demosthenes
Member
I feel sorry for children and younger people that this is their opening to the video game world. They'll grow up thinking that they have to pay to win games. We had a good run guys.
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EA's on a roll!: New PvZ 2 update
- Thread starter Rodney McKay
- Start date
Minsc
Gold Member
This is actually pretty impressive given the increasing number of modern games (even full priced games on consoles and handhelds now sport them) that use microtransactions, especially if you count DLC as microtransactions.
Still, it's not something to brag about really imo. Some games they make perfect sense, like Hearthstone. Fun game, microtransactions for card packs / a drafting ticket, makes a lot of sense in a TCG/CCG. Pretty much all the popular F2P games use them. DOTA2, Path of Exile, TF2, etc. The list is probably in the 1,000s, if not 10,000s.
But even traditional RPGs such as Bravely Default are seeing microtransactions show up in them, and afaik, not playing Bravely Default is not something to brag about.
AHA-Lambda
Member
probably a lifetime achievement award so that they don't win every year.
Why? Did he invent microtransactions?
PoweredBySoy
Banned
As much as I loved PvZ, I thought it best to just pretend this game doesn't exist.
ZackieChan
Member
Here on GAF there's a group of people with fake (and real, like me, big mistake) Facebook accounts that has certainly come in handy with Marvel Puzzle Quest. They may be useful for getting these "bribes" taken care of.
IISANDERII
Member
I thought that the worst thing about Titanfall is that it isn't coming to PS4 so I won't get to play it but I'm beginning to think that it being EA published is worse because it will affect all future games in the series.
I don't think it'll be as bad as PvsZ2 or Dungeon Keeper but I'm sure EA will try their best to do something to fuck everybody over badly.
I don't think it'll be as bad as PvsZ2 or Dungeon Keeper but I'm sure EA will try their best to do something to fuck everybody over badly.
I was really liking PvZ2 until I basically hit a wall a few hours in and lost interest. It's sad because I played the entirety of PvZ1 over a single weekend. If I wasn't expecting the worst, I would have been shocked by the amount of keys required to unlock a new world, and the difficulty of acquiring them without spending any money. It just goes to show that microtransactions, even when they're "optional", can completely destroy the pacing of a game.
I know that the whole key system has been removed since then, but it's far from the only aspect of PvZ2 that was tainted by the F2P structure. I'm too soured to return to it, especially in light of this news. Sure, it's a free game and I didn't lose anything by trying it out, but it's pretty depressing to see a beloved series by a beloved developer corrupted by greed and short-sightedness. A proper sequel could have been something special.
I'm just worried for the future of PopCap. At least Peggle 2 gives me some hope.
I know that the whole key system has been removed since then, but it's far from the only aspect of PvZ2 that was tainted by the F2P structure. I'm too soured to return to it, especially in light of this news. Sure, it's a free game and I didn't lose anything by trying it out, but it's pretty depressing to see a beloved series by a beloved developer corrupted by greed and short-sightedness. A proper sequel could have been something special.
I'm just worried for the future of PopCap. At least Peggle 2 gives me some hope.
NoirVisage
Banned
And that's pretty much why I've come to the conclusion that all their claims of wanting to keep from becoming the worst company AGAIN, is merely lip service, if you can milk your customer base and make absurd amounts of money in the process, whats some negative award in the grand scheme of things?
They might as well name (Worst Company of the Year Award) the EA award. Have them retired from winning it from now on....but have their current CEO come out every year to present it to future winners.
There are tons of great indie games out there. I recommend Rogue Legacy -- such a fantastic game.
CarbonRevenge
Banned
Random Painted HIghway
Member
I have around 100k coins, can't recall how that happened, something to do with playing through the first one or something. I haven't spent a dime on this one. I blew through the first iteration of 2 barely using any coins so they just accumulated. I didn't lose a lawnmower on zoom boss so didn't notice the bs change to the lawnmower. Truly a bs change. I can't believe how many changes they've made to this game, they should have just worked it into pvz3, the current game is nothing like it was on release. I have no idea why I'm bothering with the piñata partiesparticulalry since they are worthless costumes. Still waiting for the final world, guessing that will be extra taxing on the coins. And why no additional modes like 1. Befuddling.
Aquamarine
Member
Is this real? This isn't real. Wait. Is it real?!
100,000 @ £20.99 - 1:4764
150,000 @ £27.99 - 1:5359
200.000 @ £34.99 - 1:5715
450,000 @ £92.08 - 1:4887 (listed as "Best Deal")
Surely there is a law against openly lying to your customers.
But EA isn't lying...when they said "Best Deal" they meant "Best Deal for EA."
Gentleman Jack
Member
Terrible comparison. PvZ is a strategy game, and part of strategy games is coming up with a new strategy once an old strategy has failed, but a failed strategy should not cost you money. The original PvZ games featured very effective (probably too effective, borderline broken) strategies that involved intentionally losing a lawn mower or two. PvZ2 took these strategies away, making it so that losing a lawnmower was a fail state for many of the levels. Fine, so it's harder and the cost of failure is restarting a level. Now you can lose the lawnmowers again, but you have to pay to get them back. The cost of failure is now tied to real money. Players have fewer and fewer options to play a strategy game without paying for the privilege. It's not a sensible decision to keep changing the rules of a strategy game when it's so easy to just uninstall.
MaschinenZimmer
Banned
(this is not a shop, this is the actual iTunes icon. Truth in advertising!)
