MaximusPayne
Member
Man, EA is taking Star Wars fans to the cleaners.
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BBC: Star Wars Battlefront II game faces further backlash
- Thread starter Fuz
- Start date
martinstraka8282
Member
This backlash is inspiring for the future but the behavior is disgusting in ways that it hurts my faith in humanity.
This is 110% nothing but a cash grab, there is literally no other way to explain it or justify it. They are attempting to exploit their customers. This should almost be considered criminal, but I guess when it's a product you're opting in to, you kind of take it as it comes.
This is 110% nothing but a cash grab, there is literally no other way to explain it or justify it. They are attempting to exploit their customers. This should almost be considered criminal, but I guess when it's a product you're opting in to, you kind of take it as it comes.
lifa-cobex
Member
Wonder if Disney is going to chime in.
LastBattle
Member
It doesn't really. So many collectable children's toys are based on the same risk and reward as loot crates. you pay with the hope you will get either a new (shopkin) for example with also the chance to get a shopkin you already have.
This type of business strategy has been around forever. Same deal with those dollar machines that drop a capsule with a secret toy, kinder surprise, collectable cards, etc, ect. The gif is a bit hyperbolic.
Fuz
Banned
If the lootboxes keep being described as "gambling" (and rightfully so, they are indeed gambling), and if there's a big enough uproar about it, I think they might.
LightofRohan
Member
Yea, I'm sure after this they will make all their games free with no microtransactions and provide all future content free to.
That's what I don't get, why don't devs just give everything for free? It's better to be nice than rich.
If you really think that speaking against draconian business practices is wanting something for free, you really have a lot to grow in your personality.
IISANDERII
Member
I knew it was pay2win but I didn't know it was this bad:
LightofRohan
Member
I'm sorry I've not seen people advocating for the microtransactions to be less harsh, I've seen people wanting to eliminate microtransactions all together... this does not mean all future content will still be free if they go that route.
Allnamestakenlol
Member
Good. Make an example of them!
radewagon
Member
My guess would be that Disney didn't really have a reason to care up till recently. They gave the license to EA and trusted that EA would know how to best handle game development/production in such a way as to make both parties happy.
Clearly, they misplaced their trust. If the negative press continues, I'm sure they'll make a move. If it dies down, they'll probably ignore it so long as the profits are acceptable.
Nitty_Grimes
Made a crappy phPBB forum once ... once.
Maybe they get a slight percentage from each crate?
BarringGaffner
Member
no one would give a shit if they just made it cosmetic. What an idiotic decision that hopefully drastically impacts sales.
MilkyJoe
Member
EA under investigation by Belgium's gambling authority
https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/16/battlefront-ii-belgium-gambling-investigation/
https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/16/battlefront-ii-belgium-gambling-investigation/
llien
Member
Could you elaborate? I'd understand "it ain't the first time someone does it", but I don't see what is dishonest there.
NikuNashi
Member
Being a dev myself for over 10 years and working in many companies I can testify that this is not my experience at all, all the people on my level, the people who get their hands dirty crafting games want one thing and one thing only, a fun game that is loved by people and is remembered fondly.
The upper echelons (producers, company directors etc) and what they want, who knows, but in the companies I have worked for they have never stuck their noses in to the detriment of the core gameplay which seems to be happening here with EA. Don't tar all companies with the same brush, the 'real world' contains tons of companies that love games and love making them.
Quixz
Member
This is great news hopefully other countries will launch their own investigations as well
Shotgun Kiss
Member
It's in the Technology section of BBC News, not the main stories. To be honest, if you go into the specialist areas of BBC News, you'll find a lot of minor stories. The Technology section even tends to run stories whenever a new console launches. So this isn't quite as big a deal as it sounds. Still a good thing though, as it may still give a slight kick up the ass to EA.
Woo-Fu
Banned
I suspect Disney would give a shit. Probably part of the licensing deal that the Star Wars brand doesn't get diluted by Storm Troopers running around in pink tennis shoes and googly eye glasses.
Are there even any cosmetics in the game for the characters that aren't suits straight out of the stories?
A lot of people keep saying this without thinking of the logistics behind it. Every cosmetic element of the Star Wars IP requires strict approval by Lucasarts before being allowed. This means that if you designed a weapon skin in a few hours, you'd need to send it to Lucasarts to approve or disapprove it and wait for their response. It makes work flow incredibly frustrating, and results in a lot of things being disproved unless they fit the exact tone Lucasarts allows.
So themed events and 'fun' cosmetics etc just wouldn't get allowed by Lucasarts. I'm not saying it's impossible but I can only imagine how frustrating it is to have a lot of work wasted. It's why the few skins in the game currently are so basic and bland e.g here's Kylo Ren without his helmet on.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
How is that the slightest bit relevant whether or not they created or purchased it? It's now their IP, and if this story gains enough traction, it's entirely possible they may intervene as the last thing they're going to want is to be accused of allowing their IP to be used to exploit children.
