EA now selling in-game money on Marketplace

[flyinj]

http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2....aspx#comments

Name: In-Game Money - $50K
Available in: All regions
Price: 40 Points
Dash Details: Add $50,000 to your game portfolio. It’s not a fortune, but it’s nothing to shake a stick at either. The money will be added directly to your in-game bankroll once you return to gameplay. This is a one-time offer; it cannot be purchased multiple times.

Name: In-Game Money - $100K
Available in: All regions
Price: 75 Points
Dash Details: Fatten your wallet with $100K. Maybe that’ll help you on your way to buying that new Tommy gun you’ve had your eye on. The money will be added directly to your in-game bankroll once you return to gameplay. This is a one-time offer; it cannot be purchased multiple times.

Seriously, how can you go any lower than this? The only thing I can possibly think of is:

Buy Need For Speed Carbunderground 5. Put in Xbox. EA logo shows up. Panel appears with "Would you like to play NFS:CU? 300 points". Then every car, part, race and brightness change could have an associated cost.

"It's all about giving players options!"

Edit: I don't know which is worse... selling money, or selling this:

Name: Level 4 Weapon Bundle
Available in: All regions
Price: 400 Points
Dash Details: Get the ability to buy five of the most powerful weapons in the game. You still have to buy the weapons separately in-game from arms dealers, but if you do, you’ll have one of the most feared arsenals in the mob world. Check the individual weapon descriptions for arms dealer locations.

[delirium]

This is just an extension of the selling Tiger Woods cheat codes. Pretty much all of the points and counterpoints made in that thread apply to this too. If people want to pay for this stuff, they will. I don't really use cheats in games anyway, so it doesn't affect me very much.

[Stroker Ace]

I think it would be awesome if there were embarassing Achievements associated with buying in-game stuff :D

[Jancelot]

After playing Tiger Woods and finding out how ridiculously easy it is to unlock the courses and players I'm much less concerned about it. I'm still not a fan of it, but at least my gameplay isn't hindered without them.

[eliandi]

Originally Posted by Jancelot

After playing Tiger Woods and finding out how ridiculously easy it is to unlock the courses and players I'm much less concerned about it. I'm still not a fan of it, but at least my gameplay isn't hindered without them.

But that is one game, and not predictive of what the future holds. Game difficulty might become tied up into the sales plan, and then what?

[Moore]

I have the godfather, and I think this is different (and worse) than the Tiger thing. In tiger, you can unlock that shit. In godfather, you go to the little guy to buy these weapons and you get a marketplace blade and an error (I'm assuming now you get to buy them, prior to this, you got an error)

You cant (afaik) get these guns any other way.

That said, they do have 3 new missions on there, so thats nice. The game is pretty nice (but ugly as fuck), I thought it'd stink but bought after a rental. Huge NYC, nice brawling system and extortion and all that works in a neat way (you have to get the shop owners to a breaking point, without making them insanely distraught to where they get so pissed they dont care if you kill them)

[flyinj]

Here's a "debate" that aired on G4 asking Major Nelson how he feels about the current situation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGr1RSHbYxk&eurl=

The term "it's all about choice" is really starting to be their fallback talking point. Taking features out that were free in one SKU of a game, charging $10 more for the game, then charging even more money for the features you purposefully took out is somehow construed as "giving the player choice".

[RickH]

No, you see, it's all about EA's choice to screw you for some micropayments.

Of course, once you're loosened up, they'll be bigger than "micro."

[Talisker]

Originally Posted by flyinj

Taking features out that were free in one SKU of a game, charging $10 more for the game, then charging even more money for the features you purposefully took out is somehow construed as "giving the player choice".

Well, you still have the choice not to buy it.

[Quaro]

Can't wait for the first shooter that sells ammunition. Plasma Rockets -- now only 10 cents!

[stusser]

Err, what did you think micropayments were about? Why is this surprising? Sure it sucks, but I mean, micropayments are supposed to suck. They're not supposed to improve gameplay, they exist to add another revenue stream to gaming. If that bothers you, get the PC version, I'm sure they'll be hacked in soon enough just like the oblivion addons.

[Aleck]

Originally Posted by Stroker Ace

I think it would be awesome if there were embarassing Achievements associated with buying in-game stuff :D

i'm all about this.

ACHIEVEMENT: UNLOCKED THE ARSENAL. Was too much of a pansy to beat the game, so this achievement was bought.

[Thrag]

Hey, maybe we can get the guy in the BF2142 thread who is arguing that in game advertising makes games "EVEN BETTER" to politely explain to us how we are all stupid and people smarter than us have decided that paying more for things also makes games "EVEN BETTER".

[cliffski]

Originally Posted by Quaro

Can't wait for the first shooter that sells ammunition. Plasma Rockets -- now only 10 cents!

not impossible. Back in the arcade days before home vidoe games, I paid 10p per play of space invaders. Would I pay 10p for each game of Company Of heroes?
yes I would. If the main game was free. In fact that would be brilliant, because it minimises the risk of investment in an unknown game. When people make a hit (like counterstrike) they would be massively rewarded. A game that was all hype and totally crap would earn a pittance. As a gamer, I would much prefer a minimal pay-per-play approach to all games.

methinks EA would prefer the up front cash AND the pay per play though. This vexes me with regards to MMOs. They could EASILY have free clients and charge per hour logged-in, maybe capped at $20 a month. I don't see why they don't offer this.

