Given How the Battlefront II Controversy Has Played Out, Is There A Lesson For Sports Games?

[RaychelSnr]

Kevin Scott I think the biggest lesson that sports games can learn from this is that...

Written By: Operation Sports

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[CMadatMe]

It's not the micro transaction itself that is bad it's the lack of transparency behind them. Ultimate Team and this goes for all of them and 2K should have to abide by the same transparency and provide the same consumer protections as the Sports Trading Card Industry. Gaming companies are essentially sports trading card companies in these types of games. Gaming companies use the same marketing and advertising tactics but the Sports Trading Card Industry MUST LIST THE ODDs of all inserts, chaser cards and any player likeness that is advertised as inside a particular pack of cards.
The gambling issue is a lose lose. The courts have already spoken on this with the Sports Trading Card Industry, who went through numerous gambling lawsuits back in the 90's and early 2000s. Courts rules there was NO HARM to the buyer because he or she always received something of value back. This is the foundation on* what the loot box, crate, UT card is built on. For you kids, money isn't the only legal definition of value so forget that argument.**
Was was interesting in a particular case. Dumas v Fleer/Skyline was that Justice Brewster did agree with the plaintiffs that the marketing techniques were illegal specifically to New* York and California law. In 1992 New York issued citations to Fleer, Upper Deck, Marvel and others, hauled them all into court and that my firends is why you see odds on a pack of Baseball Cards.
This is the only argument that has merit and can be won on.* What Gaming Companies do is not gambling it's deceptive/predatory advertising.* The gambling aspect because of their use of slot machine and casino tactics would only effect MINORS access to these types of games.
My other concern is we are starting to see gaming companies apply for and receive patents that give them the technology to manipulate the in game characters, their traits, powers, etc. That could open an entirely new legal battle in the aspect of fraud in as they advertise a particular character to* have the ability to do X,Y,Z. You pay for a chance at that character, win him and they manipulate it based on not just your game skill but your opponents...* **

[misterkrabz]

My biggest gripe is Madden now charges money (or more specifically tickets) to play game modes like Salary Cap MUT and Draft Champs. Draft Champs was my favorite mode last year, now I simply don't play it because I'm not grinding for thousands of coins to buy tickets just to play it. Sorry. And I'm not getting pulled into the micro transaction black hole.

So EA has essentially left me out int he cold. All I play is online games using the current teams/rosters.*

[BA2929]

The biggest complaint most people had with Battlefront 2* is that if you spent extra money it gave you a considerable advantage over nearly everyone else thanks to their horrendous progression/loot box system. Which is funny it got this big because "paying for an advantage/head start"is essentially what 2k has done ever since they implemented VC into their MyCareer mode.

But you guys nailed it: Had Disney not said something to EA, then nothing would have been done about it. EA would have bandaged it up to shut up the loudest voices and that's it. It's sad EA did this to Battlefront 2, because it's really a great game and tons of fun.*

It's gotten to a point where game companies are probably going to consider an increase in game prices to $70 or even $80 for a base game so they can continue to support it for the long term. The fact that games have stayed at $60 for so long is incredible, really. $60 can barely send a family of 4 to one movie nowadays, yet people expect a $60 game purchase to give them hundreds of hours fun and years of free content.*

[catcherforbaseball]

Instead to regurgitating everything Elliot said, I will just say, I second everything he mentioned. I felt the exact same way in MLB The Show this year.

[GlennN]

As long as the microtransactions are just part of the card collecting modes, I don't really care one way or the other. I think it is fun to accumulate cards by playing in my usual Franchise/career play (in The Show, for example), same as it was cool in NFL 2K5 to accumulate crib items by playing. But, since I have no interest whatsoever in actually playing HUT, MUT or any other card collecting mode, it does not impact me much. Where I feel the impact is by the few resources left to update/upgrade the modes I do play. And why, sadly, I now buy sports games every few years rather than every year. These are the dark days of sports gaming for my kind of gaming.

[Junior Moe]

I think sports games, well all games, will take something from the BF outrage. Now I don't see a major problem with micro transactions. I get the market. I also get the drive for more money. If people are willing to buy it, then sell it. But there is a line where it becomes too much. I think this here is showing that. The market will correct itself to get more inline with gamers expectations regarding micros. They won't go away, but I think the tide for squeezing every nickel they can out of a game has shifted.