It was announced on Monday that EA had chosen Live Gamer to handle the micro-transactions for EA’s games. Specifically, they chose the platform Elements to handle all of the different transactions in the hopes of maximizing revenue. This presents a question for many people who are pumped about Star Wars: The Old Republic, but are not looking forward to the possibility of micro-transactions. Are we going to have to pay them or can we pay a monthly fee?
According to the press release, what the Elements platform will allow EA to do is, “offer a breadth of new payment gateways, advanced virtual goods merchandising functionality, deep analytics capabilities, virtual item gifting, support for fictional (earned in-game) currencies, item storefronts, robust catalog management, cash-in flows and much more.”
This gives EA the chance to really monitor what they’re going to sell in their games and, more importantly, ensure that they are making enough money. The Old Republic obviously is costing a lot to make–five years in development, paying all of that voice talent and writers–so it’s understandable that EA wants to maximize their revenue.
But, the question that comes up is whether or not micro-transactions is the correct fashion.
What I’d like to see is a monthly subscription and then micro-transactions on top of that. Let me play the game without having to buy my gear, but if I want something special–a nifty colored lightsaber, a cosmetic added to my ship, or anything else–and I want to pay the $5.00 for it, so be it. We all know many people will do it. Just look at games put out by Zynga, the creator of Farmville. Some people spend $20-$40 a week on those games. So, people will obviously pay.
But, for many of us who don’t want to see microtransactions as a way of creating a hierarchy of “geared opponents” based on wealth, the above system works out best. But, EA is going to do what EA is going to do.
Unfortunately, what this agreement demonstrates is that EA is very serious about micro-transactions. All we have to wait for now is BioWare’s announcement about whether micro-transactions are, in fact, the payment method. I hope it’s not, but I am losing faith that my above system is the one that will be used.
What do you think? Are micro-transactions a better method or should we only have a monthly fee?
July 28, 2010
#1
Definitely a monthly fee! For the hard-core gamer or just people that play a lot, microtransactions would be a horrible expense.
July 28, 2010
#2
Yeah, it definitely would. Like I said above, I would totally be in support of some microtransactions, but not for the basis of the game. Have it be extra revenue for EA, not the base revenue. I can’t justify buying things in a game. I can justify spending a monthly fee.
July 28, 2010
#3
Micro transactions make me want to kill kittens. I am in favor of ACCOUNT LEVEL SERVICES which are different from MT’s (Toon Transfers, Class Switching, Faction Switching etc) in a vast way.
A: They provide 0 benefit
B: They provide 0 “enhancement” such as pets or posh shit.
C: They usually have a much higher price tag attached so every manny moe and jack isn’t running around buying them daily.
If they have to include some form of MT, pets, tuxedos, etc.. cosmetic only with no benefit I can tolerate. But XP potions? Boosts? Weapons and Armor that have stats? I would sooner rip my own arm off and beat a baby seal to death with it than play a game with transactions like that. Seriously. It is right now the ONLY foreseeable obstacle from me playing SWTOR – Collectors box edition (god willing they have one).
Space Flight = Could Care less
Battlegrounds =Could Care less
Balanced pvp @ launch = Could Care less
Microtransactions = DEAL BREAKER.
I will gladly pay up to $25.00 month AND pay 100.00 for a collectors editions, as long as thats all. No nickle and dimeing me to death. I will pay for expansions(with a smile) and major content increases(with joy in my heart), but no, I will never buy the sword of WTFBBQPWNSAUCE or the armor of OMGYOUGOTSERVED unless I get hit by a car and wake up utterly retarded thinking I am a living sockpuppet. And even then…maybe.
Let the money whoring stay over with Craptic @ STO. Leave Star Wars to BioWare and the fans. EA keep your money slut machine out of my game.
/1.7credit rant.
July 28, 2010
#4
Having played an MMO based on microtransactions, I have to say that this is incredibly lame. They’ll no doubt reserve the coolest looking gear for microtransactions, and make it as desirable as possible. Even if it is cosmetic, pet oriented, or deals with a home or ship, I don’t want it in the game. Whenever I’ve earned what my character is wearing, it frustrates me to see someone wearing something even cooler because they shelled out five bucks.
Also, the idea of paying real money for in-game credits is also viable. You can only imagine the problems with this. I’ll pass, as I think most other gamers will.
July 28, 2010
#5
Well, that’s where I am not sure you’re right, Cameron. Zynga Games–the master of microtransactions–makes all their money by persuading people that they need the pink tractor for their farm on farmville. Many people play for free, but those that spend do better. Personally, I hate it. But, let’s say the pink tractor did nothing more than make their farm look stupid, then I guess I’m cool with that. If I earn my outfit and someone else is wearing something cooler because they bought it, oh well. And if that means BioWare makes more money and can afford to make releases faster, all the better for me. I want EA to make as much money as possible from this game. That means we get more in the long run.
August 1, 2010
#6
Basically there are cutting out the middle man. And by middle man, I mean Chinese gold farmers.
August 1, 2010
#7
Erm. They’re. I knew something was farting in my brain.
August 1, 2010
#8
Yes and no. They’re also making it so that I have to pay for tiny little purchases rather than my monthly fee. I’d rather there be Chinese gold farmers than microtransactions.
August 7, 2010
#9
TOR should be monthly subs with only cosmetic items (if using any MT’s) Anything that gives players an advantage in-game through MT’s will not be taken likely, and may doom the game with a low turn over of players.
I don’t see anything wrong with the cosmetic side of it. New cloths, unlocking a a different faction race or something along those lines. Once MT’s give players an greater advantage they become a necessity forcing everyone who wants to have a chance in PvP shelling out hard cash.
If it goes that way and I hope they don’t, it will be the same as forcing players of a lower cash flow to take a debuff if they don’t shell out an extra $20-30 per month.
August 7, 2010
#10
I totally agree with you. Cosmetic items can be sold for microtransactions. I know many people–including myself probably–who would spend $5 for my character to have a really cool outfit. If I love the outfit, I love the outfit. But, I don’t want to spend $20 or $30 a month to get stuff or be doomed to be “weaker” than another character. Instead, let me pay $20 a month to play the game. I’d rather pay the same amount, but everyone be equal than my $20 go toward me being stronger.