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EA: Gamers "enjoying and embracing" microtransactions, to be in "all of our games"
Posted: 27.02.2013 16:05 by Simon Priest Comments: 10
Wasn't 'liking' microtransactions one of the first signs of the end times? Nah, I'm sure we're fine. EA's CFO Blake Jorgensen certainly seems to think so. Apparently we consumers are "embracing" them.

EA likes 'us' liking 'it' so much that they're building it "into all" their titles moving forward - that is; the "ability to pay for things along the way," like guns, trucks and fancy cosmetic moustaches.

Getting ahead in games by flashing some real-world cash is all the rage with impatient gamers who want everything now, now, now! What has mobile gaming created?!

"The next and much bigger piece is microtransactions within games," EA's Blake J. Jorgensen said at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, trasnscribed by Seeking Alpha.

"And so to the extent that, as Rajat said, we're building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way, either to get to a higher level to buy a new character, to buy a truck, a gun, whatever it might be, and consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of the business," he continued.

"We've got to have a very strong back-end to make sure that we can operate a business like that. If you're doing microtransactions and you're processing credit cards for every one of those microtransactions, you'll get eaten alive."

"And so Rajat's team has built an amazing back-end to be able to manage that and manage it much more profitably. We've outsourced a lot of that stuff, historically. We're bringing that all in-house now."

Sounds like they're really serious about sprinkling more - much more - microtransactions into our gaming diet. The most recent title that seems out of place with these microtransactions is Dead Space 3 which lets you acquire more resources if you break out the credit or debit card, although you could spend in-game currency.
Source: PC Gamer

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Comments

By nocutius (SI Elite) on Feb 28, 2013
nocutius
Not really liking this direction but as long as these are optional only, like in the case of Dead Space, I don't mind them too much.
Of course they need to be very subtle, if a game is throwing popups in your face all the time then I'm out.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Feb 27, 2013
herodotus
What false PR. Tell gamers they enjoy doing something (even throwing away real cash), and like sheep they'll fall for the obvious bull and create something that was only hinted at before. This is what's happening here.
The end of the world is nigh.
By Jasca_Ducato (SI Core) on Feb 27, 2013
Jasca_Ducato
.........*sigh*
By CytoToxicProxy (SI Veteran Newbie) on Feb 28, 2013
CytoToxicProxy
It will only strengthen the idie developer's market place.
By Hammerjinx (SI Veteran Member) on Feb 28, 2013
Hammerjinx
Smarter and older gamers don't go in for this kind of flim flam much, but plenty of people do.

Look at iTunes. All of the top 10 grossing apps are "free". That is a metric fucktonne of in app purchases.

As I've said elsewhere, I don't have a problem with devs cashing in on idiocy and impatience, but I draw the line when the game architecture is built with unnecessary grinding and other lame tricks to encourage buying your way out. Build the game the way you want, then offer cash for cheats.

I'd never cheat, let alone pay to cheat, but my kids would totally go for that. They're kind of morons.
By noobst3R (SI Core) on Feb 28, 2013
noobst3R
Kill it with fire!
By stuntkid (SI Elite) on Feb 28, 2013
stuntkid
I wonder if games these days have cheat codes? It's fun in the case of GTA. But to charge real money for resources like in Dead Space 3 is just wrong.
By FoolWolf (SI Elite) on Feb 28, 2013
FoolWolf
Wow - EA is really working hard to get back on top of the pile-of-hated mound.
I guess that my decision not to install Origin until I have a real reason again isn't getting any closer...
By PapVogel (SI Member) on Feb 28, 2013
PapVogel
The poll needed a "I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!" option.

I never have nor will I ever spend cash in game to gain a slight advantage, or to speed up the game...game's these days are short enough as it is, most never games can be finished in 2 days. Example, i had a day off and decided i'd try DMC, i finished that in less than a day..Imagine if there'd been microtransactions so i could speed up the game...omg, i'd have finished it in minutes rather than hours...

I dunno, it's a bad development imo...probably why i support indie developers more than AAA these days..
By Kres (SI Elite) on Mar 02, 2013
Kres
I'm enjoying and embracing microtransactions! I totally love them. Did I not say.