Thanks, it was love on the first sight.
PVZ is awesome but I won't give 1 cent to EA for it. Would rather pay $20 and get the full game without all this respawn coin garbage.
EA really is a cancer. Command and Conquer was so good....
EA really is a cancer. Command and Conquer was so good....
They definitely were clear about bringing it to other platforms after the initial release on iOS (and later, Android) but we haven't heard anything since launch. I'm still holding on to hope that they'll build a proper PvZ2 from the ground up. Peggle 2 is the most recent non-mobile PopCap game and it's premium and free of microtransactions.
Fox Mulder
Member
they don't give a shit, as they've actually become worse after winning that award twice.
Shalashaska161
Member
It's absolutely amazing to me how badly EA has fucked this game over with their greed. PvZ 2 should never have been free to play, and almost all the problems this game has can be traced back to that decision. What a shame.
NullPointer
Member
They're just giving back (poo) to the community.
From a great height.
In great quantities.
I don't know if it's been mentioned, but it also costs coins to restart a level, or at least it does on the Party Pinata levels. I liked to restart levels a lot and try out new combos to start out a level, but now that's not possible. I was flabbergasted when I saw that.
So, they released the game, patched it to make the enemies much harder and basically require coin spending, and patched it again to make players spend coins on ridiculous things. Sadly, EA will make insane amounts of cash from this game. I guess if you can get rich being shady as hell, more power to you.
So, they released the game, patched it to make the enemies much harder and basically require coin spending, and patched it again to make players spend coins on ridiculous things. Sadly, EA will make insane amounts of cash from this game. I guess if you can get rich being shady as hell, more power to you.
FantasticMrFoxdie
Mumber
LOL hmmm...when one of the EA guys accepted the DICE award on behalf of PvZ team yesterday he mentioned something about freemium nonsense.
Incorrect, and I think you know that you're pushing it.
A failed strategy does not cost you money. You are not charged when you fail a level in PvZ2. Even by your definitions, the cost here is in additional strategies, which is just like every other mobile or non-mobile game that charges for gameplay content.
But how will I know the next Dragon Age will suck? I have to know so I can let you all know in here! Nah, I'm kidding. I'm done with them. Heck, Mass Effect 3 was really me just not being able to let go, because I love the first one and I had to see it through, but before that I was pretty much done with EA.
Looking at what they are doing now it is just repulsive: Sim City, PvZ, this... they are not getting $1 from me ever again. I know people will bend over and get Titanfall and will give them another chance with Battlefield because it is so fun!, and will get FIFA because PES just sucks now, and will get Madden too because there's no other NFL game! and will get Mirror's Edge 2 because they loved the first one (so just this once they'll make and exception), and will continue playing Simpsons Tapped Out because "it's not this bad, I swear!", and will continue playing PvZ 2 but they won't be buying coins, so just for free! and will get Star Wars Battlefront, because it is a good Star Wars game again guys, if it was anything else they'd pass, but it is Star Wars!
Me, I'm fucking done.
UberTag
Member
At this point I'd feel that my money was better spent by funding a terrorist organization of some sort. Or the NRA. Those aren't the same thing, right?
Engage..engage i said engage! It's like spaceballs going to ludicrous speed.
BananasWithGuns
Member
It's this kind of stuff that makes me wary of buying Garden Warfare. The game looks great and I want to support Pop Cap for trying something new but there's always EA hanging over it.
On the bright side, it seems like Titanfall has escaped a lot of EA's dirty tactics. I'm not sure the DLC will be so lucky though.
On the bright side, it seems like Titanfall has escaped a lot of EA's dirty tactics. I'm not sure the DLC will be so lucky though.
SeventhSon
Member
I'm with you, friend.
I've had great sadness in my heart after Disney licensed all Star Wars video game properties for development to EA, but I will not bend.
Gentleman Jack
Member
You're right the cost of failure now is 2000 coins, acquired by either:
1) Grinding out a bunch of levels you've already beaten to re-earn
or
2) Annoying your Facebook friends about a mobile game you've played
or
3) Paying cash
Much better!
Yes, use sarcasm when logic fails.
soon i am sure you'll have to literally give blood to load your EA games up. Probably also sacrifice a virgin.
Rogue Legacy is better than anything EA has made in the past 3-4 years. Not even close sadly.
Gentleman Jack
Member
Fucking rich
No logic in claiming this patch contains sensible business decisions.
Peter Moore is a pathological marketer. Things break, remember.
It is remarkable that no one at EA seems to know what to do with PvZ or what made it great in the first place.
badcrumble
Member
This isn't the first time EA has destroyed a perfectly great thing with microtransactions. Look at what they did to Dead Space.
Super Nothing
Member
I'm still a firm believer that they only ever dropped the online pass because they thought that MS was protecting their games for them. Also, by locking people out of their games with online passes that only cost a one-time fee of $5-$10, they were preventing people from accessing their microtransaction mills.
Nothing Dead Space 3 did wrong had anything to do with micro-transactions, I had more loot than I knew what to do with in that game.
This shit is super obvious. They dropped a $10 requirement for used online multiplayer when they added $5 random stuff boxes and shit to their games. It's the same reason PvZ 2 doesn't cost $15... why give the game away for that when you can sucker some fools into giving you $100+ for the privilege.
Well when they go and lay off the designer the day after announcing the sequel, it doesn't come as a surprise. Presumably George Fan was opposed to what EA wanted it to become. It'd be nice to hear his take on it all.
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