EA charging for weapons in Bad Company Beta
Well with the rise of the microtransaction age we were bound to see some exploitation, and it seems that the horse armor syndrome is rising again, this time over at EA. We've heard about it via several sources already, including a reader, and it appears that the Battlefield: Bad Company Beta lists individual weapons for sale via the XBLM. A total of ten weapons are locked that have text reading "Available for purchase on Xbox Live Marketplace" next to them. The details of this are a bit shaky as of now however, as of those ten weapons, five weapons are listed as simply available for purchase, and five are listed as available in gold edition or for purchase. The gold edition likely refers to the game's collector's edition which sports a faux gold finish and which will apparently have extra content.
Now, whether or not collector's editions having in-game items is a good idea isn't the issue, the issue is the microtransactions in regard to in game items. It isn't really an issue with single player games, as the content purchases of other players cannot effect your experience. But in the case of a multiplayer shooter having more weapons available to those with larger pocket-books just doesn't feel right. With EA experimenting with microtransactions in their new Battlefield Heroes PC game, it would seem only logical that they would continue the experiment in the console realm. But with the PC version's microtransactions based around things other than in-game items that effect balance (EXP, Skins, etc) we're hoping the console side of the experiment fails, and the PC one is widely adopted.
[Thanks vince]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
NZ+ @ Mar 21st 2008 9:56AM
EA hits yet another low.
Whats next......paying to load up the game?
manifest @ Mar 21st 2008 9:59AM
Charging for weapons in full versions of games is ballsy enough... but EA is gonna try charging for additional guns in a *beta* ???? That's some hot hot garbage. Not supporting this what-so-ever.
A BETA is supposed to improve gameplay and show the dev team any bugs or exploits that are still present in the current build. In addition it allows the game's hype to build and spread quickly... A BETA is not supposed to rape customers of their money.
Do not support this model.
SyR @ Mar 21st 2008 10:02AM
I'm really getting sick of EA. I'm going off topic but their games blow with the exception of Road Rash 1 through 3. Everything else is another developers work EA bought out and if they take over 2K sports and turn it into s**t EA Sport title, I'll be extremely pissed.
We all should sign up each EA employees email addresses to a couple NSFW websites. :P
MrMuggs @ Mar 21st 2008 10:05AM
I'm going to reserve judgment until we actually know all of the details and it isn't speculation...
- If EA wants to charge for a "gold plated" gun or some other visual customizations I'm fine with that.
- If EA is going to charge me to buy a bazooka or sniper rifle that alters the gameplay then I'm not fine with it. After paying $60 I shouldn't have to pay more so there can be a level and balanced playing field.
- If EA wants to sell the game for $30 or give it away for free and then make their money by selling in-game advertising and buying weapons then I'm fine with that as well.
Bottom line, don't charge me $60 and then charge me more money so I can have the same weapons and abilities as others in the game. Charging for customization and bells and whistles that don't alter the game is fine.
Vcize @ Mar 21st 2008 10:08AM
I can't imagine there is any poor soul out there that will actually cough up money for this, but maybe I'm overestimating "people".
The highest rated television show is American Idol afterall...
Rob @ Mar 21st 2008 10:11AM
This has the potential to seriously mess up the weapons balance. Having them unlockable in games like COD 4 is bad enough, but having to pay for them is even worse.
We pay enough for the games, it seems stupid to have to pay for in game content other than maps.
horngreen @ Mar 21st 2008 10:13AM
Bound to happen when 1 million idiots paid and pre-ordered the new GT5 demo. I would constantly RAG on some loser who paid extra for a virtual gold gun.
xenocidic @ Mar 21st 2008 10:14AM
sheesh
SadisticHam @ Mar 21st 2008 10:15AM
And this is what happens when you turn into a retard and start defending $10 map packs, paying out for 3 crap songs for and other such stupid bullshit that idiots have been coughing up for.
