I have a real problem with in-app purchases with iPhone games. Games that I’ve spent a couple of quid on that then expect me to continue to spend more cash on just to unlock new levels, get new items or top up some arbitary stat to keep the game going.
But in-app purchases in games that cost upwards of £40? That just boggles my mind.
The latest title to offer the option for the player to throw the publisher additional revenue after the point of sale? EA’s Dead Space 3, which, according to Eurogamer has micro-transactions for better weapons. Yep, you can buy new guns. With real money.
[drop2]EA aren’t shy (or, indeed, alone) at doing this, they’ve been offering similar financially-fed short-cuts since Need For Speed Carbon (and possibly even before that) but this is the first time a Dead Space game has featured little pop-ups that remind you that if you don’t have enough ‘resources’ for a new weapon you can just buy some with cash.In essence, though, this is how the Free-To-Play market works – you’re exchanging real money for in-game money. That’s a limitless cycle and normally seen in games that are, well, free.
It’s not even just the fact that EA are happy to let you skip the grinding for these resources, it’s more that it’s immersion ruining and actually (potentially, EA didn’t invite us to the preview event so we don’t know) detrimental to the flow of the game.
Are these resources going to be in very short supply? Will players that don’t want to spend extra cash have to run around in the dark trying to pick up more trinkets like a crazy Rare-em-up?
This’ll be the norm next-gen, but I’m already smarting.
KeRaSh
I’d like to consider a few things before raging about this:
-Are these missing ressources not in the game so you can only get this weapon through IAP?
-Are these ressources very rare and this is a way for casual gamers to get to play with better guns or advance more easily?
-Have ressources been made sparse intentionally to nudge people into IAPs?
For all we know this is just a way to unlock all the nice stuff without real effort. Some racing games have DLC that unlocks all cars on day one. The difference here is that you are not harming anyone besides yourself by potentially ruining the survival experience but it’s a choice.
Moshbag
Exactly this. There are obviously people out there who don’t have the time, or do have money to burn, to make this a viable strategy for EA. Why wouldn’t they do it for some extra cash? There is obviously a market, and I doubt it consists of people who frequent gaming sites and are passionate about games.
It may be obnoxious to see at the weapon bench or wherever, but I’d be very surprised if it impacted how you play your own game.
The Lone Steven
I’m not surprised as EA will do anything to get more cash out of us. I am surprised it’s only new weapons and not ammo that they’ve charging cash for. I suspect to get in game cash without paying for it, you will have to jump through a lot of hoops. This alone could put a lot of people of DS3 so well done EA. What’s next having to buy the game in bits or paying to play it for one hour? If so, i would flat out refuse to play an EA game. If this becomes a common thing next generation, i will be less inclineded to buy new games and i suspect a lot of people will feel the same way.
The Lone Steven
I’m not surprised as EA will do anything to get more cash out of us. I am surprised it’s only new weapons and not ammo that they’ve charging cash for. I suspect to get in game cash without paying for it, you will have to jump through a lot of hoops. This alone could put a lot of people of DS3 so well done EA. What’s next having to buy the game in bits or paying to play it for one hour? If so, i would flat out refuse to play an EA game. If this becomes a common thing next generation, i will be less inclined to buy new games and i suspect a lot of people will feel the same way.
The Lone Steven
Bugger, can Adam or Peter delete the comment above as i’ve double posted?
Starman
Another game I won’t be getting then. Hate the direction gaming is going. Season passes & masses of dlc is bad enough, now they want us to pay for basic things like weapons?!! Nothing is out of consideration for EA it seems.
kjkg
I don’t really understand the hubbub about this. It’s a bit like the catwoman dlc. Everyone went apeeshit about it but then found it has little baring on the gane.
Plus, Dead Space the original had buyable guns and suits.
Alex C
which were one-off purchases. buy it. done.
this isn’t. it’s a repeating, indefinite money replacement scheme. you run out of resources? buy more. repeat ad infinitum.
kjkg
Do you know, I read this and never picked up on this at all.
Reread it and totally understand the hubbub!!!
KeRaSh
It’s still the same thing with a different color. You want to buy that special DLC weapon from the PSN store in DS1? Pay 3€ (guessing). Want to get that special weapon in DS3 for which you need X amount of ressources? Buy those ressources for 3€(guessing again) to be able to craft it ingame. You will not be charged every time you want to use the weapon, so where is the big difference?
If there’s a difference, then I’m guessing it’s the fact that they will add many more craftable items for which you need ressources but it would be the exact same thing if they put those pre-crafted weapons in the PSN store.
They might squeeze a little more money out of you because you are paying for a fake currency just like MS does with MS Points but if you want to get pissed, you might as well be pissed about DLC weapons/items in general…
Crazy_Del
Sorry to say this but f*** you EA
Absolute appalled at this. I want all games to have game credits from completing a mission or collecting and use these in game credits to buy weapons for fun and all. But this….. I am very angry at EA and their changes since 2008/9
Its disgraceful!