EA Removes Paid Loot Boxes & Introduces New Progression System - Star Wars: Battlefront II - MMORPG.

SBFord

EA Removes Paid Loot Boxes & Introduces New Progression System - Star Wars: Battlefront II - MMORPG.com

Star Wars: Battlefront II News - After the hue and cry over the "pay to win" nature of the Star Wars Battlefront 2 loot boxes late last year, EA has had to rethink its strategy going forward. In a new blog post on the game's official site, developers lay out the details of the new "progression system" coming on March 21st. Of particular note is the fact that loot boxes will no longer be sold and Star Cards will be earned in-game only.

Read the full story here

Hashbrick

They must really have been hit in the pocket books to backpedal so fast on this. Normally EA is stubborn and will just continue no matter the hate and outcry.

SBFord

Hashbrick said:

They must really have been hit in the pocket books to backpedal so fast on this. Normally EA is stubborn and will just continue no matter the hate and outcry.

While technically a "small" hit, the company lost $3B in one quarter directly due to the loot box problem.

kitarad

That's better cosmetics is fine.

Albatroes

I know most people reading this are thinking to themselves, "Maybe there is hope for Anthem after all!" I feel sorry for them.

MaxBacon

SBFord said:

Hashbrick said:

They must really have been hit in the pocket books to backpedal so fast on this. Normally EA is stubborn and will just continue no matter the hate and outcry.

While technically a "small" hit, the company lost $3B in one quarter directly due to the loot box problem.

I wouldn't say they properly lost it, this is the investor deal, they recover the money anyway, but I don't think the feedback was the only driver of a decision as such.

The fact is, we are seeing lawmakers moving on to trying to regulate loot boxes as gambling, and with that going on it would become a nightmare for a company like EA to have to comply with things such as the proposed age increase to 21 to play games with lootboxes and so, it may be getting to the point the negative impact and the regulation of such practice in sight will make it not worth it.

Aeander

Never forget the original intent. Don't reward them just for walking back on their bullshit. Attempted transgressions require penalties.

Coolit

Aeander said:

Never forget the original intent. Don't reward them just for walking back on their bullshit. Attempted transgressions require penalties.

Exactly and lets not forget that loot boxes are still there, they haven't went anywhere.

Scot

Aeander said:

Never forget the original intent. Don't reward them just for walking back on their bullshit. Attempted transgressions require penalties.

No, coming to your senses requires reward. But I do think it also means we need to keep a close eye on them, but for so many of us that was the case even before this happened.

I have always taken the view that you take each game on its own merits, but with the realisation that we can not know what a game will be like a couple of months down the line. It is that later part where the companies reputation comes into play.

Aeander

Scot said:

Aeander said:

Never forget the original intent. Don't reward them just for walking back on their bullshit. Attempted transgressions require penalties.

No, coming to your senses requires reward. But I do think it also means we need to keep a close eye on them, but for so many of us that was the case even before this happened.

I have always taken the view that you take each game on its own merits, but with the realisation that we can not know what a game will be like a couple of months down the line. It is that later part where the companies reputation comes into play.

Coming to your senses for future titles requires a reward.

If they are able to do as they wish, dial it back to "outdate the controversy," and still achieve comparable sales figures to if they had released without controversy in the first place, then no lessons are learned. If anything, it is dangerous to reward a case like this. Taking large leaps forward and then slightly dialing back when faced with controversy is how the industry as a whole gets consumers to accept more as normal.

Iselin

For a moment there I thought It'd be fun to go back to those old threads with people saying the "butthurt" wouldn't amount to much or change anything... not worth the effort though.

No matter how much spin they put on this they got some serious and well deserved egg on their face. And it looks good on them.

LilithM

I bought the game, got bored in multiplayer and decided that maybe I will solo stuff since I just find that more fun. But I guess it's useless now considering you don't get anything that way. Thus me buying it in the first place was a complete waste of money. They should remove any ability to solo anything in the game except the campaign, there's no point with the single player part anyway.

Kyleran

LilithM said:

I bought the game, got bored in multiplayer and decided that maybe I will solo stuff since I just find that more fun. But I guess it's useless now considering you don't get anything that way. Thus me buying it in the first place was a complete waste of money. They should remove any ability to solo anything in the game except the campaign, there's no point with the single player part anyway.

Some might argue what you should receive from solo play is having "fun," but I get your point.

Scorchien

Iselin said:

For a moment there I thought It'd be fun to go back to those old threads with people saying the "butthurt" wouldn't amount to much or change anything... not worth the effort though.

