Cliff Blezinski, or in this case Clifford, has taken to his personal blog ‘Clifford Unchained’ to defend the ubiquitous micro-transactions that have become a standard component of modern game releases. He makes the valid point that the games industry is by its nature a commercial enterprise, which has to make money, for itself, its publishers and its shareholders, simply for it to continue to function.
No one will dispute that fact. However, he then goes on to defend micro-transactions.
‘I’ve seen a lot of comments online about microtransactions. They’re a dirty word lately, it seems. Gamers are upset that publishers/developers are “nickel and diming them.” They’re raging at “big and evil corporations who are clueless and trying to steal their money. I’m going to come right out and say it. I’m tired of EA being seen as “the bad guy.” I think it’s bullshit that EA has the “scumbag EA” memes on Reddit and that Good Guy Valve can Do No Wrong…’
‘However, it blows my mind that somehow gamers don’t seem to get that Valve is a business, just like any other, and when Valve charges 100$ for an engagement ring in Team Fortress 2 it’s somehow “cool” yet when EA wants to sell something similar it’s seen as “evil.” Yes, guys, I hate to break it to you, as awesome as Valve is they’re also a company that seeks to make as much money as possible.’
I think many would argue that $100 engagement rings are unnecessary, and a clear effort to make more money. Either way, as we explored this morning, console gamers simply aren’t used to a continuous stream of payments and it’s them that are the majority of vocal dissidents, not people used to playing on their iPhones. Blezinski is completely right that the games industry has to make money, but many gamers, not just a vocal minority as he would have it, don’t agree with a system in which we’re constantly paying.
His full post can be found here.
gazzagb
I can see where he’s coming from, but engagement rings or hats in TF2 don’t give a player an unfair advantage over another. Fast unlocks in BF3 do give an unfair advantage to players that are able to spend the money on top of the £40 price tag.
hazelam
and another thing, TF2 is free, you can play the game for nothing,
i’m not valve’s biggest far, far from it, but they’re not putting a sixty quid price on the game then selling you resources to play it.
gazzagb
Good point, I forgot TF2 was entirely F2P.
TSBonyman
As someone who has been gaming for over thirty years, it’s one of the main reasons i’m not looking forward to next gen.
Also while we’re on the subject of EA, i don’t need or want an Origin account to play games on my PSN account.
xdarkmagician
I feel exactly the same, on both points.
hazelam
funny, he seems to have an opinion about everything since he left epic.
i think i preferred the guy when he was only talking about his own games.
even then he was just that guy who made that game about the horse steroid abusers with chainsaws strapped onto their guns, and therefore i tended to ignore him.
much like i’ve been trying to do recently.
as you can see, i’m failing. ^_^
Origami Killer
What gripes me the most is that DLC and game unlocks appear on the store before the game releases, or is quickly announced a day or two after release. The price of the downloadable games is insulting, compared to hard copies. We get micro transactions in games where we don’t need them or were fine without them before. Some games have huge patches released day one, BF3 for example, suggesting we aren’t getting the real finished copy.
Fair enough that compared to a decade ago games are more expensive to develop and there are multiplayer servers to maintain. But does that really mean we have to see them try and make money at every possible opportunity? Maybe improve your customer satisfaction and then you’ll see a reward from gamers gladly willing to invest more in titles.
yogh_wayne
I don’t like micro-transactions, but he’s got a valid point. I totally agree with his statement about Valve and EA. Of course he’ll now be branded as a blasphemous heretic, since he dared to point out that Valve is also just a company trying to make money. I hope he’s prepared for all the internet hate.
TheDemocrodile
EA – Shareholders.
Valve – Private.
All the difference in the world.
hazelam
i just read his blog thingy, whatever it is.
i really hope he’s joking with this line
“Another factor to consider is the fact that many game development studios are in places like the San Francisco bay area, where the cost of living is extraordinarily high. ”
i bet the standard of living’s a bit fucking higher an all isn’t
what? am i supposed to feel sorry for them?
i live on a shithole council estate, that has problems with drugs and gangs and crime, last year a 14 year old kid was murdered three minutes walk from where i live.
there are people doing a lot more important jobs than making frakking games struggling to get by so stuff your righteous indignation up your arse.
i bet the cops in San Francisco don’t get as much as these game developers do, and they don’t sit in front of a bloody computer screen all day.
go join ea then cliffy, be a good little corporate whore,
sorry about the rant, but that guy just winds me up, if i never saw or heard another word from that twat, well, that’d be just great actually. ^_^
RocketSOL
I’m not a fan of micro transactions. By all means, put them into the games…I won’t be using them. If its a F2P game then they are understandable…but if I fork out £40 for a game I expect the full experience straight away and not have that shite popup repeatedly.
Tuffcub
So to summerise: The internet is bitching about something. Why on earth he needs to comment on this is beyond me. Also please go away, you made a big song and dance about needing time off and have done nothing apart from comment and moan since then.
blast71
Their new album’s quality;p MON THE BIFF!
CR8ZYH0RSE
They can make as much money from games as they like just don’t try and sell me a raccoon and tell me it’s a possum.:)