EA is confused: Publisher plans to add microtransactions to all games
Anthony Shelton February 27, 2013 - 6:29 pmEA plans to add microtransactions to all of their future games. “…and consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of the business.” Right…
I’ve always pondered how far publishers will go in monetizing gamers. Seeing the addition of microtransactions in Dead Space 3 and Final Fantasy All the Bravest’s boatload of in-game monetizing reveal the intentions of some publishers, and make me wonder what some are willing to do. Now, EA’s confirmed how far they’re willing to go.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference (that is a handful to write, imagine saying it), found at GameIndustry International, CFO Blake Jorgensen said this about future plans: “The next and much bigger piece [of the business] 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, and consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of the business.”
That’s right. EA is building the ability for you, the consumer, to be bombarded with more ways to pay for crap in all their games; crap that is locked away behind these signs: $, €, £. In fact, they’re confidence comes from the notion (read: data) that consumers actually enjoy this way of business. Very few complain, most pay up for content that would be – in some gaming past life – earned by playing the game.
But gamers, don’t take this personally. EA is confused. They’re selling to those who buy impulsively, not the ones who are fed up with seeing the word microtransaction every few articles. Or perhaps they’re not confused, maybe they’re just thinking about the money and not their core audience. Nah! That can’t be it.
BeefJack will keep you informed of any publisher money-making schemes.
Comments (1)
I would be interested to see the figures for microtransactions – are people really making money on them? I mean adding microtransactions to a game isn’t free, it takes time and money to build and maintain the necessary infrastructure and I do wonder how many games are making a noticeable profit on them.