EA Backlash

[ClownPiece]

https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsBattle ... d/dppum98/

They DID however lower it to 10 hours now but people are still pissed.
https://kotaku.com/ea-cuts-star-wars-ba ... 1820410057

Thoughts? Not interested in the game but still dick-ish behavior as usual from EA.

[DarkJackal]

From what I read they lowered it but they didn't mention they lowered the rewards you get as well, including a cap on how many credits you can get in a certain amount of time, its pretty ridiculous.

I have hated EA probably since Army of Two 40th day, and that was simply over an achievement they wouldn't allow you to get, I think over an online or multiplayer achievement?
Along side with the fact they shut down the site portion of doing shit in the game, I think mask editor type thing? The site was just gone replaced by Cartel game that came later, which of course farked everything I liked about the previous game lol.

But it just felt like, "oh we got a new product, you still like the older one? well we don't want you to play or use any of the features, heres a preview for the new game."

They have done nothing good since.

I fear for Anthem.

[ClownPiece]

I have hated EA probably since Army of Two 40th day, and that was simply over an achievement they wouldn't allow you to get, I think over an online or multiplayer achievement?

They shut down the servers that let us design our own mask.

[0l3n]

In the end EA is a company whos only goal is to make money.

The real "idiots" (using the word some of these people use) are the people who buy these games. Sending a clear message to the developers and publishers that whatever they just did works wonders no matter the PR.

Most big companies couldn't care less about the bad press because they still make a boat load of money from the people who will buy just about anything and spend a small fortune on lootcrates.

Don't blame the company, blame the players who support them.

[poehalcho]

1. The comment by EA in that reddit thread is the most down-voted comment on the entirety of reddit

2. Apparantly Belgium's commission for gambling openened an investigation into Battlefront II and Overwatch's loot boxes.
https://translate.google.com/translate? ... t=&act=url

EA was doing pretty well last year, but this year has been fuck-up after fuck-up
Crappy Mass Effect: Andromeda, crappy Need for Speed, Lootbox bs with BF2, closing Visceral the Dead Space dev team.
Pretty sure the sports games also have a lootbox issue, but the majority of fans for those games are casuals that don't care to know better...

I wonder if they'll manage to earn a 3rd golden poo award

[ClownPiece]

2. Apparantly Belgium's commission for gambling openened an investigation into Battlefront II and Overwatch's loot boxes.
https://translate.google.com/translate? ... t=&act=url

Good, the rest of the world needs to do this because it IS gambling.
Don't even mention the Trailblaster in Fortnite that's seemingly impossible to get, Jackal -_-

[poehalcho]

2. Apparantly Belgium's commission for gambling openened an investigation into Battlefront II and Overwatch's loot boxes.
https://translate.google.com/translate? ... t=&act=url

Good, the rest of the world needs to do this because it IS gambling.
Don't even mention the Trailblazer in Fortnite, Jackal -_-

The difficulty of defining it as gambling is that other things may get caught in the crossfire.
Namely card-games. Then again... maybe that's not such a bad thing... idk...
In a way booster-packs are part of the fun of card games, even though it's definitely a scummy approach >_>

Letting people just instantly buy the best cards instead could ruin the game since everybody would just purchase the cards perceived as best and leave no room for originality.

tough...

[cin]

2. Apparantly Belgium's commission for gambling openened an investigation into Battlefront II and Overwatch's loot boxes.
https://translate.google.com/translate? ... t=&act=url

Good, the rest of the world needs to do this because it IS gambling.

Netherlands is on it as well..
https://www.nu.nl/games/5009924/nederla ... games.html

[DarkJackal]

Hope its the start of a line being drawn somewhere.

I'm not sure how to feel about what defines gambling. I definitely think loot boxes are gambling. But I don't think all gambling is bad. Sure I would have much rather not spent a few bucks as a kid to get a poke-pack and get something I had or didn't care about, but the times I did get epic things were great. That didn't feel like gambling though, it felt more like opening a treasure you just found.
And what you did get, if you didn't want or care about or had doubles now, you could trade them, that was part of the fun. Trading feels like an aspect that alleviates this kind of stuff because, yes you can spend real money to get shit faster, but you can also sell it or trade it, pumping stuff into the community, allowing others who put more time and effort than money into it able to get things while also giving those who don't have the time and effort a chance to get things as well. Tho there would need to be things to get with credits only I think. Its a win win as long as its balanced.


Can't they just make good products so the goal is more people playing, and put some ads ingame or something. Get some subtle ones. "Oh look a pepsi machine over there. or that destroyed building over there was a pizza hut."

[ltsune]

I'm not sure how to feel about what defines gambling. I definitely think loot boxes are gambling. But I don't think all gambling is bad. Sure I would have much rather not spent a few bucks as a kid to get a poke-pack and get something I had or didn't care about, but the times I did get epic things were great. That didn't feel like gambling though, it felt more like opening a treasure you just found. "

This is exactly how I feel.


