Leaked Documents Show EA Funneled FIFA Players to Buy More Loot Boxes, EA Responds | MMORPG.com

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Leaked Documents Show EA Funneled FIFA Players to Buy More Loot Boxes, EA Responds | MMORPG.com

EA is once again back in the news after some leaked internal documents indicating the publisher planned to "funnel" FIFA players towards the Ultimate Teams mode. This mode then allows you to buy loot boxes.

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Greatsword

I'm not gonna act like the person who says spending money on microtransactions is stupid - for games with longevity I do it myself.

But those kids spending all their money on a game that will be replaced (and shut down) EVERY year? I just don't get it.

Nilden

In other news... water is wet.

Aeander

Well, duh. The problem isn't that a company directs people towards the thing that makes them more money. It's that the thing that makes them that money is ethically questionable.

Iosevus

I'm shocked, SHOCKED I say.

xpsync

Aeander said:

Well, duh. The problem isn't that a company directs people towards the thing that makes them more money. It's that the thing that makes them that money is ethically questionable.

Listen to this podcast, the guy has even worked at EA. The chit behind these closed doors, and no i don't care about TBC or Wrath classic for that matter, over played them back in the day, but man Josh has the best podcast interviews, this is such a good podcast whether you play wow or not.

https://countdowntoclassic.libsyn.com/ctc-20-the-hangover

foppotee

No one should be surprised by the revelations in this 54-page document nor should anyone be surprised by EA denying it with rhetoric. I just hope some countries & some regulatory agencies go-through this document with a fine-toothed comb. The U.S. will probably be the last country to either shut-down or regulate video game online gambling since we're corrupt & care more about companies than citizens.

Iselin

Of course they steer you to their moneymaker.
Of course they'll deny it even when faced with leaked evidence.

Just corporate scum spinning the message, which is all they ever do.

Theocritus

They find their way one way or another to get their money.....It's up to us to say no.

Kyleran

Iselin said:

Of course they steer you to their moneymaker.
Of course they'll deny it even when faced with leaked evidence.

Just corporate scum spinning the message, which is all they ever do.

Mykell

As bad as EA is the real money and predatory practices are in mobiles. They are refining their gaming loops to funnel you into spending money into an art.

A friend of mine went on holiday and and got sucked into one while waiting around for his wife to go shopping. In a month he's spent around $200 in small amounts of $5-15. Yet he will hesitate to spend $60 on a new pc game nowadays. Its just so easy to get hooked on the damn things nowadays.

I'm pretty sure those companies are happy for EA to get all the headlines and take all the heat while they rake in billions.

mgilbrtsn

I'm not understanding what the 'leaked' part is. The company is funneling people to profit oriented modes seems like what companies are supposed to do. If I owned a company (and i wish i did), I wouldn't funnel people to the part that loses money.

I understand. People want things for free and want companies to foot the bill for their entertainment. I don't know how that business plan is sustainable except in the world of puppy dogs, unicorns, and give me free stuff that is the internet.

Quizzical

This is so unsurprising that it really can't be a "surprise mechanic".

Iselin

mgilbrtsn said:

I understand. People want things for free and want companies to foot the bill for their entertainment. I don't know how that business plan is sustainable except in the world of puppy dogs, unicorns, and give me free stuff that is the internet.

So that's what this is about for you? LMAO.

Do you even play any EA Sports games? They all have in game advertising that tries to steer you to the lootbox part of the game. It works the same in all of their sports games; there's a separate mode where you build a team based on card packs with random players.

I do play those games and ignore that shit but they sure do try almost every time I log in to play one of the other game modes.

I paid $60 for the game so no unicorns nor free rides. I don't want their fucking constant ads after already having bought the game. But that's not even what this is about.

They lie about steering you to the FUT (or HUT as it's called in the hockey game) and the leaked document shows the lie. But anyone who plays any of their sports games already knew they were lying because we have been advertised at conspicuously and frequently.

The real question is why try to pretend they don't do what they so obviously do. That's the part you missed.

Vrika

mgilbrtsn said:

I'm not understanding what the 'leaked' part is. The company is funneling people to profit oriented modes seems like what companies are supposed to do. If I owned a company (and i wish i did), I wouldn't funnel people to the part that loses money.

