Perhaps you’ve already played Dead Space 3 and have familiarized yourself with EA’s newest business model. That’s right, it looks like the inclusion of microtransactions will be at the forefront of EA’s strategy to further monetize all future game releases.
The inclusion of microtransactions in Dead Space 3 incurred the ire of most gamers, and this very public admission from EA can’t possibly sit well with users. According to EA consumers have already embraced the new model for gaming. Speaking at Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media and Telecom Conference, chief financial officer for EA, Blake Jorgensen, said that “The next and much bigger piece is microtransactions within games.”
“We’re building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way, either to get to a higher level to buy a new character, to buy a truck, a gun, whatever it might be”.
“Consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of the business.”
Can’t say that ‘enjoying’ is exactly how most would phrase it, Blake. Most gamers view the inclusion of microtransactions as a shallow money grab from publishers. A ploy meant to nickel and dime consumers after they’ve already shelled out for a full priced title. This is already coming on top of publishers charging for DLC, season passes, deluxe editions, and countless other ways to continue milking the wallets of gamers long after a title has already been purchased. With the next generation of consoles already upon us will EA, and other major publishers, continue to come up with new ‘innovations’ to separate gamers from their hard earned cash?
