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Post by PapaCharlie9 on Dec 3, 2017 19:34:16 GMT
Be as it may, one thing Disney will protect and that is its reputation as a children's brand. Anyone soiling that brand will get the hammer. That's not the whole picture. Disney[TM] the brand is family-oriented, it's true, but The Walt Disney Company owns a lot of different brands, Marvel Entertainment, Lucasfilm and ESPN among them, and properties within those brands are not family-oriented by any stretch of the imagination. What is true across the board, however, is that Disney fiercely protects its intellectual property from piracy and unlicensed use. You'd think that a huge multinational that rakes in a gazillion dollars just for Mickey Mouse merchandise alone would not bother with the mom & pop printing unlicensed t-shirts with a download off of imgur, but think again. It's that fierce protection of IP, which translates to fierce protection of any and all revenue streams, that makes me think Disney had a hand in the whole SWBF2 debacle. I think it's inconceivable that they weren't aware of what EA was up to, and probably encouraged the predatory aspects of it.
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Post by Amirit on Dec 3, 2017 21:12:03 GMT
I mean, would you call a store owner who's selling cigarettes to smokers, or snacks to a fat person immoral? I would, actually. There is a reason these days they made special candy-free lanes in supermarkets. After all, tempting someone is a sin. Not sure if it is illegal to suggest to some poor AA fighting his bad habit an alcohol, but promoting and distributing drugs sure is. Casino-automats used to be in every shop - they are gone now and reserved for the places kids can not see for that very reason - temptation of the youngsters. The problem is (as it was mentioned several times before) - games are still kids department. Meaning, easily addicted influential inexperienced crowd with parents, that no better when it comes to popular (read - promoted by TV and internet) gifts for kids. Situation is very similar to the fight with tobacco companies. The question is, who become more experienced in that kind of fights - corporations or consumers?
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Post by midnight tea on Dec 4, 2017 1:19:04 GMT
I would, actually. There is a reason these days they made special candy-free lanes in supermarkets. After all, tempting someone is a sin. Not sure if it is illegal to suggest to some poor AA fighting his bad habit an alcohol, but promoting and distributing drugs sure is. Casino-automats used to be in every shop - they are gone now and reserved for the places kids can not see for that very reason - temptation of the youngsters. The problem is (as it was mentioned several times before) - games are still kids department. Meaning, easily addicted influential inexperienced crowd with parents, that no better when it comes to popular (read - promoted by TV and internet) gifts for kids. Situation is very similar to the fight with tobacco companies. The question is, who become more experienced in that kind of fights - corporations or consumers? *shrug*
Personally I'm very libertarian when it comes to personal choices and freedoms, so as long as it's someone's choice I don't really have a problem with it, be it drugs, cigarettes, or candy. (even if I think that it might be a terrible choice)
Well, for the most part anyway.
Morality is very personal when it comes to things like temptations of this sort, it depends whether one is religious, etc. So therefore highly subjective. That said, I can see why someone would call an act of psychological manipulation like a "skinner box" immoral, even if I see this level of immorality as something that doesn't necessarily justifies interference of the law.
There's a difference between morality and exploiting addictions or psychological tricks to try and sell us stuff, especially to those most vulnerable of us (kinds or people with some sort of mental hangups that make them a likely target). I don't necessarily think that all such actions should justify interference by law, but some of those? So long as they're legal, someone is going to exploit people for profit. We saw this happen thousands of times before.
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Post by Sanunes on Dec 4, 2017 4:48:23 GMT
Snip
There is nothing wrong with a company / individual wanting to make money,
Snip -(_ANTHEM_)-
Except from a moral/lawful point of view, imo.
EA. with BF2, has highlighted that core game design was changed for the worst, when in-game purchases are made available. Execs at public traded companies will, in fact, attempt to grow investor value. Gaming is like the Old West.... no rules or enforcement by lawful authorities. Therefore, EA has pushed the envelope by sacrificing "honest" gameplay for profits... until the consumers respond in a way that hurt profits.
Many game publishers have succumbed to the addiction of easy money via MTs. They will not give them up willingly and it is the reason most games, nowadays, are MP heavy while SP is slowly withering on the vine... at least for AAA titles.
Still, this public debacle has forced some major players to scale back (very grudgingly ) their aggressive MTs behaviour... for the time being.
