The debate over new payment models for electronic games has long been smouldering, but the latest EA release sparked a blaze of criticism that couldn't be stamped out. — dpa
Success looked almost guaranteed. A popular game series backed by a huge brand. But games publisher Electronic Arts (EA) recently ran into massive controversy with its new game Star Wars Battlefront 2.
The debate over new payment models for electronic games has long been smouldering, but the latest EA release sparked a blaze of criticism that couldn't be stamped out.
Concepts like micro-transactions and loot boxes (a kind of virtual treasure chest that players can buy or earn) are all contributing to making gaming more expensive and, some say, more unfair.
Micro-transactions have been part of the business model for online and browser-based games as well as smartphone games for some time now.
Many games are cheap or even free to play initially but the trade-off is that some levels, additional features, game enhancements and virtual goods have to be bought as the game progresses – with real money.
Now this “in-game payment” model is also to be found in full-price games costing US$60 (RM236) or more.
For example, in EA's new Star Wars game, major characters such as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader were only available if you paid for them or played the game for a long time. Outraged players say this gives gamers with bigger budgets an unfair advantage.
EA has apologised and said that was never the intention. For now at least, all purchasing options within the game have been withdrawn.
Felix Falk, chief executive of Germany’s BIU industry association, sees the games industry as a trendsetter when it comes to business models. "The developers and publishers of digital games are among the most innovative providers of media content," he says.
Users are offered a variety of games, content and payment models. Instead of buying a finished product, users can try out a game and then add more options and levels if they wish, Falk says.
For game publishers, this model is evolving into an ever-growing source of revenue. The challenge is to keep a balance between player interests and the business model.
Ideally, the sale of levels, virtual goods and loot boxes should be set up in such a way that those players who don’t buy them don’t feel disadvantaged.
Felix Falk doesn’t see a fundamental problem. Players are free to decide whether they want to succeed in the game either by playing or by paying money.
"In both cases, the player alone decides whether to accept the offer or not. To achieve the game’s goal, micro-transactions are usually not required,” he says.
Most players don’t have an issue with virtual in-game goods that don’t influence gameplay but many consider the practise of “paying to win” contrary to the idea of fair competition.
Consumer rights advocates also warn that there’s a danger that children or young people might not realise that in-game virtual currency costs real money. — dpa