This'll go fine, they'll make lots of money and they'll push it even further cause people on Live are thick. Sorry, not claiming anyone on this site is an idiot but the general Live community is stupid as hell.
I'm in on the beta, I'll play it get as much from it as possible but i wont be buying it if this turns out to be true, to think EA claimed not to long ago their changing. Ha.
John @ Mar 21st 2008 10:16AM
Maby it's unlockable AND available via Marketplace.
Those that dont have the time to unlock it trough gameplay can purchase it without spending 100+ hours leveling your "character".
Chris @ Mar 21st 2008 10:20AM
Not buying this.
Big Filth @ Mar 21st 2008 10:20AM
at least the beta is free! free betas, FTW!
Reuben @ Mar 21st 2008 10:46AM
So, wait...let me get this straight. The option will be available to purchase weapons for the BETA? So, in theory, one would purchase a weapon and then when the beta is over they'd lose it. I could be mistake, but if I'm not then this it totally ridiculous and a little insulting. I wont even touch the chaos it could create concerning the game's balance.
JUICED @ Mar 21st 2008 10:58AM
If you have a job xbl subscripts, and dlc doesn't matter.
Its cheaper than you realise.
Dusitn Everhart @ Mar 21st 2008 11:01AM
I hope EA never opens a hospital, but the way they are talking their trying to buy everything. Here's to paying to get your kidney's back after dialysis.
glenncou @ Mar 21st 2008 11:05AM
This isn't a new thing. WarRock has been doing this (quite successfully, I might add) since their game was introduced. Now granted, the game itself is free, but you still pay if you want some of the better weapons.
I'm personally not the biggest fan of it, but hey, it apparently isn't stopping WarRock at all.
http://www.warrock.net
ZEBRA NINER @ Mar 21st 2008 11:18AM
This can't be right. I'll believe it when I see it. This just can't be right.
Josh @ Mar 21st 2008 12:28PM
absolutely ludicrous. they can't be for real, can they?
natez0r @ Mar 21st 2008 1:01PM
We must be on some type of hidden camera show, because this cannot be real.
Jacksons @ Mar 21st 2008 1:16PM
I'm can't believe this until I see it. Horse armor syndrome, indeed. This is like those shitty 'free' games, that are 'free' until you want to have any fun. Hopefully this won't actually happen, but what a dangerous trend to start!
truepatriot @ Mar 21st 2008 2:31PM
for those wanting to see it heres the pic
http://www.flickr.com/photos/truepatriot/2347626367/sizes/o/
vvvMOJOvvv @ Mar 21st 2008 3:36PM
Paying for additional content such as map packs is reasonable. Paying to play on a level playing field is ludicrous. I know a lot of people think that for some reason they're entitled to free map packs, that's debatable. Paying for a fair game is downright sleazy. I've already downloaded the BETA, but if this is how they plan on running things, I'll jump right back to COD4 and not look back.
Grimm @ Mar 21st 2008 3:56PM
@ anyone saying the beta is free
No the beta is not free...by the time I was able to check it yesterday the spots were taken already. The only other way to get in the beta is to pre-order the game or pay for a fileplanet account.
Michael @ Mar 21st 2008 7:01PM
I have the beta and the good thing is from the stats it looks like none of these weapons are "super weapons".... there seem to be better versions of each type (better assault rifles, better shotguns) which ship with the game. (The compare stats feature is awesome by the by...a simple and elegant addition which all shooters should have). I am not worried about this affecting gameplay.... it will ultimately fail as a expierament so no worries community!
Ghostbuddy @ Mar 21st 2008 9:35PM
EA once again proves it is the lowest publisher in the industry. The same mentality that concieved this idea, is the mentality that caused EA to lose its number 1 third party pub status. And the same reason EA is going to continue to fall in market share going forward.
Im glad im in the beta, so I can enjoy Bad Company for a while. Because it looks like im not buying this game. I have no intention to support any publisher that will do this.