Looking back, perhaps Bio + EA + other EA studios moving over to REDDIT was a serious bad move. It gave the consumers (players) some critical mass that made them an effective voice against corp. giants.
🌸
EDIT: Star Citizen is now offering a plot of land in the game for $120.00. If this is not ridiculous, I don't know what is. Star Citizen has been pretty bad since the end of their crowdfunding time. It seems there is always some item they are putting up for sale that has limited quantities and is expensive. Now I could be remembering wrong, but a year or maybe even two back they had a ship limited to 8,000 sales for $2,500 and they sold out really quickly.
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Post by PillarBiter on Dec 4, 2017 11:31:45 GMT
There's a difference between morality and exploiting addictions or psychological tricks to try and sell us stuff, especially to those most vulnerable of us (kinds or people with some sort of mental hangups that make them a likely target). I don't necessarily think that all such actions should justify interference by law, but some of those? So long as they're legal, someone is going to exploit people for profit. We saw this happen thousands of times before. On some level I agree, but it seems to me like you think that this is somehow a fairly unique situation, when in truth, as I said before, I consider it to be not TOO dissimilar *morally speaking* to other psychological tricks that are being played on us daily by marketing departments of multiple corporations who push different products on us. (the BF2 was merely a "perfect storm" of consumer awareness and bad PR for EA) You might find this an interesting read: Choice architectureThe above is just one way in which your choices are being influenced by businesses and corporations. Personally my objection to MT, LB, and all the similar shit is pragmatic in nature rather than moralistic. (for the most part anyway) I don't like being manipulated, nor do I like shitty game design that's aimed at things other than making the game a fun enjoyable experience, and if I can object to it and cause the manipulator trouble, I see no reason not to do so. I'm merely being a responsible consumer, I'm looking out for my interests in this transaction, just like EA is looking out for theirs. I tend to agree here. If I read correctly, anyway.
Egocentrical as I am: I honestly couldn't care less if people let themselves be manipulated so someone else can make a quick buck. It's all part of the lesson called life. Spent a lot of cash for something useless and it bites you in the ass? Well, learn from it. Although you can question the morality of the publisher in the first place, the consumer is still the responsible one for his/her own money. Don't victimise those who purchase loot boxes. They chose to do it themselves. However, If a game (that is to say, gameplay) is designed as such that either a significant unfair gameplay advantage is given to those who spend a lot of money, or that it's (nigh) impossible to properly play the game without spending money, THEN does it affect my own person, and ONLY THEN is outrage something that is warranted.
For the example of SWBF2, I don't play it, so I can't be outraged about it (and only really laugh at people who spend so much). For the example of MEA, well, the outrage really comes from the fact that the basic version of each gun/character isn't available without loot boxes. Other than that, I don't mind, really.
But I think we can all agree that we love to see EA get gobsmacked.
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Post by Amirit on Dec 4, 2017 11:53:38 GMT
Meantime in EA quarters: www.ea.com/news/ea-completes-acquisition-of-respawn?isLocalized=trueOn November 9, 2017 we announced an agreement to acquire Respawn Entertainment, LLC, one of the leading independent game development studio and creators of AAA shooter and action games including the critically-acclaimed Titanfall™ franchise. Today, December 1, 2017, we have completed the acquisition of Respawn on the terms previously disclosed.
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Post by Heimdall on Dec 4, 2017 13:19:23 GMT
Remember that Hawaiian legislator? It sounds like he has an issue with pay to win altogether, not just loot boxes. Definitely a gamer.
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Post by SofaJockey on Dec 4, 2017 13:37:55 GMT
EA wants to make as much money as possible = Entirely legitimate. (that's the basic premise of a corporation after all) Consumers want to play fun video games, and pay as little as possible = Entirely legitimate. To me, this is the heart of it. I don't begrudge companies trying to make money, but when the game economy makes the game less fun, that reduces my interest in playing it.
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Post by Sartoz on Dec 4, 2017 13:59:43 GMT
I honestly couldn't care less if people let themselves be manipulated so someone else can make a quick buck. It's all part of the lesson called life.
Snip
But I think we can all agree that we love to see EA get gobsmacked.
-(_ANTHEM_)-
Hmm. If by people you also include teens (13-18), then I must disagree with that viewpoint. The frontal lobes of Teens and younger are not mature and therefore easily manipulated unbeknownst to them. TSWBF2 game design was specifically made to frustrate making MTs an easy out. Stories about kids spending 2K+ dollars using daddy's credit card is a perfect example of predatory, manipulative practices of amoral company execs. Companies' rights to make money in this manner stops at this point... a reason why we have laws and rules.