Jim Sterling mentioned this on his podcast, but I agree 100%; although the law in most countries currently allows lootcrates as they don't fit the legal definition of gambling (you aren't spending money in the hopes of getting money back), it's only a matter of time until publishers push things too far, and new laws are written specifically to outlaw them, or at the very least make them more transparent to prospective customers (notably parents).
Maybe instead of classifying them as gambling, a new name could be created for them, like "Paid Chance". If that then gained the same stigma of gambling, then the same result would be accomplished.
At the rate things are going, if Battlefront II doesn't do it, it will certainly be a catalyst. It's garnered a huge amount of attention, including both the mainstream media and the Belgian gambling authority, and I'm pretty sure Disney themselves are going to have to break their silence eventually.
Fuz
Banned
There's a petition to push ESRB declare loot boxes as gambling:
https://www.change.org/p/entertainm...-esrb-make-esrb-declare-lootboxes-as-gambling
I doubt it won't do any difference, especially considering that ESRB is a tool in the hand of the publishers, but here it is.
https://www.change.org/p/entertainm...-esrb-make-esrb-declare-lootboxes-as-gambling
I doubt it won't do any difference, especially considering that ESRB is a tool in the hand of the publishers, but here it is.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
MilkyJoe
Member
A cannot understand how they can come up with any other conclusion than it is gambling,
If you buy something and you don't know if you will get then it's a game of chance - ergo gambling. I don't give a fuck if it's a "win every time" situation, kids will keep pumping those £££s untli they get the weapon or card or hero that they are after.
If the EU can ban it altogether, or at the very least make it a store where you only buy exactly what you want, then it would be great.
Fuz
Banned
Fuz
Banned
Yes, but then is then and now is now.
And of course they said what they said: they're run by publishers.
But their word is not law.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
Could you please provide evidence that they're "run by" publishers? Because I've searched and can't find anything at all. And it's only been a month. Next to nothing has changed in that time. Battlefront II might be the most egregious example yet, but it's done nothing that hasn't been done already elsewhere. And once again, the current legal definition of gambling is where you pay money in the hopes of getting more money back out. ESRB don't set the rules; they adhere to existing laws, so it would take a new law to get them to take action.
Woo-Fu
Banned
A group of developers and publishers created the IDSA which in turn created the ESRB. The goal being to self-regulate the industry with ratings so that the government wouldn't. Today the IDSA is the ESA, a trade association for the videogame industry and oversees the ESRB. A trade association made up of most of the largest publishers in the industry.
So while you won't see it explicitly and officially stated anywhere that the publishers run the ESRB you can see where their funding and presumably some degree of direction is coming from.
I wouldn't expect the ESRB to touch any of this with a ten-foot pole unless major world governments tell them that if they don't, the governments will.
I think it is only a matter of time before a prominent US district attorney, legislator, or commission tackles this as unregulated gambling. "Think of the children." is a pretty powerful hook.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
Awesome, thanks!
Baron Doggystyle von Woof
Member
If you bought this game, you are a part of the problem.
N1tr0sOx1d3
Given another chance
Agreed. These issues will never go away if Devs / Publishers are continually rewarded with our hard earned money.
What really makes this disappointing is the gaming media. Every year they give microtransactions a big pass when they should deduct major points for that. Good on BBC, the Belgium government and the rest of the media to shine a light on this. I hope more countries follow through as microtransactions are scummy as hell. Something needs to be done as it has quite the bad affect on kids.
It is definitely overkill, as this game is getting beaten up for things that have been done before.
However, people just shrugging their shoulders with Overwatch is where a lot of this stuff started... we need to get angry and make a mess of things. That is how developers learn.
Remember when everyone was coming out of the woodwork to condemn used game sales? Remember how some industry people were making claims that used games sales are almost equivalent to stealing the game? Well, that insanity stopped pretty fucking quickly when MS was roasted alive for trying to kill the used game market with the Xbox One.
Speaking out is important.
Paasei
Member
And any other game that uses features like this.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
I'm not particularly interested in it, but if I were, I'd definitely be buying it used.
Fbh
Member
Man, mainstream media coverage really does make a difference. Just talked to 2 people today who are casually into games (they buy FIFA and mabye 1-2 online shooters every year) and both asked me what the deal was with the Starwars game since they had read some negative stuff in the news.
Not sure they are giving it a pass now.
Most reviews are saying that in many ways it's much better than the first game, but it's still getting similar scores mostly because of microtransactions .
I don't think that a good game that has microtransactions should instantly get only 4/10 scores. But it's clearly taking a hit.
Not sure they are giving it a pass now.
Most reviews are saying that in many ways it's much better than the first game, but it's still getting similar scores mostly because of microtransactions .
I don't think that a good game that has microtransactions should instantly get only 4/10 scores. But it's clearly taking a hit.
JareBear: Remastered
Banned
Killing people with truth here
Baron Doggystyle von Woof
Member
I love star wars. And if you look at this game aside from the microtransactions it looks like a very solid game.
There for I am in the same boat as you. I will buy on a super sale for the single player.
But yeah, if you buy it full price you are just bending over.
Lastgengamer
Member
That's the thing, it is still being sold as a full price release, and not free to play.
