VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

[chanedw]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

For me it has. I understand it is normal to grind for some sort of "points" in career mode to improve my players, but to tie EVERYTHING with VC, that's just greedy. We are talking about a game that we purchased for $60 dollars, not some free game with in-app purchase.

I remember when I was able to purchase a game, and everything in it is free, you just need to grind for progression...

[Mauer4MVP]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

Honestly, I don't play anything that involves VC so it's whatever to me.

Sent from my HTC Desire 626 using Operation Sports mobile app

[UravenzownU]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

To me they're pretty much like a casino... they've taken away every slight/advantage we've to save from spending vc.... (Not being able to preview hair, no more sniping on my team, having to re buy stuff after you've already bought it and want to change back) and have made it waaayyyyy harder to earn vc, it would take you till at least like 2018 to get to an 85 without spending more then $10 on vc......

And it's really sad because the gameplay is amazing and beside the vc crap(and this neighborhood garbage, to laggy, takes way to long to start a game) this is prob the best 2k since 2k11

But its gonna be ruined by the suits at 2k and visual concepts because of what they've done to vc as a whole and the game is getting a bad rep because of it

[xCoachDx]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

It's sad how much of the problem would be diminished if the previews of what you are buying was there. The price and grind would still be a frustration factor, but the lack of previews is just mindblowingly unacceptable. Has a fix for this been discussed?

[Retropyro]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

Your not understanding the cost of creating a new game. They need to recoup the entire cost of producing a game, plus extra revenue. Not just the cost distribution. The cost to produce a game from beginning to end has skyrocketed each generation. Destiny cost Activision 500 million. I wouldn't be surprised if 2k18 cost 100 million from beginning to end to produce.

You're also leaving out sales numbers and how much larger the market is. NBA 2K2 sold 1.54 million copies. They are already saying 2K18 has hit 8 million.

This is also an annual release title with honestly little change in engine from year to year. They are not starting from scratch each year. This is nowhere near comparable to Destiny which was $500 million for a 10 year investment, not a single game that would have yearly releases.

[Jrocc23]

VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

They definitely crossed the line this year. I can't believe how blatant they are this year with basically forcing you to buy VC. You can't progress through the season or make a connection to be able to change jerseys or create a shot and etc. it's all tied to being like a 80+ overall and honestly if you straight grind without VC will maybe honestly take you more than 2+ whole seasons. I mean it's insane.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DarkManX1]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

While I, like a lot of other people, think 2k took the wrong approach with VC I think it's important to note that articles like this are how this stuff changes. The player base can't really effect the level of micro-transactions because enough people are going to pay it won't matter if some of the people just don't pay for VC. The only way 2k is going to change is bad press and competition. While I don't think Live got there this year, in a couple of years I do think Live will get there. That takes care of the competition. Now, if other gaming press outlets (looking at you Kotaku) would pick this up I think it would have a big effect on VC. Operation Sports ain't no small outlet though, so as someone who treats 2k as my primary game each year, I really appreciate OS calling out 2k here. I'm expecting to see more VC discounts this year and maybe some changes (hair preview, free hair color, etc.), because the VC problem is overshadowing what is possibly the best gameplay this series has seen.

[scottyp180]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

"VC is actually beneficial because it keeps the cost of a game at $60 and oftentimes sees games dropping quickly to $30 much quicker "

Never thought of this. This might explain why over the years games see quality sales just months, sometimes weeks, after release.

My stance with microtransactions is that I can't blame videogame companies for offering such purchases. It's clearly profitable and as long as customers continue to pay companies are going to continue to find more ways to make money off such transactions. For all the complaints about microtransactions there is clearly a large population of gamers that have no issues with such purchases. But with everything there is a breaking point and I think we will see companies see how far they can push microtransactions before there is backlash and fans feel publishers (I assume) have gone to far.

[Hustle Westbrook]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

The VC grind never really bothered me that much but this year they've gone too far. They very much made sure to kill off any way to make a good amount of VC in a reasonable amount of time.

Getting rid of the matching game in the app and replacing it with that 100 VC "bonus" is just straight up disgusting.

[Gosens6]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

Doesn’t help that people paying all this money for VC are losing their saves and money they paid. That makes it 100x worse IMO.

If you’re going to make it harder to upgrade your player, and pretty much necessary to buy VC to stay competitive, you can’t have people losing out on $50+ dollars for nothing. Basically giving their money away with no fix yet is a BAD look.

There needs to be major compensation to these folks.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[Celtics4Life]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

Listen you really appreciate the game, the graphics, and these modes once you step out of the 2k world and try playing a competitors product. I did that so I know first hand how much hard work 2k puts into their games and how they are years and years ahead of the rest. The graphics are amazing, the atmosphere is perfect, and game modes/story lines are awesome. I get VC is needed to get extra cash to pay for some of this stuff. I will also agree with most that they have crossed the line big time. All these small micro transaction games have to stop. But, something that no one is mentioning is how 2k is FORCING you pay for vc.

