11]

There is a reason why EA is consistently voted "Worst videogame developer."

If it wasn't for their shit Origins service that trys to emulate Steam, I would own the new Need For Speed.

Can't get it on Steam = Not going to buy it.

Fuck you, EA.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:17:53 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:

That'd be nice, but downvoting shit on reddit and convincing enough people to not buy the game to make EA notice are two different things.

I bet the game sells just fine.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
It seems the consumer base for video games has had enough of micro transactions and loot-box progression systems, and are successfully boycotting EA's new game.

That'd be nice, but downvoting shit on reddit and convincing enough people to not buy the game to make EA notice are two different things.

I bet the game sells just fine.

We can only hope and try. The 2nd highest trending thread on Reddit right now: https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/7cog1u/can_we_please_boycott_star_wars_battlefront_2/

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:18:05 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
The comment has disappeared while I was making this thread!

I might be the owner of the last screenshot of that comment lol

View Quote

Its still there. Thread is locked though.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:18:39 PM EDT

[#14]

The beta Gameplay was worse than the original game.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:18:56 PM EDT

[#15]

EA sucks.

Most software Devs know this as well. . . I will have to scroll through their glassdoor ratings when I get a chance

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:19:29 PM EDT

[#16]

First they get your attention...then your $$$$$

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:19:59 PM EDT

[#17]

All games are like this now... a big turn off. You practically have to spend $150 to get a full game nowadays.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:21:22 PM EDT

[#18]

One reality is that game costs are going up while the prices has been flat for nearly a decade.

But maybe they should try and trim fat in places. Too many Hollywood celebrities these days who probably command a higher salary than a voice actor. And far, far too many marketing types trying to figure out what metrics they can use to squeeze a few bucks out of something. This just results in games being cancelled, redone, development dragging on and whatnot. Sometimes it is best to let the creative types figure out what works and what has not been done and it will probably sell.

Quoted:
EA sucks.

Most software Devs know this as well. . . I will have to scroll through their glassdoor ratings when I get a chance

View Quote

My understanding is that the pay is decent and the benefits are good. If you are a creative type you may be unsatisfied. But they have dozens of managers, marketing types who know nothing about games (it is a selling point, you don't have to know shit about games to work for us). I imagine the perks are better for them. The actual game devs who get shuffled between studios and projects may not have the same opinion.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:22:38 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
That'd be nice, but downvoting shit on reddit and convincing enough people to not buy the game to make EA notice are two different things.

I bet the game sells just fine.

View Quote

Just like the not GOTY of Fallout 4. Breaks the model of having all game content on the disc but it's still continuing to sell.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:23:42 PM EDT

[#20]

Microtransactions are turning into complete bullshit. BTW have y'all heard about Activision's recent patent.

http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/how-activision-uses-matchmaking-tricks-to-sell-in-game-items-w509288

"In a particular example, the junior player may wish to become an expert sniper in a game (e.g., as determined from the player profile)," according to the patent. "The microtransaction engine may match the junior player with a player that is a highly skilled sniper in the game. In this manner, the junior player may be encouraged to make game-related purchases such as a rifle or other item used by the marquee player. "

The system can also drop players into matches that will make use of an in-game-related purchase, according to the patent.

"Doing so may enhance a level of enjoyment by the player for the game-related purchase, which may encourage future purchases," according to the patent. "For example, if the player purchased a particular weapon, the microtransaction engine may match the player in a gameplay session in which the particular weapon is highly effective, giving the player an impression that the particular weapon was a good purchase. This may encourage the player to make future purchases to achieve similar gameplay results."

View Quote

Basically noobs will be matched against players with unlocks to encourage the noob to buy shit, and once they buy shit they will be matched against those that don't have anything so you can pwn them for a bit.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:27:41 PM EDT

[#21]

Congrats on losing money because of PR EA!

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:27:55 PM EDT

[#22]

Stuff like this is exactly why I haven't been buying new games or playing as much.