As to Wilson and other EA execs getting burned... I shed no tears. 🌸
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Post by midnight tea on Dec 4, 2017 17:04:50 GMT
There's a difference between morality and exploiting addictions or psychological tricks to try and sell us stuff, especially to those most vulnerable of us (kinds or people with some sort of mental hangups that make them a likely target). I don't necessarily think that all such actions should justify interference by law, but some of those? So long as they're legal, someone is going to exploit people for profit. We saw this happen thousands of times before. On some level I agree, but it seems to me like you think that this is somehow a fairly unique situation, when in truth, as I said before, I consider it to be not TOO dissimilar *morally speaking* to other psychological tricks that are being played on us daily by marketing departments of multiple corporations who push different products on us. (the BF2 was merely a "perfect storm" of consumer awareness and bad PR for EA) Oh? And why do you think concerns about lootboxes in games have been expressed by many gambling commisions? Is it because we regulate gambling, precisely because we know what happens if it's left unchecked? I'm not sure why you're linking it, especially that many times across the thread I pointed out that none of that stuff is new or rare. But that doesn't mean that there aren't different degrees of it or lines that can't be crossed, regardless whether other businesses us psychological tricks or triggers to sell us stuff. Don't try and put equality sign between all those practices, especially that - again - not all of those practices are scrutinized for gambling, that also happen to have children it its periphery.
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Post by midnight tea on Dec 4, 2017 17:15:41 GMT
Remember that Hawaiian legislator? It sounds like he has an issue with pay to win altogether. I'm torn between being impressed by the fact that he's a gamer that obviously cares somewhat about this subject, to my apprehension about the fact that he a politician trying to influence what video games "should" be, and make them "better"... That's a slippery slope if I ever heard of one... Oh? Aren't people raging about EA and Activision and their vision of what games 'should be' or what makes them 'better'? Both these things can be a slippery slope and in fact people here and in other places fear that companies like EA and Activision will keep sliding it, and this is merely a temporary distraction.
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Just a flip of the coin.
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Post by Sanunes on Dec 4, 2017 17:59:53 GMT
I honestly couldn't care less if people let themselves be manipulated so someone else can make a quick buck. It's all part of the lesson called life.
Snip
But I think we can all agree that we love to see EA get gobsmacked.
-(_ANTHEM_)-
Hmm. If by people you also include teens (13-18), then I must disagree with that viewpoint. The frontal lobes of Teens and younger are not mature and therefore easily manipulated unbeknownst to them. TSWBF2 game design was specifically made to frustrate making MTs an easy out. Stories about kids spending 2K+ dollars using daddy's credit card is a perfect example of predatory, manipulative practices of amoral company execs. Companies' rights to make money in this manner stops at this point... a reason why we have laws and rules.
As to Wilson and other EA execs getting burned... I shed no tears. 🌸
From what I have been seeing in my little circle of people, the group of people you are talking about are already conditioned by microtransactions. As much as we want to say it is different because you are paying full price for Battlefront, they have been trained by years of cellphone games doing the exact same thing to do them and to me there isn't a difference when the predatory behavior is from a full price game or one that is free to play for both are designed to get you to spend money. If anything parents have allowed them to be conditioned for they stick a screen in front of them to keep them occupied while the adults are doing something else. That is where my problem with people being outraged now at Battlefront is for kids have been preyed upon for years with the behavior of developers of cellphone games that make bright shiny experiences that will suddenly stop unless you insert a credit card and kids have spent thousands of dollars on those games so when they see Battlefront they don't see a problem since they expect that already.
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Post by midnight tea on Dec 4, 2017 19:49:46 GMT
Oh? And why do you think concerns about lootboxes in games have been expressed by many gambling commisions? Is it because we regulate gambling, precisely because we know what happens if it's left unchecked? The point is, that once you know that marketing is rife with psychological manipulation, MT don't feel like a particularly special case. As for whether it should be regulated or not, well, I'm not the one who's going to decide that, but I'm not sure it would be a great idea. We'll see. a. This isn't about microtransactions per se, but how they're being done. b. Marketing being rife with psychological manipulation doesn't excuse egregious malpractices. That's like saying that because there are still components in paint that may not be good for our health means that lead in paint ain't as much of a big deal. That's not how it works. There are questionable practices and then there's crossing the line. Spoilered for length: Wasn't I the one that pointed out that these tactics have been with us since the inception of Star War franchise as a whole? What baffles me is that you continually think that I'm in the dark about this or that I hypocritically agree to them somewhere else, regardless how many times I say that this is not new to me, or I point out that there are problems there too, and we should address them.