[Reldan]

Maybe EA should start selling Gamerscore boosters via microtransactions.

[Hanacker]

Originally Posted by eliandi

But that is one game, and not predictive of what the future holds. Game difficulty might become tied up into the sales plan, and then what?

I can't tell if people are sarcastic or serious anymore.

[Union Carbide]

Originally Posted by cliffski

I don't see why they don't offer this.

If you don't offer your product for sale, you can't get in retail stores.

If you price your brand new product for significantly less than similar products, it is perceived to be worth less than the other products.

[Jason Cross]

Originally Posted by flyinj

Seriously, how can you go any lower than this? The only thing I can possibly think of is:

Buy Need For Speed Carbunderground 5. Put in Xbox. EA logo shows up. Panel appears with "Would you like to play NFS:CU? 300 points". Then every car, part, race and brightness change could have an associated cost.

Oh, just like Gran Turismo 4 HD! ;)

I'm not sure I have a problem with EA offering these kinds of shortcuts for points, again with some caveats.

If there are things in the game that are almost impossible to afford without buying money for points, then this is complete bullshit. If it's possible, and reasonable, to earn that kind of in-game money with regular gameplay, then no harm done. They're saying you can shortcut your way for a few bucks, and that's not so bad. Not worse than Prima selling a strategy guide, y'know?

The problem I have is when this kind of thing gets built into the design from the get-go, such that you can't really do well in the game without buying the micro-transaction stuff. Once they start making games where acquiring something super cool (the best car, the best hideout, really cool gear) is in the game but damn near impossible to get without superhuman skills and a rediculous amount of free time, but hey, you can buy it for only $5 more...that's going to be a dark day. And we're clearly on the slipperly slope there with EA titles.

(I haven't played The Godfather on 360 so for all I know, it's already like that. Is it possible to get this kind of money through normal and reasonable regular play, and is this kind of money required to get the best/most fun stuff in the game?)

Originally Posted by cliffski

This vexes me with regards to MMOs. They could EASILY have free clients and charge per hour logged-in, maybe capped at $20 a month. I don't see why they don't offer this.

This is the common practice in China and Korea. Most players don't buy the game, but they pay a fairly low hourly rate (and I'm not sure there's even a cap on it). Some of the popular games sell equipment and items via microtransations, too.

Originally Posted by Union Carbide

If you don't offer your product for sale, you can't get in retail stores.

My local EB, and I'm sure many other stores, has a huge stack of WoW 2-week trial DVDs for $1.99.
http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=646746

That's the whole game on there. So there's no reason you can't be, if not "free," then really ridiculously cheap.

[RobotPants]

I don't understand why it's so terrible that they're letting people pay to cheat. It's not as if they're saying you have to pay real money to have ANY money to use in the game.

[flyinj]

Originally Posted by Jason Cross

If there are things in the game that are almost impossible to afford without buying money for points, then this is complete bullshit. If it's possible, and reasonable, to earn that kind of in-game money with regular gameplay, then no harm done. They're saying you can shortcut your way for a few bucks, and that's not so bad. Not worse than Prima selling a strategy guide, y'know?

It is impossible to get the Tier 4 weapons in The Godfather without paying 400 MS points. There is one other thing that is fairly expensive that you can only get through giving money to EA (edit: it's the highest-rated party members. You have to pay another 400 I believe to unlock the highest-level thugs to follow you around).

[stusser]

Originally Posted by RobotPants

I don't understand why it's so terrible that they're letting people pay to cheat.

Let me put it in kingergarten terms for you, since that is obviously required.

Lets say you go out to a nice italian restaurant called Rillo's with your honeybunny. You've been going to this restaurant for years, so you know the menu like the back of your hand. Without even looking at the menu, you order a beautiful spread, a little cold antipasto, some chianti, pappardelle al funghi for the pasta course, and lobster fra diavolo with angelhair for the main course. For dessert, you and your sweetie share a piece of rum cake. She gets a decaf cappuchino, you get a frangelico and a double shot of espresso. The meal is reasonably priced. It isn't cheap, but you're not complaining. It's good, it's worth it.

But when the antipasto arrives, you discover that Rillo's doesn't give out dinner rolls any more. They want to charge $5.95 for a basket of dinner rolls, which had always been complimentary! Not only that, but dinner rolls are complimentary at every other italian restaurant in town, many of which also offer very tasty food at the same reasonable prices. Why should you have to pay extra for dinner rolls now, when they had always been free? And more importantly, if Rillo's charges for dinner rolls and customers pay for them, might not the other restaurants catch on and start charging for dinner rolls too? Golly, that would suck, wouldn't it?

Is this analogy sufficiently simple, or should I take out the coloring book and crayons?