No matter how much spin they put on this they got some serious and well deserved egg on their face. And it looks good on them.

yea but , they just wipe that egg off with thousand dollar bills and move on .. no harm no foul .. business is business

Sovrath

Scot said:

Aeander said:

Never forget the original intent. Don't reward them just for walking back on their bullshit. Attempted transgressions require penalties.

No, coming to your senses requires reward. But I do think it also means we need to keep a close eye on them, but for so many of us that was the case even before this happened.

I have always taken the view that you take each game on its own merits, but with the realisation that we can not know what a game will be like a couple of months down the line. It is that later part where the companies reputation comes into play.

Pretty much this.

CrazKanuk

SBFord said:

Hashbrick said:

They must really have been hit in the pocket books to backpedal so fast on this. Normally EA is stubborn and will just continue no matter the hate and outcry.

While technically a "small" hit, the company lost $3B in one quarter directly due to the loot box problem.

I think that's wrong? Do you mean $3B in value? That's not physical loss of money. Actually, if you look at their current financials published in January, their revenues and profits are still up year-over-year. Also, their stock price is currently the highest it's ever been. I really don't think there were any "hits". Maybe a bullet dodged? 

Scorchien

CrazKanuk said:

SBFord said:

Hashbrick said:

They must really have been hit in the pocket books to backpedal so fast on this. Normally EA is stubborn and will just continue no matter the hate and outcry.

While technically a "small" hit, the company lost $3B in one quarter directly due to the loot box problem.

I think that's wrong? Do you mean $3B in value? That's not physical loss of money. Actually, if you look at their current financials published in January, their revenues and profits are still up year-over-year. Also, their stock price is currently the highest it's ever been. I really don't think there were any "hits". Maybe a bullet dodged? 

     As i said when the news broke(on this site) hours before launch and the internet rage poured over its rim , as an EA investor i did not even blink , this was barley a speed bump .. It still sold 10 million copies and will sell more ..
 By the time they release SWBF3 2 will have sold 15 mill or more copies , all is good in EA land folks
  

MaxBacon

Scorchien said:
     As i said when the news broke(on this site) hours before launch and the internet rage poured over its rim , as an EA investor i did not even blink , this was barley a speed bump .. It still sold 10 million copies and will sell more .. 

 By the time they release SWBF3 2 will have sold 15 mill or more copies , all is good in EA land folks    

It is really how it works, it happened, all on rage, there is that fluctuation, it recovers, and it's like it didn't happen.

But with the whole regulation insight it would be expectable EA may just go another route on revenue generation with future games, and they already do that so often idk why they needed loot boxes, if anything they can just do that with the mobile titles and dodge the internet rage.

CrazKanuk

Scorchien said:

CrazKanuk said:

SBFord said:

Hashbrick said:

They must really have been hit in the pocket books to backpedal so fast on this. Normally EA is stubborn and will just continue no matter the hate and outcry.

While technically a "small" hit, the company lost $3B in one quarter directly due to the loot box problem.

I think that's wrong? Do you mean $3B in value? That's not physical loss of money. Actually, if you look at their current financials published in January, their revenues and profits are still up year-over-year. Also, their stock price is currently the highest it's ever been. I really don't think there were any "hits". Maybe a bullet dodged? 

     As i said when the news broke(on this site) hours before launch and the internet rage poured over its rim , as an EA investor i did not even blink , this was barley a speed bump .. It still sold 10 million copies and will sell more ..
 By the time they release SWBF3 2 will have sold 15 mill or more copies , all is good in EA land folks
  

Well, someone who isn't an investor, I am kicking myself slightly for not just buying in back in November when their shares were at $100. Can you imagine, as an investor, making a $30 per share profit in 3 months!?!? That's like unheard of. DAMNIT! I'm an idiot. 

Stock is down $.50 on the news of them re-introducing MT though. Guess we'll see how far that slides. 

Scorchien

CrazKanuk said:

Scorchien said:

CrazKanuk said:

SBFord said:

Hashbrick said:

They must really have been hit in the pocket books to backpedal so fast on this. Normally EA is stubborn and will just continue no matter the hate and outcry.

While technically a "small" hit, the company lost $3B in one quarter directly due to the loot box problem.

I think that's wrong? Do you mean $3B in value? That's not physical loss of money. Actually, if you look at their current financials published in January, their revenues and profits are still up year-over-year. Also, their stock price is currently the highest it's ever been. I really don't think there were any "hits". Maybe a bullet dodged? 