I understand. People want things for free and want companies to foot the bill for their entertainment. I don't know how that business plan is sustainable except in the world of puppy dogs, unicorns, and give me free stuff that is the internet.

This isn't about people wanting things for free. All FIFA fans pay EA minimum of $60 a year just to get to play newest FIFA update, and lootboxes come on top of that payment.

I agree with you that funneling people to further businesses is what a for profit company should do. But on the other hand, people should also be warned when they'd be funneled to buy extra stuff before they make first purchase.

goozmania

It's not gambling, because you're not getting anything in return!

LOL

FrodoFragins

Torval said:

This industry desperately needs regulation regarding their business practices and their working conditions.

Well loot boxes needed to be regulated as gambling.  Workers need to unionize but that's been the case for decades.

rojoArcueid

goozmania said:

It's not gambling, because you're not getting anything in return!



LOL

You go to a casino to gamble, and you lose all your money and get nothing in return.

Yup, that's pretty much gambling.

Albatroes

Wasn't there a story of EA employees selling the rare stuff directly to players under the table or something?

saker

Yup, this "industry" is utterly obscene in it's greed and corrupt practices. In desperate need of regulation. There need to be consequences to bad actions, very big consequences, not the typical type we see at best, little slap on the wrist and say you're sorry b.s.

lonesol

This is why I only play player ran mmos, all big games are dumpster trash, with loot boxes, predatory garbage it's all down hill. I also dislike star citizen games, or any game with the title early access but out virtual dumpster we might make something or we might just throw all your money in a hole and pretend we did something. 

Nope the good age of video games was before the masses got their dirty mob hands on it, and it all went to the corporate nonsense. I honestly can't think of one huge game I thought was good.

Mobile games are far worse, I even gave them a good run, but they are all garbage. You have to put the blinders full on to even try to play them. I honestly can't tell any more if they are games these corporate filth are making or crack alternatives for the mentally weak. 

Iselin

Just an FYI for those of you who don't get why it's important for EA to deny steering players toward the lootbox part of the game when it's obvious that all lootbox games do that.

Unlike MMOs and other games with at least a Teen or Mature rating all of the EA sports games are rated either E for everyone or E10 which is 10 years old.

So the "gamers" here, who are being ever so reasonably steered toward the profitable loot boxes that some of you think is just good business, include kids 10 or younger.

Someone at EA obviously thinks they should lie about steering pre-teens toward lootboxes. I wonder why?

https://www.esrb.org/ratings/37231/FIFA+21/

Renoaku

Just like (Google Play) still allows games with Lootbox to publish their games to the store despite being illegal aka Life After, doing cross-over events, dragging under 18 children into the game and luring them to spend money, on cosmetic item can take over $500 USD to get...... Even all these AD's on Facebook targeting people most misleading, but usually always around spending money and building a base it just gets old.

Scot

I don't expect absolute best practice from any part of our economy, they are businesses not paragons of virtue, but the gaming industry since cash shops started have consistently steered to worst practice. The evolution of cash shops and DLC into GaaS and Live has just made matters worse. But as always it does not stop here, it will only get worse, unless players and/or governments do something gaming companies are not going to suddenly decided they need to do better.

goozmania

Scot said:

I don't expect absolute best practice from any part of our economy, they are businesses not paragons of virtue, but the gaming industry since cash shops started have consistently steered to worst practice. The evolution of cash shops and DLC into GaaS and Live has just made matters worse. But as always it does not stop here, it will only get worse, unless players and/or governments do something gaming companies are not going to suddenly decided they need to do better.

Some have. Capcom has decided to never use loot boxes, and scoffs at them.

Wizardry

I did read this a couple days ago and of course EA's stance was that you can play w/.o spending..lol.

We CAN do a l,ot of things like only drink one beer,only eat that small tiny piece of cake,only play ONE lottery ticket.
The same can be said about the dev studio,they COULD put a cap on spending but they don't.
So if we use an analogy to real life it is like studios are the bartender that is more than willing to sell the patron 20 beers even though they know it is illegal.

It is really too bad at what is happening to gaming and that is appears VERY easy to manipulate/coerce people into spending way more than they should.

I despise these stuidios/publishers for taking advantage of people.