[Ben]

It is impossible to get the Tier 4 weapons in The Godfather without paying 400 MS points.

There were no Tier 4 weapons in the other versions of The Godfather. It's new content, just like the levels.

Also, you earn money in the Godfather every week. You can just leave the console on overnight if you want money.

[flyinj]

Originally Posted by Ben

There were no Tier 4 weapons in the other versions of The Godfather. It's new content, just like the levels.

Also, you earn money in the Godfather every week. You can just leave the console on overnight if you want money.

The Tier 4 weapons are on the game when you buy it, but you have to pay EA to use them. Not sure about the beefed out hired thugs... if they are available through playing, or they are only available to those who pay.

On the xbox Godfather game, you just put in a code for more money. 360 version, you pay them for new money. Feature removed from 360 version to create microtransaction.

Or, you could just leave the console on for 48 hours straight and accumulate the money. I could also run in a hamster wheel instead of paying the power bill.

[chet]

Originally Posted by flyinj

The Tier 4 weapons are on the game when you buy it, but you have to pay EA to use them. Not sure about the beefed out hired thugs... if they are available through playing, or they are only available to those who pay.

On the xbox Godfather game, you just put in a code for more money. 360 version, you pay them for new money. Feature removed from 360 version to create microtransaction.

Or, you could just leave the console on for 48 hours straight and accumulate the money. I could also run in a hamster wheel instead of paying the power bill.

Wait, I am confused. You can buy these outside of buying them from the marketplace or not? Is it in the realm of possibilities of happening without ever going to the marketplace or not?

Because flyinj, you keep contradicting yourself.

Chet

[flyinj]

Originally Posted by chet

Wait, I am confused. You can buy these outside of buying them from the marketplace or not? Is it in the realm of possibilities of happening without ever going to the marketplace or not?

Because flyinj, you keep contradicting yourself.

Chet

You purchase Godfather 360. It has the Tier 4 weapons on the disc. EA wanted to charge for using said weapons, and made a vendor inside the game to sell them. You go up to the vendor in the game, and an Live blade slides out asking if you want to purchase the right to buy Tier 4 weapons. If you say no, you can't buy the Tier 4 weapons ever. If you pay the 400 points, you can then buy Tier 4 weapons in the game. You then have to spend a large sum of in-game currency to purchase the weapons. Spending the 400 points just allows you to buy them at all. Luckily, you can also buy in-game money from EA as well, so you don't have to actually earn it in the game if you don't want to.

Same thing with the highest-muscle thugs. You walk up to a high-muscle thug in-game, and a Live blade slides out asking if you want to pay MS points to hire high-muscle thugs. If you say yes, it will then allow you to hire them. If you say no, you can't. However- I'm not entirely sure whether or not you can hire the same class high-muscle thug from just playing the game.

The ability to get "free" money in the game was a code you pecked in on the regular Xbox. EA took this functionality out of the 360 version, and now makes you pay real money to use the same functionality that was free in the Xbox version.

[HRose]

Originally Posted by cliffski

Back in the arcade days before home vidoe games, I paid 10p per play of space invaders. Would I pay 10p for each game of Company Of heroes?
yes I would. If the main game was free. In fact that would be brilliant, because it minimises the risk of investment in an unknown game.

If they were trying to lower the prices to the customers I could understand. But they aren't trying to do that.

They are trying to make you pay MORE, not less. That's the whole point behind micropayments. Create and exploit new desires.

The "demand" isn't there. The demand is created. Then exploited.

And I love when they'll impose this on Mythic. I'll simply LOVE all the spinning that is awaiting Mark Jacobs. So love it.

[Jason Cross]

Originally Posted by flyinj

It is impossible to get the Tier 4 weapons in The Godfather without paying 400 MS points. There is one other thing that is fairly expensive that you can only get through giving money to EA (edit: it's the highest-rated party members. You have to pay another 400 I believe to unlock the highest-level thugs to follow you around).

Are these in the game in the other SKUs, or are they extras only available on the 360? If the PS2/PC versions have them (and for free), then BAD EA! BAD!

[Jason Cross]

Originally Posted by stusser

Is this analogy sufficiently simple, or should I take out the coloring book and crayons?

Where your analogy breaks down (and by the way, kindergarten kids don't use so much Italian) is that The Godfather apparently does not have Tier 4 weapons or thugs in the other SKUs, according to this thread.

So it would be more like you went to this restaurant you've gone to all along, and they never had dinner rolls in the past at all. Not complimentary, not for sale. And now this time when you go to Rillo's, the waiter asks you if you want dinner rolls for $5.95.

[Athryn]

This brings to mind EQ2's station exchange servers, where you can buy in game items directly from Sony. They have a particular following, but they haven't exactly take off like gangbusters.

I think that sort of thing is ok if it's confined to special servers, but it becomes unbalancing and very unfun when you mix it in with regular joes.

[stusser]

He asked why people were upset about being forced to pay to cheat. The money cheatcodes (subject of the thread) are in other SKUs. So the analogy holds.

Sony does not create and sell resources on the station exchange. It just facilitates players buying and selling from each other.