     As i said when the news broke(on this site) hours before launch and the internet rage poured over its rim , as an EA investor i did not even blink , this was barley a speed bump .. It still sold 10 million copies and will sell more ..
 By the time they release SWBF3 2 will have sold 15 mill or more copies , all is good in EA land folks
  

Well, someone who isn't an investor, I am kicking myself slightly for not just buying in back in November when their shares were at $100. Can you imagine, as an investor, making a $30 per share profit in 3 months!?!? That's like unheard of. DAMNIT! I'm an idiot. 

Stock is down $.50 on the news of them re-introducing MT though. Guess we'll see how far that slides. 

I invested in 08 when it dropped to 15$

Sovrath

MisterZebub said:

So is an asshole that tried to steal your wallet any less of an asshole now that he's been caught and realizes he has to now switch tactics to get your money? I mean I've been trying to lay off the negative waves as much as possible the past year or so, but such a total "fuck you" to their own fan base such as BF2's abominable game ruining cash shop debacle is unforgivable in my book.

Except "this is not a person who is an asshole. It's a company designed to create products and make money".

And this is the huge problem with gamer logic.

Gamers want companies to be part of the crew, part of the community, in sync with all their desires, a real gamer buddy.

But they aren't this. It's a company. They will make good products, they will make bad products. They will have good customer service and bad customer service.

They will push the envelope so that they can be more successful (because they are a publicly traded company and that's what they have to do) and sometimes it will work and sometimes not.

They are not there to be our friend.

So buy their products or don't buy their products and they will adjust accordingly or go out of business. "punishing them" is more about the gamer and some weird issue where they need to feel vindicated and empowered. Trusting them? Why, they aren't a relative or friend, they are there to provide services. That's it. If they can't get it right their business will suffer. If they continue to fail at it the that's it, game over.

MaxBacon

CrazKanuk said:

Well, someone who isn't an investor, I am kicking myself slightly for not just buying in back in November when their shares were at $100. Can you imagine, as an investor, making a $30 per share profit in 3 months!?!? That's like unheard of. DAMNIT! I'm an idiot. 

Stock is down $.50 on the news of them re-introducing MT though. Guess we'll see how far that slides. 

I totally wanted to invest in EA when that happened but wasn't on my ability then, It was so obvious it would bounce back, anyone who invested would indeed turn a profit pretty quickly.

Next time combine efforts?  

Renoaku

3 Billion Dollar loss though can I have it so I can make my own game without Pay 2 Win?

3 Billion Dollars is just so much money over Loot Boxes, and to think I no longer spend lots of money in Smite because you can get banned by being reported by Trolls for no reason, the reason the game feels so small, and lacks player base compared to League OF Legends.

Iselin

Scorchien said:

Iselin said:

For a moment there I thought It'd be fun to go back to those old threads with people saying the "butthurt" wouldn't amount to much or change anything... not worth the effort though.

No matter how much spin they put on this they got some serious and well deserved egg on their face. And it looks good on them.

yea but , they just wipe that egg off with thousand dollar bills and move on .. no harm no foul .. business is business

Yeah there's nothing new about that. There is no underestimating the power of the spin or the short memory of the masses. VW diesels are selling well again.

But egg is still egg and a not insignificant minority has a long memory. The masses can do what the masses do but EA can fuck itself.

mrputts

Albatroes said:

I know most people reading this are thinking to themselves, "Maybe there is hope for Anthem after all!" I feel sorry for them.

Yea this was probably 50-75% Disney telling them to can it. EA in no way would fix their fuck up like this. They would just double down.

CrazKanuk

Iselin said:

Scorchien said:

Iselin said:

For a moment there I thought It'd be fun to go back to those old threads with people saying the "butthurt" wouldn't amount to much or change anything... not worth the effort though.

No matter how much spin they put on this they got some serious and well deserved egg on their face. And it looks good on them.

yea but , they just wipe that egg off with thousand dollar bills and move on .. no harm no foul .. business is business

Yeah there's nothing new about that. There is no underestimating the power of the spin or the short memory of the masses. VW diesels are selling well again.

But egg is still egg and a not insignificant minority has a long memory. The masses can do what the masses do but EA can fuck itself.

If anything, maybe it represents a clear line drawn in the sand. Sure, I'm certain they'll toe it and they'll probably even lean over a bit, but hopefully it's a precedent setting win for games overall. Certainly smaller dev houses couldn't weather that same shit storm and still post profits.