Depending in which country you live - we do. If the government regulations are the main thing that deters gaming companies from turning games into exactly what most gamers don't want to see, I don't see reasons to object. Let's not forget that it's not the outrage that made EA/Disney reconsider their tactic, but rumblings from legislative bodies across different countries alarmed by media coverage. At this point we don't have an issue of government overreach, but corporations taking products like games to problematic places. A lot of times negotiations go in favor of consumers only when government butts in and resolves things in their favor. You can find many such examples across history (including lead paint, poison in medicine or radioactive clocks), or even what I mentioned above.
So far the slippery slope we have to deal with is business decisions, not government regulations. You're making a big mistake in thinking that this is a one-sided thing. Someone is making decisions either way, and thinking that huge profit-oriented businesses are on your side more than (well-functioning) government... well, that's just super-naive. Oh? So we don't have problems with game companies deciding that 'this doesn't sell well', for example? Or this "shouldn't have XYZ" because they want to sell it to this or that target audience? Weird, last time I checked, people were grumping against such behavior, instead of some vague threat of 'authoritarian governmental asshole'. If things go as they do, soon you won't be able to ignore them or buy games that won't have them. Your money won't matter, because they'll have thousands others willing to pay. What will you do then?
This is pretty much what happened with movie industry. People in US were getting bored with mediocre blockbusters, so instead of addressing the problem and improving their products, companies began looking for audience on foreign markets, especially Chinese one.
Still, like I said before - this is not about MTs per se. This is about how they're done, and there's enough room there for them to be present, while at the same time not being so predatory and our legislative bodies can help with this.
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Post by Sartoz on Dec 4, 2017 22:31:04 GMT
-(_ANTHEM_)-
Game awards for 2017 are coming out soon (Dec 7 ?).
Bet there is one game both Disney and EA want to see nominated if not win something. It would be interesting to know if BF2 was in the list, then pulled after the p2w-loot-box disaster came to light. 🌸
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Post by PillarBiter on Dec 5, 2017 7:27:33 GMT
I honestly couldn't care less if people let themselves be manipulated so someone else can make a quick buck. It's all part of the lesson called life.
Snip
But I think we can all agree that we love to see EA get gobsmacked.
-(_ANTHEM_)-
Hmm. If by people you also include teens (13-18), then I must disagree with that viewpoint. The frontal lobes of Teens and younger are not mature and therefore easily manipulated unbeknownst to them. TSWBF2 game design was specifically made to frustrate making MTs an easy out. Stories about kids spending 2K+ dollars using daddy's credit card is a perfect example of predatory, manipulative practices of amoral company execs. Companies' rights to make money in this manner stops at this point... a reason why we have laws and rules.
As to Wilson and other EA execs getting burned... I shed no tears. 🌸
I know my viewpoint can over as harsh but... there's a thing called parenting? If the parents would follow their chioldren's interests more closely and explain to them why they should or shouldn't buy extra lootboxes, then they'd follow (also, on a bit of a tangent but who the heck gets their fathers credit card without a limit, seriously?).
My general overall point is (without trying to come off as abrasive, mind) that you can't fully lay the blame with the designers of lootboxes, as every person spending money has a choice to spend his or her money as they like (unless they're mentally ill, but I doubt you can return a profit just out of solely selling lootboxes to mentally ill gamers). The consumer has more power than he thinks, but chooses to spend extra cash.
Victimizing the customers isn't helping, we need to inform them. And this was done well for SWBF2. There was a gargantuan never-before-seen information cloud surrounding that game. And it worked! By jove did it work. And the only people still spending money were unawares of this, or people who actually WANT to spend money.
The only point remaining then, is the designers making the game as such that it's unplayable without spending money. And that's where my rage starts (if it were a game I care about, mind).