Why would I buy a game without all of its content? Thats stupid to me.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:29:56 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
Microtransactions are turning into complete bullshit. BTW have y'all heard about Activision's recent patent.

http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/how-activision-uses-matchmaking-tricks-to-sell-in-game-items-w509288

Basically noobs will be matched against players with unlocks to encourage the noob to buy shit, and once they buy shit they will be matched against those that don't have anything so you can pwn them for a bit.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:
Microtransactions are turning into complete bullshit. BTW have y'all heard about Activision's recent patent.

http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/how-activision-uses-matchmaking-tricks-to-sell-in-game-items-w509288

"In a particular example, the junior player may wish to become an expert sniper in a game (e.g., as determined from the player profile)," according to the patent. "The microtransaction engine may match the junior player with a player that is a highly skilled sniper in the game. In this manner, the junior player may be encouraged to make game-related purchases such as a rifle or other item used by the marquee player. "

The system can also drop players into matches that will make use of an in-game-related purchase, according to the patent.

"Doing so may enhance a level of enjoyment by the player for the game-related purchase, which may encourage future purchases," according to the patent. "For example, if the player purchased a particular weapon, the microtransaction engine may match the player in a gameplay session in which the particular weapon is highly effective, giving the player an impression that the particular weapon was a good purchase. This may encourage the player to make future purchases to achieve similar gameplay results."

Basically noobs will be matched against players with unlocks to encourage the noob to buy shit, and once they buy shit they will be matched against those that don't have anything so you can pwn them for a bit.

Not just matched against, but matched with, still manipulation is manipulation.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:31:18 PM EDT

[#24]

I’m sticking with 16-bit.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:33:38 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Yesterday, EA responded on Reddit about why gamers have to pay extra money in-game just to unlock hero characters in their new game. It seems the consumer base for video games has had enough of micro transactions and loot-box progression systems, and are successfully boycotting EA's new game.

EA's comment is currently at 435,476 down votes.

Screenshot before it inevitably disappears:

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/394169/711D6C8C-E9C8-4A92-8CF1-4A077AFFF7F0-361788.JPG

Link to thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/7cff0b/seriously_i_paid_80_to_have_vader_locked/

View Quote

Why does the EA response have 43 "golds" though? Is that so the comment doesn't disappear with all the 446k downvotes?

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:33:51 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
First they get your attention...then your $$$$$

View Quote

You don't have to give them extra $$$$ that is already on the disc. You will have to invest a lot of hours into the game though. How much? About close to 171 hours of MP gameplay to unlock all the heroes. Somebody did the calculation.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iidE0zYPjtIIK-qb4sdiXBiXK3YGzq4tDNuNKosPdhQ/edit#gid=0

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:34:06 PM EDT

[#27]

I see no comment.

ETA: For those not familiar with Reddit (like me) click on EA Response to see what they posted.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:37:15 PM EDT

[#28]

I'm a huge Star Wars nerd and was seriously thinking about buying this. I didn't buy the first because of similar shenanigans. Oh well

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:40:38 PM EDT

[#29]

Boycott must not be working. I just tried buying the Xbox One S bundle (with 2 free games) from Microsoft, and the game is sold out already. It was available in the deal on Saturday when I first looked.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:46:52 PM EDT

[#30]

LOL, people buy the bullshit anyway. People complain and complain, yet the game companies keep doing it because they are making money.

Posted: 11/13/2017 5:58:25 PM EDT

[#31]

I'm happy with the old battlefront on xbone. No need for the new one.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:00:33 PM EDT

[#32]

I bought the last SW Battlefront. That was a huge mistake, and I knew it within 10 minutes of starting the game.

I used to buy games without even reading the reviews. I'm done with that.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:01:19 PM EDT

[#33]

I blame Apple and it's Iphone IOS. This shit all started with apps in the app store on the iphone. Apple developed the API to allow this to happen in order to attract more game devs to the platform. Companies learned people were stupid enough to buy stuff in app. It became a viral infection after that. Infecting every game system and developer.

At some point it will be normal for people to buy the demo for $60 and you need to shovel another $60 to make it playable.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:05:17 PM EDT

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:
LOL, people buy the bullshit anyway. People complain and complain, yet the game companies keep doing it because they are making money.

View Quote

Yep, a lot of straw has been whipped around, care to guess which will be last?