Example 1: Rookie level is removed. For those players who have little to no time to play this game and who casually played on Rookie level can no longer do so. Why? Because 2k wants you to play on Pro and feel how bad a 60 rated My Player really is. They want you to hate it and be forced to spend $$ on VC.

Example 2: Promised toned down defense was a lie. Yes the brick wall defense is gone from last year after myself and thousands complained. But, although they took that away the fact that every CPU defender can keep up with your player at any time is still there. CPU will not bump you to a dead stop but now will ride your hip all the way to the hoop unless you have a clear open fast break.

Example 3: Missed layups and awful turnovers still exist. These may also slowly go away after you get badges in My Career. But, the new badge grind is a serious task this year. No more easy badges now you have to grind and grind just for 1.


Conclusion. I been buying 2K since 2010 for one mode and one mode only My Player/Career. Although it's the best and most popular mode in the game along with most lucrative 2k has to make a final choice. Either break this mode in 2 part offline and online or make a separate game out of it. I've been saying this for years now but it's very evident now that the main focus and money for 2K is in My Career mode. There is just to much to balance when you have all these other game modes in 1 game. Some people don't play My Career and love the sim style ball. Because in other modes controlling a whole team and having sliders is great. But, us My Career players have no sliders and nothing to work with so we ask for change and change ruins My League play. So maybe next year or year after it's time for 2K to break My Career out and make its own game. I mean why not plenty will spend VC in this mode alone to pay for it. Think of it as paying for 2 games just to play 1 now.

[m1ke_nyc]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

After spending some decent time in MYCareer I have to agree with most everyone that VC has all but ruined the mode. Seriously thinking about just devoting my time to NBA Lives The One mode. I don't have the desire nor the time to invest in this mode to earn enough VC to build my guy up to a respectable level. And I'm definitely not purchasing any. Sucks because I love the gameplay. I'm really enjoying the gameplay maybe I will just start a my league. What NBA player would do an endorsement deal that doesn't even pay them enough money to purchase a shooting sleeve

[acidfrehley]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

It's really sad and shamefull that they managed out to launch an awesome game, with a lot of improvements over last years one, but this whole VC greedy crap is tooking the all the headlines.

People should stop buying stuff like this. As long as people are buying they have a reason to keep tunning it up year after year. This hurts our whole community simply because we can't enjoy the game the way is was supposed to be.

I'll just stick with playing MyLeague and hoping that this disrespectfull bs stops soon.

[MrWrestling3]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

For the most part, I understand enough of the business end to see why microtransactions have become a feature.I also understand that is likely not in major part due to the 2K guys, a good deal of the responsibility likely lies with Take 2.

IMO the fundamental question is : Where does the practice of cutting the quality of life options available to the consumer in favor of additional monetization become too much?

It seems to me that not just 2K but the gaming industry in general is very aware of, and aggressive in, the competition for not only the consumers resources in the form of cash,but also their time, which unless you happen to be wealthy with no obligations, are both very finite resources.

In response, the industry has constructed a system wherein the quality of the base product suffers,then through various marketing techniques, as well as placing increasing demands on the gamers time, encourages gamers to purchase additional content to complete the experience or just plain speed things up so they need not devote all their time to just one game.

In short, the game we pay for is somewhat intentionally no longer given near the consideration it should be both in quantity and quality of product offered. They simply function as gateways to the real product they are trying to sell.

The real "product" they are aiming towards selling now is the additional monetized content...the various virtual currencies and boosts,the season passes,the legend editions, the multiple additional DLC's which often in total cost near as much or even more than the base game. This is all done in such a way as to take full advantage of addictive or completionist personalities.

Though not illegal per se, I for one hardly find it ethical or acceptable behavior,it is full blown manipulative greed and they should be ashamed.

Unfortunately, until enough people really take notice as to what is going on and are willing to hold development companies responsible for their practices,even if that means refusing to purchase certain products, things will not only continue but they will get worse until we experience a second video game crash.

[Dragn1066]

Re: VC in NBA 2K18: Have We Crossed a Line of Acceptability?

You're also leaving out sales numbers and how much larger the market is. NBA 2K2 sold 1.54 million copies. They are already saying 2K18 has hit 8 million.

This is also an annual release title with honestly little change in engine from year to year. They are not starting from scratch each year. This is nowhere near comparable to Destiny which was $500 million for a 10 year investment, not a single game that would have yearly releases.

I addressed that. I said I wouldnt be surprised if 2k18 cost them 100m. It's probably somewhere between 50-100m. Destiny is just an example of how high production costs can get in this generation of video games.

The point is though, the person I quoted said he doesn't believe microtransactions are keeping box prices down. This makes no sense. Game development costs have ballooned over the last 10 years, yet box prices have not changed. Their not going to eat losses. Their making up the increased production cost somewhere. Microtransactions are being used to offset those costs, and help fund other projects that are a bit riskier.