EA: AN UPDATE ON STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II (No Microtransactions at launch, will return at later date in modified form)

"We're so sorry we got called out for being so greedy. Our hope was that people wouldn't notice or get offended by it. We will go back to the drawing board on how to be greedy without people minding or noticing it, and look forward to sharing our results with you."

Its all related after all its a big franchise. Disney got worried when a Highly anticipated Star Wars games getting backlashed by community. They didn't want to Hurt Star Wars fans further for greedy EA. I'm pretty sure EA and Disney've come to some negotiable terms by now.

Yes, it's all one big franchise, but Disney doesn't have any direct financial stake invested in EA or Battlefront. Disney do not own EA. As far as I am aware, Disney is not a major shareholder of EA. EA is simply an intellectual property licensee. Disney were going to get paid anyway, regardless of the backlash against Battlefront II, and it is EA who will take all of any financial repercussions that may result.

Ultimately, these businesses exist to make money, and money is the paramount, and often times only, consideration in any action they take. If Disney really did intervene in this mess, it would almost certainly be because they think it might hurt them financially in some way. With no clear evidence of that occurring yet, I can only assume it was a pre-emptive measure.

Be a little cautious. This could be a way to subvert the gambling commission investigations. Or it could be them waking up. We'll have to see in time. I'm proud of everyone involved in making a loud message. This could be just the start.

Can always count on Peter to put a negative spin on everything

@crashnburn281 said:

You're forgetting the single most hilarious line to come out of all of this:

In 2 weeks everyone will have forgotten about it. IGN will give it a 8 or 9 and idiots will buy it.

Sign petition: https://www.change.org/p/entertainment-software-rating-board-esrb-make-esrb-declare-lootboxes-as-gambling

"Our goal has always been to create the best possible game for all of you"

Starting off with a straight up lie. In what universe would including MT be about creating the "best possible game"?

"many of you feel there are still challenges in the design"

Go to love this PR-lingo lol.

"We’ve heard the concerns about potentially giving players unfair advantages."

What a weak statement. It is objectively giving unfair advantages. Own up to it!

"at a later date"

Yawn

Cool. Signing soon :)

@sancho_panz

I literally LMAO'd here. Because it is totally true.

Still, the internet remembers

@illmatic87:

Thanks man for supporting the front. Viva la resistance!

So they're still not gonna fix it? They're just gonna put this fuckery in a bit later after people have bought the game? How in the living **** is this better? It's even worse, I'd say.

They're going to "change" it into something more acceptable for players.

But let's be real here, I've read a comment from someone who works in the industry, and they said what's really going on is EA are trying to move faster than the bad PR, so that any information we have now is quickly rendered obsolete. This allows the defenders to rise up and shout down the dissenters with waves of "Oh but they're changing it now so you can stop complaining," and everybody just move on and nothing ultimately change to any significant degree. Which might still end up being the case even here.

But hey, small victories, right?

It still looks like a shit game though.

**** EA.

Their only consideration is their bottom line pushing as far as they can go, they don't care one iota about anyone else. This response is only damage control to lessen current outrage so as to maximize future profits. They're testing the waters.

@MirkoS77: Testing the waters or cutting random wires on a ticking bomb? :P

But if it doesn't sell EA conclusion is going to be, nobody likes star wars dead IP.

Yea. Considering loot boxes are bringing in hundreds of millions in profit, this will only get worse.

Damage is done

I won't be buying Battlefront or Need for Speed, eventhough I already planned to. And I will be very sceptical about future EA titles.

Battlefield 1 is one of the best games I've ever played, and I was pretty hyped to see Battlefield 2018 at first. But seeing how DICE so easily betrays fans and players for money, makes me just want to wait and see.

If Battlefield 2018s progression is anything close to Battlefront IIs, I won't be buying it.

Can't just get rid of that garbage altogether, can they? Greedy as ****.

Hopefully if they do indeed come back, they take a look at Overwatch, and make it purely cosmetic. Hell, if I pick the game up (which I might now, as I enjoyed my time with it in the trial), I'd gladly buy some cosmetic loot boxes.

Disney is doing their own damage the franchise. The Force Awakens wasn't good and it doesn't look promising for the next movie that's coming out.

1313 was the last Star Wars game I had actually been following and looking forward to since I can remember, it looked great and the alpha gameplay footage that was out there appeared to look very well done. SWToR, while the idea of it all was interesting, the game itself wasn't really on my radar. I only picked it up because a group of guys I game with really wanted to start a clan/alliance in the game when it released - that lasted about 3 months before most of them abandoned the game.

Star Wars games have been hit and miss. I really liked Jedi Knight I & II, KOTOR I & II and I thought that the Phantom Menace game was okay.....1313 looked like it could breath some life into the Star Wars franchise, but it seems Disney wasn't okay with it once they acquired ownership. They reined in everything out there in the works and pretty much axed it all - those ass faces.

EA's greed is just extra frosting on the cake of "Disney is fucking up the Star Wars franchise on their own".

It does come across as a somewhat pitiful public apology. What I read it as is Disney stepping in and taking issue with a company that is being out of line with a licensing deal, and an exclusive one at that, especially right before they are about to drop a sequel to a film which made a trillion dollars. I wouldn't be surprised if EA was threatened with some form of breech of contract.

@heirren: Man I hope so. ANYONE besides EA should have the Star Wars license.

Negative spin? Its great that they made the changes but gamers complain. And I am the one making a negative spin? I don't think you know what is a negative spin.

@todddow:

The irony of people claiming George Lucas milking the franchise VS what Disney is doing is hilarious. There's no doubt that Disney chose EA for the very reason that they could pump out as many titles as possible, along with potentially putting elements in madden, etc.

Heck perhaps I am completely wrong and disney was 100% in on the idea of micro transactions.

I don't think companies care at such a micro level. Both companies are focused on the money. When EA banks, Disney banks.

@Pedro:

Yes but the difference is the worth of the star wars name is greater than any short term gain, like what is being done here.

Do you honestly believe that this internet gamers loosing their mind silliness would have a negative effect on the Star Wars IP in other markets? I wager no. The folks on the net tend to value their stance more than it is actually worth.

@Pedro:

Considering that all media is connected these days and the games industry is bigger than the film industry, yes.

EA(or Disney?) seemed to think action had to be taken, after all.

Disney did contact EA about it

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/11/17/report-electronic-arts-backed-off-battlefront-ii-microtransactions-after-disney-put-its-foot-down.aspx?utm_content=buffer2dd42&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

This isn't the first or last paid game with microtransactions and pay to win. The first Battlefront was pay to win also from what I can tell. And, even battlefield 1 and COD WW2 have pay to win to some extent with purchasing unlocked guns and xp boosts which get you closer to unlocking guns. It's a shame, but this crap is starting to be pretty common.

Peter, gamers complained and got positive results. Why is gamers whining and pretending to be the victim even a relevant issue here? Isn't that what actually got a giant publisher like EA to delay their shitty practices? Furthermore, how does that even directly affect you as a consumer. If you were a dev/publisher, I could understand.

"If it was a specific publisher/company there would be so much praise passing around"

Again, irrelevant to the topic at hand but because I am genuinely curious, what publisher/company was given praise by gamers for having the same egregious practice?

As a consumer, I am happy that publishers are being put in the spotlight for shady practices. It's a small victory and hopefully other publishers will see the backlash and be more cautious with their implementation of lootboxes and microtransactions.