Ultimate Team now illegal in Belgium and Netherlands

[Saintslfc13]

This is interesting. I don't really think it should be banned, but I do hope it makes EA focus more on gameplay, CFM/Manager mode.

I get the point that children participate but children are only going to be buying MUT packs if Mom and Dad allow them too, and that's quite frankly for the parents to decide rather than anyone else.

It's also nothing like baseball cards, those are collectible items. Some of them end up being worth insane amounts of money, and sure some people buy them for that reason but, for most anyway, it starts as a hobby.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

Honestly I think anyone calling for the death of MUT falling out from this should probably temper their expectations a bit. I think the most likely thing that will happen in a post-lootbox work is that we will see all these lootbox games - MUT included - get morphed into things which meet the letter of the law but still achieve the same goal of monetizing the game beyond the original point of sale. For example (and this is probably a terrible half-baked), maybe MUT Solos gets morphed into a sort of conquest mode where the user starts with a base team and has to defeat other teams captained by some high-rated player to unlock that player and related cards. The micro transactions could be morphed from buying random cards to buying new solo challenges, i.e. a pay-to-play model with no randomness whatsoever. You'd buy a token to face off against Michael Vick's team instead of hoping to pull him from a pack. Again, that's probably a terrible idea since I just thought it up in 30 seconds, but my point is I don't see microtransaction-driven gameplay modes such as MUT disappearing just because one possible gameplay mechanic to drive these modes - loot boxes - gets ruled illegal. There are many ways to make money from a video game.

Yes, microtransactions are the future. If only they'd realize there is a small market for microtransactions in the sim crowd, such as throw back uniforms, or well, people have made the lists and I'm not going to dig deep into my memory to find them. But yeah, microtransactions are going nowhere.

[T4VERTS]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

Honestly I think anyone calling for the death of MUT falling out from this should probably temper their expectations a bit. I think the most likely thing that will happen in a post-lootbox work is that we will see all these lootbox games - MUT included - get morphed into things which meet the letter of the law but still achieve the same goal of monetizing the game beyond the original point of sale. For example (and this is probably a terrible half-baked), maybe MUT Solos gets morphed into a sort of conquest mode where the user starts with a base team and has to defeat other teams captained by some high-rated player to unlock that player and related cards. The micro transactions could be morphed from buying random cards to buying new solo challenges, i.e. a pay-to-play model with no randomness whatsoever. You'd buy a token to face off against Michael Vick's team instead of hoping to pull him from a pack. Again, that's probably a terrible idea since I just thought it up in 30 seconds, but my point is I don't see microtransaction-driven gameplay modes such as MUT disappearing just because one possible gameplay mechanic to drive these modes - loot boxes - gets ruled illegal. There are many ways to make money from a video game.

Actually this is a good idea. Expand it to more of a DLC model which is a proven system.

[T4VERTS]

With that said, people really need to understand how much of their total revenue is derived from UT. EA is now an UT company that makes games, don't forget that. They will figure out a way to keep the revenue while simply removing some of the chance elements. Now one could argue this will actually hurt their revenue as it was those gambling elements that made it so successful, but only time will prove that theory out.

[4thQtrStre5S]

Initially the MUT player packs were promoted as a means to simulate buying a real life trading card pack. Those trading card packs are available for kids to purchase spanning many sports. I am wondering how they will distinguish between video game trading card packs and real life trading cards? Can they? will they in the US?

Anyone have any law sources? I am just curious for my own education.

[SpectreBugg]

I tend to agree with the concept of this being gambling. Any notion that this could or should bring an end to MUT is very premature though. It's a very profitable part of their business, and they aren't going to just let it go away. Adjustments would be made until they were outside of the boundaries of the law. And to be honest, as much as I can't stand MUT, it wouldn't be beneficial for it to just go away, for anyone who plays madden. Losing that sort of revenue wouldn't mean more people to work on franchise, or more money sent that way. It's far more likely that the results would be a downsized or reallocated studio, and funds being dumped into R&D to develop a new, and equally profitable version, of MUT.

[T4VERTS]

Quote: Originally Posted by 4thQtrStre5S

Initially the MUT player packs were promoted as a means to simulate buying a real life trading card pack. Those trading card packs are available for kids to purchase spanning many sports. I am wondering how they will distinguish between video game trading card packs and real life trading cards? Can they? will they in the US? Anyone have any law sources? I am just curious for my own education.

Legally speaking trading cards meet the legal definition in the U.S. for gambling. I think the reason it has never really been challenged is because it just hasn't seemed like such a pervasive issue. I think what we see here is the issue of accessibility making it more of an issue.

[4thQtrStre5S]

MUT will stay as the team building aspect through cards is rather popular and could get better in the future. The esports, ESPN deals with tournaments are another source of revenue.

Once the laws are ironed out, there will be a model for micro transactions that will fit games like Madden. Other games can micro in game currency and skins, such as COD weapon skins. I could see the marketing of throwbacks. Depending on how the NFL deal works, maybe EA could add in uniforms from past teams like the Canton Bulldogs. (There are a lot of defunct teams) Old stadiums. etc

There are a number of ways to create in game currency systems.

Since many games use micro transactions as a means to make money where revenue failed to be generated through the sale of DLCs, maps packs and so on, we now get those for free in many games. Players are generally happier getting such content seemingly free.

DLCs and more, become free because micro transactions help pay for them. The extended attention by EA/Tib in updating Madden throughout the year can be attributed to micro transactions.