EA Charges Money for Weapons in Battlefield: Bad Company (and changes mind)

[Blinkman987]

Link to Gameriot article because Kotaku is awful:

http://www.gameriot.com/blogs/GameRi...field-Weapons/

They're charging for weapons in the game. It appears half will be locked and unlockable via microtransactions with EA. You can just buy the Gold edition and get all the weapons at once, but basically to get all the weapons means that the regular version is worthless because EVERYBODY will be Gold edition.

I didn't even mind real ads in Burnout Paradise, even though they took out the only reason half the people played the game- the puzzle-esque crash mode. I figure that it really doesn't bother me until they make me download some update to put new ads up, and I really like Diesel shoes anyway!

Now the charging for content that should be free is total bullshit. I don't hate EA because they're just another company trying to maximize profits, but this just oversteps that boundary by a giant leap.

I really hope nobody buys this bullshit game to shove one down their arrogant throats to have the gaming community say "WE REFUSE TO SUPPORT THIS. GO SELL SOME MORE MADDENS TO RETARDS WHO BUY THE SAME GAME EVERY YEAR AND LEAVE US ALONE."

[reiella]

Microtransactions are going to be par for course for most of the games coming.

Sorry.

[Luis_A51]

Theres a difference between "add-on" content and INTENTIONALLY withholding elements from the retail version in order to get more money from the consumer.

I dont at all mind paying for extra content 2-3 months after a game is released, especially if the content is substantial (COD4, Resistance, Warhawk map-packs come to mind) It is very clear they put the effort into enriching the experience in these games. THey are adding to the game.

EA on the other hand has their DLC available DAYS after the retail version is out, which obviously means they withheld content. THey took away from the retail version in order to get you to pay more. Look at NFS Pro Street, Army of Two and now Battlefield. Plus their DLC is far from impressive (extra cars and weapons)

So yeah, while microtransactions are the wave of the future, EAs interpretation of it is disgusting.

EDIT: I cant read the article (at work) but is this typical EA where you can either unlock by beating the game OR paying, or is paying the ONLY option?

[Quad]

Next they will be charging a toll after each level.

[Palanthian]

Originally Posted by Quad

Next they will be charging a toll after each level.

Don't give EA any ideas. They like to "listen" to the consumer after all.
EA is making me hate Microsoft less these days only because EA's crud is so strong that it makes me forget about hating Microsoft for a while. lol

[stockstar1138]

This is bullsh1t. Like the above poster said, its one thing for add-on content (Motorstorm, PAIN, Folklore, etc.) its another to intentionally withold content.

This isn't acceptable and I hope the gaming community makes a statement towards this kind of crap.

[BluRayExplosion]

I don't mind in-game advertising at all as long as it makes sense. For example, in Burnout things would actually look funny if there WEREN'T billboards. Slightly off topic I guess, but I DETEST microtransactions.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

Theres a difference between "add-on" content and INTENTIONALLY withholding elements from the retail version in order to get more money from the consumer.

I dont at all mind paying for extra content 2-3 months after a game is released, especially if the content is substantial (COD4, Resistance, Warhawk map-packs come to mind) It is very clear they put the effort into enriching the experience in these games. THey are adding to the game.

EA on the other hand has their DLC available DAYS after the retail version is out, which obviously means they withheld content. THey took away from the retail version in order to get you to pay more. Look at NFS Pro Street, Army of Two and now Battlefield. Plus their DLC is far from impressive (extra cars and weapons)

So yeah, while microtransactions are the wave of the future, EAs interpretation of it is disgusting.

EDIT: I cant read the article (at work) but is this typical EA where you can either unlock by beating the game OR paying, or is paying the ONLY option?

Is it any different than a company having a seperate team working on the expansion to a game before the game is released? Happens alot. Quite alot.

It's a matter of sematics as to if it's "held back" before release or not. Bethesda did the same thing [a good bit of the DLC was 'finished' and schemed before the game was released. you even have bits and pieces of some of the DLC in the base game which you can see with the CS].

If the items aren't worth the price asked, dont' pay for them. If the base game isn't worth the price asked without the DLC that's going to cost extra, then don't buy it. Simple, direct, to the point.

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

This is bullsh1t. Like the above poster said, its one thing for add-on content (Motorstorm, PAIN, Folklore, etc.) its another to intentionally withold content.

This isn't acceptable and I hope the gaming community makes a statement towards this kind of crap.

How exactly is Folklore any different? Please explain that to me, I'm trying to avoid strawmaning this so please bear with me.

[micah3766]

Not to defend EA here, as I feel they represent everything wrong with the gaming industry right now, but from my understanding the game will be a free download. You can choose to pay to unlock gear for your characters, but it will not be required. There setup is supposed to be similar to Maplestory and other games on line where you can play for free, or buy enhancments for the games.

[Evlyti]

What really matters is if these guns will give you an advantage over other players or not.

Than its on the same level as gold farming. And EA will be hitting the Gold Mine.

People are willing to pay to have the upper hand, and if said guns give you an upper hand over players who don't want to pay. Than i bet you a lot of people will be paying to unlock those guns.

I didn't read the article so this is just an opinion.

[MotionBlurr]

It takes longer to make a game than it does to make a box office movie these days so companies want to make as much money as they can. Also, vendors like GameStop are not doing the developers any favors by selling used games.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by Evlyti

What really matters is if these guns will give you an advantage over other players or not.

Than its on the same level as gold farming. And EA will be hitting the Gold Mine.

People are willing to pay to have the upper hand, and if said guns give you an upper hand over players who don't want to pay. Than i bet you a lot of people will be paying to unlock those guns.

I didn't read the article so this is just an opinion.

Pretty much you hit the concern of the article [well the legitimate concern of it imo, the other concern is the general "I Hate DLC" remarks]. Course I've gotten that for a while now with PlanetSide. Some weapons I can only use/acquire if I had certain packs. Is it really that much different from not being able to use the MBEC-3 Heavy Support Cannon without Omega Dawn?

Gold Edition has 5 bonus weapons, there are 5 more weapons after that for DLC only. The Gold Edition weapons appear to be available also as DLC.

[Blinkman987]

If players take a stand right here and refuse to buy it, I'm sure this game's marketplace model goes away for a long, long time.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Blinkman987

If players take a stand right here and refuse to buy it, I'm sure this game's marketplace model goes away for a long, long time.

I am not much of a gamer, but I was thinking the same thing. You can complain all you want, but it is a wasted effort if you spend the $$$.

[Slackr89]

dam you EA. this is why everyone hates you as a company. regardless, i wasnt going to buy battlefield anyways...but still its the principle of the matter.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

I am not much of a gamer, but I was thinking the same thing. You can complain all you want, but it is a wasted effort if you spend the $$$.

Point of Clarity : If enough other people spend the money to offset your protest.

[doctorD]

Originally Posted by micah3766

Not to defend EA here, as I feel they represent everything wrong with the gaming industry right now, but from my understanding the game will be a free download. You can choose to pay to unlock gear for your characters, but it will not be required. There setup is supposed to be similar to Maplestory and other games on line where you can play for free, or buy enhancments for the games.

I was thinking the same thing! EA has not been on my good list for a while but hey, the game is free! Oh well, I guess you can't please everyone.

[Slackr89]

woah...w8 the game is free? microtransactions wouldnt be such a bad thing if the actual game was free.

[micah3766]

I am sorry for the mistake. I was thing of the new battlefield game for pc that would be free. This one is apparently a different game. Sorry for ny confusion

[AM-MAN]

all i can say is...........bad company bad bad company :d