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:17:09 PM EDT

[#35]

EA was a customer of a company I worked for in the early 90's. I used to go down to their main office in San Mateo (back then) and it always amazed me. They had a nice office, ergonomic seating, things like free soda and snacks (before most companies did that), and colorful surroundings.

But the minute you walked in the place there was, for lack of a better way to describe it, a palpable sense of bad karma. All the employees seemed pissed off and desperate. Just a bad vibe. Later, I learned that they treated their employees like shit. Worked them to death like Steve Jobs worked his people at Apple. A high stress environment that the developers accepted just so they could get EA on their resume.

From the receptionist to the VP's, everyone was tired and pissed off. And this was between game releases! It was their SOP all year. Insane way to run a business. The employees were all pissed off and hated the place.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:19:58 PM EDT

[#36]

Someone online did the math. To unlock all heroes and all their perks/items/skins, would be over one million credits, which would take approximately 732 hours of game play to earn.

This whole thing is ridiculous. 40 hours of game play PER hero you want to unlock. Heroes that came unlocked in the last Battlefront, and should be standard.

It's like paying $60 for a 007 game and finding out you have to play for 40 hours before you can play as James Bond.

EA is such garbage.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:21:19 PM EDT

[#37]

I broke my no EA rule for Mass Effect Andromeda, I knew it would be shit but I loved the original and I caved. It was an even bigger pile of shit then I could have imagined. Fuck EA, never again.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:23:13 PM EDT

[#38]

Lol fuck that game.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:25:10 PM EDT

[#39]

Quote History

Quoted:
Someone online did the math. To unlock all heroes and all their perks/items/skins, would be over one million credits, which would take approximately 732 hours of game play to earn.

This whole thing is ridiculous. 40 hours of game play PER hero you want to unlock. Heroes that came unlocked in the last Battlefront, and should be standard.

It's like paying $60 for a 007 game and finding out you have to play for 40 hours before you can play as James Bond.

EA is such garbage.

https://i.imgur.com/ndAyLQK.jpg

View Quote

Ya know I would even be just fine with these perks and heros being unlockables taking a long time and a lot of effort to obtain, it gives you a goal and a sense of accomplishment when you finally get one, as long as other people can't just pay to unlock them instantly. Its just a greedy cash grab to do it this way and they know it.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:25:44 PM EDT

[#40]

They picked up Respawn last week, which means Titanfall 3 will probably never see the light of day.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:29:19 PM EDT

[#41]

As a young person who works a job every weekday, bullshit like microtransactions has impacted the amount I play games. I want a game to be fun. I want to put it in and play. I don't want to wait on it to download more things, or have to pay more money. I just want to play the whole game without any bullshit. I know I'm not the only one.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:32:26 PM EDT

[#42]

Quote History

Quoted:
Ya know I would even be just fine with these perks and heros being unlockables taking a long time and a lot of effort to obtain, it gives you a goal and a sense of accomplishment when you finally get one, as long as other people can't just pay to unlock them instantly. Its just a greedy cash grab to do it this way and they know it.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Someone online did the math. To unlock all heroes and all their perks/items/skins, would be over one million credits, which would take approximately 732 hours of game play to earn.

This whole thing is ridiculous. 40 hours of game play PER hero you want to unlock. Heroes that came unlocked in the last Battlefront, and should be standard.

It's like paying $60 for a 007 game and finding out you have to play for 40 hours before you can play as James Bond.

EA is such garbage.

https://i.imgur.com/ndAyLQK.jpg

Ya know I would even be just fine with these perks and heros being unlockables taking a long time and a lot of effort to obtain, it gives you a goal and a sense of accomplishment when you finally get one, as long as other people can't just pay to unlock them instantly. Its just a greedy cash grab to do it this way and they know it.

Kind of like how the old Catholic Church sold indulgences:

Priest: "Want to lie or screw your neighbor's wife and not burn in hell? That'll be 300 ducats!"
Rich guy: "Cool. thanks!"

Poor guy: "Hey, what about me?"

Priest: "For you, 10,000 Hail Mary's and 200 hours of self-flagellation."
Poor guy:

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:35:09 PM EDT

[#43]

I haven't been excited for a new video game release in years. Haven't bought much too. I used to mind time sinks, but now they seem to get longer and longer with convenient "Pay us a lot of money" shortcuts. EA talks about how rewarding it is, but how exactly is something rewarding when you can just throw a credit card at the screen and bypass it all?