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Post by Gandalf the Fabulous on Dec 5, 2017 8:53:45 GMT
-(_ANTHEM_)-
Hmm. If by people you also include teens (13-18), then I must disagree with that viewpoint. The frontal lobes of Teens and younger are not mature and therefore easily manipulated unbeknownst to them. TSWBF2 game design was specifically made to frustrate making MTs an easy out. Stories about kids spending 2K+ dollars using daddy's credit card is a perfect example of predatory, manipulative practices of amoral company execs. Companies' rights to make money in this manner stops at this point... a reason why we have laws and rules.
As to Wilson and other EA execs getting burned... I shed no tears. 🌸
I know my viewpoint can over as harsh but... there's a thing called parenting? If the parents would follow their chioldren's interests more closely and explain to them why they should or shouldn't buy extra lootboxes, then they'd follow (also, on a bit of a tangent but who the heck gets their fathers credit card without a limit, seriously?).
My general overall point is (without trying to come off as abrasive, mind) that you can't fully lay the blame with the designers of lootboxes, as every person spending money has a choice to spend his or her money as they like (unless they're mentally ill, but I doubt you can return a profit just out of solely selling lootboxes to mentally ill gamers). The consumer has more power than he thinks, but chooses to spend extra cash.
Victimizing the customers isn't helping, we need to inform them. And this was done well for SWBF2. There was a gargantuan never-before-seen information cloud surrounding that game. And it worked! By jove did it work. And the only people still spending money were unawares of this, or people who actually WANT to spend money.
The only point remaining then, is the designers making the game as such that it's unplayable without spending money. And that's where my rage starts (if it were a game I care about, mind).
To a certain degree I do have to agree with this, as much as I think Lootboxes and microtransactions are a shitty practice and want gone from the game industry I do have to admit that part of the blame lies at the feet of those who enable such practices by spending their money on them, and honestly those under the age of 18 really should not have access to a credit card.
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Just a flip of the coin.
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Post by Sanunes on Dec 5, 2017 13:03:13 GMT
-(_ANTHEM_)-
Hmm. If by people you also include teens (13-18), then I must disagree with that viewpoint. The frontal lobes of Teens and younger are not mature and therefore easily manipulated unbeknownst to them. TSWBF2 game design was specifically made to frustrate making MTs an easy out. Stories about kids spending 2K+ dollars using daddy's credit card is a perfect example of predatory, manipulative practices of amoral company execs. Companies' rights to make money in this manner stops at this point... a reason why we have laws and rules.
As to Wilson and other EA execs getting burned... I shed no tears. 🌸
I know my viewpoint can over as harsh but... there's a thing called parenting? If the parents would follow their chioldren's interests more closely and explain to them why they should or shouldn't buy extra lootboxes, then they'd follow (also, on a bit of a tangent but who the heck gets their fathers credit card without a limit, seriously?).
My general overall point is (without trying to come off as abrasive, mind) that you can't fully lay the blame with the designers of lootboxes, as every person spending money has a choice to spend his or her money as they like (unless they're mentally ill, but I doubt you can return a profit just out of solely selling lootboxes to mentally ill gamers). The consumer has more power than he thinks, but chooses to spend extra cash.
Victimizing the customers isn't helping, we need to inform them. And this was done well for SWBF2. There was a gargantuan never-before-seen information cloud surrounding that game. And it worked! By jove did it work. And the only people still spending money were unawares of this, or people who actually WANT to spend money.
The only point remaining then, is the designers making the game as such that it's unplayable without spending money. And that's where my rage starts (if it were a game I care about, mind).
Right now it seems the people want everyone to protect them and their children from themselves. I got yelled at the other day when I was in a mall because a kid ran into me from behind, but the mother felt it was my responsibility that their kid ran into me and then fell onto the floor because she was too busy texting on her phone to bother paying attention to what her kid was doing. A few months back I saw a person watching something on their phone with earplugs in crossing the street without even bothering to stop and look first. I see that behavior more and more and now government agencies feel that is their responsibility to protect those people while making everyone else be responsible for people's tendency for Darwinisms.
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Post by PillarBiter on Dec 5, 2017 14:14:30 GMT
I know my viewpoint can over as harsh but... there's a thing called parenting? If the parents would follow their chioldren's interests more closely and explain to them why they should or shouldn't buy extra lootboxes, then they'd follow (also, on a bit of a tangent but who the heck gets their fathers credit card without a limit, seriously?).