Loot boxes (and the like) is a great mechanism to make me excited about something. It just works.

But I don't want to see that shit in premium games that I already paid for once, and DEFINITELY not if what I can get from the loot boxes will influence gameplay (pay 2 win).
I'm fine with boxes etc. in free 2 play games, though.

[ClownPiece]

I'm not sure how to feel about what defines gambling. I definitely think loot boxes are gambling. But I don't think all gambling is bad.

And llamas, llamas are gambling...

wtf gambling is bad in all forms, if it's to even get characters, outfits or colors. How much more do I have to spend to hope I get a Trailblaster hero in Fortnite from a stupid llama?! So far alot and I haven't even gotten 1 yet. She isn't even considered rare.

[DarkJackal]

I'm not sure how to feel about what defines gambling. I definitely think loot boxes are gambling. But I don't think all gambling is bad.

And llamas, llamas are gambling...

wtf gambling is bad in all forms, if it's to even get characters, outfits or colors. How much more do I have to spend to hope I get a Trailblaster hero in Fortnite from a stupid llama?! So far alot and I haven't even gotten 1 yet. She isn't even considered rare.

Only if its gouging you for real money anyway. Even pokemon had slot machines you could play tho, and borderlands.

[ClownPiece]

Only if its gouging you for real money anyway.

Which you know it is.

[ClownPiece]

Update:
EA Temporarily Removes Microtransactions From Star Wars Battlefront II
https://kotaku.com/ea-temporarily-remov ... 1820528445

[DarkJackal]

Update:
EA Temporarily Removes Microtransactions From Star Wars Battlefront II
https://kotaku.com/ea-temporarily-remov ... 1820528445

They just waiting for the holiday to be over and then re-add em -.-.

[Love]

Hoping gamers go hard on this one. I don't want them to infest my bf5 experience with all these money making scheme.

[poehalcho]

And so it begins...
Belgium's minister wants to prohibit the sale of all games with lootboxes in all of Europe...

Part of me is happy. Part of me fears that there is no way this will go the way we want.
I reckon there's a few ways this can go:

- We actually get a good law, that doesn't doesn't destroy a whole genre.
- We get a half-assed law that destroys a genre, but ends lootboxes
- We get a half-assed law that doesn't work because devs can just remove the box opening part (and therefor much of the gambling appeal), or just take the lootbox portion out of the game (say, via an App or something)
- We get pidgeonholed into a situation where previously lootbox-based games rely on extreme quantities of microtransactions instead, which is arguably a much worse situation than what we started with...

I fear the most for the last one. If lootboxes go, microtransactions need to die as well. They're interwoven with one-another to balance out... If either one goes out of whack it only gets worse...

well... the most likely outcome is that nothing actually happens though...

[0l3n]

Considering how lootboxes are the key to the longevity of certain games, CS:GO and PUBG come to mind, I doubt that banning lootboxes all together is a good idea.

I don't see the point of banning them. If their content is only cosmetic I couldn't care less.

[Love]

Problem isn't lootboxes, problem is attaching any progression to them. I got no problem at all with what overwatch is doing.

[ClownPiece]

Hawaii joins the fight - https://kotaku.com/hawaii-wants-to-figh ... 1820664617

I don't see the point of banning them. If their content is only cosmetic I couldn't care less.

That's the ONLY reason I buy loot boxes and I know I'm not the only one, some of us are just about cosmetics. So, I see all forms of loot boxes as an issue. If I want a hero in Fortnite, I should be allowed to buy it, not gamble for it, etc. And sadly, I've spent more then I'd like to admit..(with no success).

[DarkJackal]

Hawaii joins the fight - https://kotaku.com/hawaii-wants-to-figh ... 1820664617

I don't see the point of banning them. If their content is only cosmetic I couldn't care less.

That's the ONLY reason I buy loot boxes and I know I'm not the only one, some of us are just about cosmetics. So, I see all forms of loot boxes as an issue. If I want a hero in Fortnite, I should be allowed to buy it, not gamble for it, etc. And sadly, I've spent more then I'd like to admit..(with no success).

Buy with ingame currency you earn by playing, that is.

[poehalcho]

Hawaii joins the fight - https://kotaku.com/hawaii-wants-to-figh ... 1820664617

I don't see the point of banning them. If their content is only cosmetic I couldn't care less.

That's the ONLY reason I buy loot boxes and I know I'm not the only one, some of us are just about cosmetics. So, I see all forms of loot boxes as an issue. If I want a hero in Fortnite, I should be allowed to buy it, not gamble for it, etc. And sadly, I've spent more then I'd like to admit..(with no success).

Buy with ingame currency you earn by playing, that is.

Damn straight.

[0l3n]

Hawaii joins the fight - https://kotaku.com/hawaii-wants-to-figh ... 1820664617

I don't see the point of banning them. If their content is only cosmetic I couldn't care less.