Heres the thing Ea, people are willing to pay for extra content created after the game is published. However, they are not willing to purchase content already finished when the game ships, that should have been in the game. And they certainly don't want to play a game where you find your self dieing because the enemies bought better weapons with real money. Gamers like a fair competitive enviroment in MP games.
Seriously EA, you've killed this games multi-player. You have honest to god fucked up the games MP balance. This is a f-ing class based MP for gods sakes.
You fucked this game up. EA's corporate greed ruined any potential this game had.
I can't believe I took EA's new CEO seriously. "We made mistakes but now we are better" my ass. Ea is worse then ever. Rushing games out the door, running terrible ad campaigns, then blaming the dev was bad enough. But now you have ruined an entire game. And probably screwed any chance it had in being a commercial success. To top it all off you will probably blame dice.
If they don't rectify this dumb mistake, im never going to buy an EA game again. And I know I won't be alone in that. If your reading this, and you own stock in EA. Dump that shit while you can.
Seriously,as you can tell this really grinds my gears.
MOT @ Mar 21st 2008 11:21PM
Well, I was on the fence about whether or not I wanted to buy the game. This has made me not want to buy it.
puh_fifer @ Mar 22nd 2008 8:39AM
Sadly this isn't the first game to do this. Chromehounds charged people to get new/better weapons and that's when I quit playing it.
There really should be a rule about it on XBLM.
Glitch W @ Mar 22nd 2008 12:59PM
This is what they were afraid of with battlefield heroes, but they say it will only be cosmetic and xp boost. But I guess they decided that it was a good idea after people brought it up. Really hope they change this though. Or maybe they will add a mode where they turn off buyable weapons for a fair game
Steve @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:37PM
Sad thing is, they did this with "booster packs" for BF2. I never bought them and just kept playing as usual until one day I killed a sniper and noticed that he was sporting the rifle from the "Special Forces-Booster Pack". I picked it up and MUCH to my displeasure, found that it was the Jesus Gun of sniper rifle. I mean a full on reaper gun. That you had to BUY. So much for the level playing field.
THAT was the last day that I played BF2. I sincerely hope that EA is not going in this direction with consoles.
C YOU 1N HELL @ Mar 23rd 2008 12:44AM
EA is the DEVIL dam them 2 hell this is an outrage and we as gamers must stand up 2 EA and no longer support them. 4 gods sakes there was 1 game that had DLC on XBM b4 it was released now EA whats 2 join them as THE LOW CLASS devs. EA GO TO HELL I HOPE U ALL DIE U RUINED BFBC & 4 THAT I HATE U. I WILL NEVER BUY A EA GAME 4 THE REST OF MY LIFE SO HELP ME GOD. EA + M$ = should have bought a PS3
J-Rod @ Mar 23rd 2008 6:57PM
Let's wait and see. Everyone is crucifying EA for something that has not even occurred yet. Yes, if they do end up charging for DLC that affects parity, that's bullshit. Since that hasn't happened yet though, let's just all calm down a bit...
Merumeru @ Mar 24th 2008 12:23AM
XD haha they do this kinda crap in PC MMORPGs, about time they release this garbage on Consoles...and YES people will eat this stuff up and it WILL be a successful business model unfortunately XD so get used to ponying up some extra cash to have any fun
SamF2000 @ Apr 6th 2008 3:47PM
Well this is EXACTLY what happens after people are willimg to pay for extra maps at a cost of $10 each mappack and 2.00 per song for Guitar hero and rock band. Companies say "Wow we can start charging for weapons now" I cancelled a pre-order after I found out it did not even have all weapons in gold edition.
tyler @ Jun 10th 2008 3:17PM
Dont know if it will be the same but for us PS3 users we can get those weapons by either (a) buying gold edition or (b) ranking up to level 25. Other weps are bought by in-game credits. Hope this gets figured out because the demo rocks!