My general overall point is (without trying to come off as abrasive, mind) that you can't fully lay the blame with the designers of lootboxes, as every person spending money has a choice to spend his or her money as they like (unless they're mentally ill, but I doubt you can return a profit just out of solely selling lootboxes to mentally ill gamers). The consumer has more power than he thinks, but chooses to spend extra cash.
Victimizing the customers isn't helping, we need to inform them. And this was done well for SWBF2. There was a gargantuan never-before-seen information cloud surrounding that game. And it worked! By jove did it work. And the only people still spending money were unawares of this, or people who actually WANT to spend money.
The only point remaining then, is the designers making the game as such that it's unplayable without spending money. And that's where my rage starts (if it were a game I care about, mind).
Right now it seems the people want everyone to protect them and their children from themselves. I got yelled at the other day when I was in a mall because a kid ran into me from behind, but the mother felt it was my responsibility that their kid ran into me and then fell onto the floor because she was too busy texting on her phone to bother paying attention to what her kid was doing. A few months back I saw a person watching something on their phone with earplugs in crossing the street without even bothering to stop and look first. I see that behavior more and more and now government agencies feel that is their responsibility to protect those people while making everyone else be responsible for people's tendency for Darwinisms. I am not american, but I still find the message: "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" a statement to ponder.
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Post by Sartoz on Dec 5, 2017 18:46:47 GMT
-(_ANTHEM_)-
Quinlan and Lee have approached Attorney General Doug Chin for an official opinion, and await his answer.
Lee, if you recall, did a couple of videos about EA's loot boxes. Both believe the loot box mechanics are close to gambling because of the psychology and the way addiction and reward works.
🌸
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Heimdall
N6
∯ Interjector in Chief
Staff Mini-Profile Theme: Heimdall
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, Anthem, Mass Effect Legendary Edition
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Post by Heimdall on Dec 6, 2017 15:02:10 GMT
www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/ea-may-not-bring-loot-boxes-back-to-battlefront-ii-w513439EA says they may not put microtransactions back into Battlefront 2 Also reveals some Ultimate Team statistics. 70%+ FIFA players use Ultimate Team. Of those players, 35% purchase packs with real money. Ultimate Team is a bigger source of revenue for EA than the sales of FIFA itself. That kind of player/payer ratio is quite rare outside of Sports games though. Warframe apparently has 30% player/payer rate.
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Heimdall
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∯ Interjector in Chief
Staff Mini-Profile Theme: Heimdall
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, Anthem, Mass Effect Legendary Edition
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Post by Heimdall on Dec 6, 2017 18:32:43 GMT
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Post by fiannawolf on Dec 6, 2017 19:43:12 GMT
Things are not looking good. Esp loosing more vet devs.
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Heimdall
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∯ Interjector in Chief
Staff Mini-Profile Theme: Heimdall
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Origin: HeimdallX
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Post by Heimdall on Dec 6, 2017 20:03:49 GMT
Things are not looking good. Esp loosing more vet devs. Bullshit Anthem has lost precisely one lead dev that i know of. I also think he’s conflating the internal test thing with the reports of Mass Effect Andromeda not testing well internally before release, because I can’t find any information like that about Anthem. The loot box concern is something to be worried about, but most of this video is poorly researched and alarmist.
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Post by fiannawolf on Dec 6, 2017 20:08:12 GMT
I still think it doesn't bode well for Anthem. But then again, Bioware isn't the same company it was in the DA:O or ME1 days.
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Heimdall
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Post by Heimdall on Dec 6, 2017 20:20:05 GMT
I still think it doesn't bode well for Anthem. But then again, Bioware isn't the same company it was in the DA:O or ME1 days. i don’t think it bodes one way or another. Anthem lost somebody who had previously left the industry only to come back. I think it’s quite likely his reasons were personal, much like Gaider’s publicized reasons for leaving. I’ve never given much stock to this “not the same company” sentiment. Bioware wasn’t the same company when they produced DAI either, yet they still managed to release a popular and critically acclaimed game. Some old blood may leave, but they aren’t altogether irreplaceable. Flynn is gone, but we have Casey now. Gaider departed, but Weekes is still here and Karpyshyn is on Anthem. Laidlaw’s replacement has been on the franchise for some time, I hear. Anthem isn’t hemorrhaging devs and even this loot box issue is a concern about what might happen rather than something we actually see evidence will be a problem. So I see no reason to think Anthem is in trouble at this time.
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