That's the ONLY reason I buy loot boxes and I know I'm not the only one, some of us are just about cosmetics. So, I see all forms of loot boxes as an issue. If I want a hero in Fortnite, I should be allowed to buy it, not gamble for it, etc. And sadly, I've spent more then I'd like to admit..(with no success).

I don't see how that makes it an issue. An annoyance sure but not an issue especially not one deserving of a ban or any other form of punishment. As long as you're of legal age you're responsible for how you spend your money. If you don't like the way the company is selling their cosmetic stuff then feel free not to buy them. If enough people agree with you and stop buying the lootboxes they'll stop selling them as the alternative becomes more profitable. Simple as that.

[Razorhead]

I don't mind lootboxes if it's purely cosmetic
Overwatch => you buy the game & get boxes by lvling up. You get skins, sprays,... it doesn't affect the game itself. If u wanna spend money on lootboxes in hope for that 1 skin. It's your bet.
PUBG => cosmetic only (but getting free lootboxes is slower than Overwatch)

Battlefront 2 => buy lootboxes in hopes of unlocking a character... after buying the game for 60€/$
That's just plain wrong
Or spend x amount of hours to unlock 1 character... it's complete bullshit. U buy the game, u should have access to all the friggin' heroes/villains.
Casual players go f*ck yourselves. U want x + x hero => play z hours
ooh u don't have time; well pay us and if u have luck with the RNG you'll have it fast

When the game is FREE 2 PLAY, it's a different story because they rely on that money
But they never force u to spend money, everything is doable with just spending time.
but money speeds things up a lot (which is normal for F2P games)

[ClownPiece]

I don't see how that makes it an issue. An annoyance sure but not an issue especially not one deserving of a ban or any other form of punishment. As long as you're of legal age you're responsible for how you spend your money. If you don't like the way the company is selling their cosmetic stuff then feel free not to buy them. If enough people agree with you and stop buying the lootboxes they'll stop selling them as the alternative becomes more profitable. Simple as that.

For heros, with specific skills?

EVERYTHING should should AT LEAST be listed as a buy-able item, not gambled. Nothing should ever be gambled. Yes, I'M old enough but there are kids on all gaming platforms and introducing any form of gambling to a young person is a real greedy dick move, might as well shove a cigarette in their mouth while they're at it. Just my opinion.

[DarkJackal]

I think the game should just be made in full, everything earnable in game, think earlier gen consoles. Once you have that, you can make shortcuts for those who dont have the time or patience. Be it purchasing cosmetics right away or exp boosts maybe or some shit. But don't bog down the normal gameplay to encourage purchasing the stuff further, thats where it gets devious.

Also make shit tradeable.

Then you can make dlc. And dlc can be more than just cosmetics because its extra. Would I pay $5 or so for a weapon pack in some of the games i've played? Probably. I'm always thinking man I want more weapon options lol. Then cosmetics for that too. Its really simple and easy to find tons of things that people would want and be easy to make if they just put a little effort into it.

[0l3n]

I don't see how that makes it an issue. An annoyance sure but not an issue especially not one deserving of a ban or any other form of punishment. As long as you're of legal age you're responsible for how you spend your money. If you don't like the way the company is selling their cosmetic stuff then feel free not to buy them. If enough people agree with you and stop buying the lootboxes they'll stop selling them as the alternative becomes more profitable. Simple as that.

For heros, with specific skills?

EVERYTHING should be able to be listed as a buy-able item, not gambled. Nothing should ever be gambled. Yes, I'M old enough but there are kids on all gaming platforms and introducing any form of gambling to a young person is a real greedy dick move, might as well shove a cigarette in their mouth while they're at it. Just my opinion.

Considering how popular pokemon cards were back when I was a kid and how no one that I know of ever complained about gambling back then I don't see why this should be any different. People still to my knowledge don't care much about MTG or Pokemon sucking young kids into the world of gambling.

If you're worried about getting kids addicted to things then you shouldn't let them play video games in the first place.

[ClownPiece]

If you're worried about getting kids addicted to things then you shouldn't let them play video games in the first place.

I'm not worried about anyone's kids but the obvious threat is there and companies have made it extremely easier then every to buy the currency needed to purchase these random loot boxes. I think pokemon cards are nothing like online microstraction gambling. In this day and age it's pushed way more in our faces then back in the day when pokemon didn't have Pikachu talking.

Also cosmetic items are a personal preference to many, just as I don't care if I have to "gamble" to get a better weapon, I hate PvP, avoid it at all costs. If I have any gun that kills PvE enemies I could care less if I don't have a paid for good gun. Still, I don't dismiss that as not a gamble or not thinking it's a dick move just because it's something I don't care about.

---------------------------------------------

On another note:
"Starwars Battlefront 2 - Progression Droid with sense of Pride and Accomplishment"

Spoiler!

[poehalcho]

This seems related:
https://kotaku.com/bungie-changes-desti ... 1820728952

TL;DR
Destiny gives fake experience values and sneakily increases the time needed to earn a lootbox depending on the time spent playing, to promote the purchases through real money.

[poehalcho]

Oh man... this is solid gold