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:40:47 PM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
Ya know I would even be just fine with these perks and heros being unlockables taking a long time and a lot of effort to obtain, it gives you a goal and a sense of accomplishment when you finally get one, as long as other people can't just pay to unlock them instantly. Its just a greedy cash grab to do it this way and they know it.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Someone online did the math. To unlock all heroes and all their perks/items/skins, would be over one million credits, which would take approximately 732 hours of game play to earn.

This whole thing is ridiculous. 40 hours of game play PER hero you want to unlock. Heroes that came unlocked in the last Battlefront, and should be standard.

It's like paying $60 for a 007 game and finding out you have to play for 40 hours before you can play as James Bond.

EA is such garbage.

https://i.imgur.com/ndAyLQK.jpg

Ya know I would even be just fine with these perks and heros being unlockables taking a long time and a lot of effort to obtain, it gives you a goal and a sense of accomplishment when you finally get one, as long as other people can't just pay to unlock them instantly. Its just a greedy cash grab to do it this way and they know it.

There is rewarding/sense of accomplishment, and then there is insanity.

Requiring over 700 hours to unlock all heroes and hero related items falls into the second category.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:46:09 PM EDT

[#45]

Recent development within the past hour: EA has lowered the in-game cost of unlocking the heroes...

https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/battlefront/battlefront-2/news/swbfii-changes-launch

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:47:46 PM EDT

[#46]

Quote History

Quoted:
There is rewarding/sense of accomplishment, and then there is insanity.

Requiring over 700 hours to unlock all heroes and hero related items falls into the second category.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Someone online did the math. To unlock all heroes and all their perks/items/skins, would be over one million credits, which would take approximately 732 hours of game play to earn.

This whole thing is ridiculous. 40 hours of game play PER hero you want to unlock. Heroes that came unlocked in the last Battlefront, and should be standard.

It's like paying $60 for a 007 game and finding out you have to play for 40 hours before you can play as James Bond.

EA is such garbage.

https://i.imgur.com/ndAyLQK.jpg

Ya know I would even be just fine with these perks and heros being unlockables taking a long time and a lot of effort to obtain, it gives you a goal and a sense of accomplishment when you finally get one, as long as other people can't just pay to unlock them instantly. Its just a greedy cash grab to do it this way and they know it.

There is rewarding/sense of accomplishment, and then there is insanity.

Requiring over 700 hours to unlock all heroes and hero related items falls into the second category.

It probably takes that long to research one tank line in War Thunder.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:47:55 PM EDT

[#47]

Quote History

Quoted:
Recent development within the past hour: EA has lowered the in-game cost of unlocking the heroes...

https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/battlefront/battlefront-2/news/swbfii-changes-launch

View Quote

Don’t care. Not buying.

Posted: 11/13/2017 6:49:45 PM EDT

[#48]

Quote History

Quoted:
Ya know I would even be just fine with these perks and heros being unlockables taking a long time and a lot of effort to obtain, it gives you a goal and a sense of accomplishment when you finally get one, as long as other people can't just pay to unlock them instantly. Its just a greedy cash grab to do it this way and they know it.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Someone online did the math. To unlock all heroes and all their perks/items/skins, would be over one million credits, which would take approximately 732 hours of game play to earn.

This whole thing is ridiculous. 40 hours of game play PER hero you want to unlock. Heroes that came unlocked in the last Battlefront, and should be standard.

It's like paying $60 for a 007 game and finding out you have to play for 40 hours before you can play as James Bond.

EA is such garbage.

https://i.imgur.com/ndAyLQK.jpg

Ya know I would even be just fine with these perks and heros being unlockables taking a long time and a lot of effort to obtain, it gives you a goal and a sense of accomplishment when you finally get one, as long as other people can't just pay to unlock them instantly. Its just a greedy cash grab to do it this way and they know it.

I remember playing either Bad Company 2 or BF3 for months, unlocking most of the gear, then EA decided to just offer every unlockable for $20 to get newbies to buy the game. That was fun.