Re: NBA 2K10 Draft Combine Roundtable
I think I might be alone in saying this but I'm getting increasingly concerned about these "micro transactions" for features that should be in the final game. EA has done it for some time now and it is really separating the consumers. I mean, why charge people for updates when they should be in the released game?
I can tell you know, if 2K offered live updates for free, but EA asked users to pay for them, I know that 2K would look like the better option. We are already paying $60 ($100 in Australia!) for games and I really can't see how publishers can justify charging extra for features or add-ons that should be considered a part of the "package".
I can see people saying "yeah well, if you don't like it don't buy it" which is fair enough, but 2K are telling its customers that in order to get a head start on your "my player" character, we need to spend $5 extra??? And don't get me started on the fact that Europe and Australia can't even access the game!
At some point, in the mad rush to get more customers, companies should start adding more value to their packaged product and not stripping it apart to extract more profit later on. My fear is that as these sorts of activities become the norm, more and more aspects of the game will be charged as add-ons. What are people willing to pay for? seasonal roster updates? extra jerseys and shoes?
It will be interesting to see how the DLC goes for EA's Fight Night Round 4. They are asking people to pay for a very small boxer roster that users have already made (and quite well) on boxershare anyway! It's just another weak attempt at money grabbing, and if your going to do a paid roster update, get a good number of boxers and ones who aren't retired!
As for splitting the game up and offering the "my player" mode as a separate game, I respect those that think it would work, but I'd have to disagree. The My Player mode is another way to add value to your product, and by taking that away all you will be doing is dividing your customers. I know that the My Player mode will initially take up 99% of my gaming. Does that mean I don't want the association mode or exibition? Definately not! I want the option to chose which mode I play, and I would think many people would try both at the same time or play one after the other. This is what I did with FIFA09, I started off in the "be a pro" mode and once I played 7-8 seasons and had enough I started the manager mode. By doing this, the game stayed fresh for me and I had something completely different to the individual mode I was previously playing. Things like this make this generation of games great, we don't need to separate this just to make an extra buck.
It would be interesting to see if 2K or EA does try this at some point, but I would guess the competitor would stick to the current model in order to attract more customers.
Thats just my two cents anyway...
[rant over]
I think I might be alone in saying this but I'm getting increasingly concerned about these "micro transactions" for features that should be in the final game. EA has done it for some time now and it is really separating the consumers. I mean, why charge people for updates when they should be in the released game?
I can tell you know, if 2K offered live updates for free, but EA asked users to pay for them, I know that 2K would look like the better option. We are already paying $60 ($100 in Australia!) for games and I really can't see how publishers can justify charging extra for features or add-ons that should be considered a part of the "package".
I can see people saying "yeah well, if you don't like it don't buy it" which is fair enough, but 2K are telling its customers that in order to get a head start on your "my player" character, we need to spend $5 extra??? And don't get me started on the fact that Europe and Australia can't even access the game!
At some point, in the mad rush to get more customers, companies should start adding more value to their packaged product and not stripping it apart to extract more profit later on. My fear is that as these sorts of activities become the norm, more and more aspects of the game will be charged as add-ons. What are people willing to pay for? seasonal roster updates? extra jerseys and shoes?
It will be interesting to see how the DLC goes for EA's Fight Night Round 4. They are asking people to pay for a very small boxer roster that users have already made (and quite well) on boxershare anyway! It's just another weak attempt at money grabbing, and if your going to do a paid roster update, get a good number of boxers and ones who aren't retired!
As for splitting the game up and offering the "my player" mode as a separate game, I respect those that think it would work, but I'd have to disagree. The My Player mode is another way to add value to your product, and by taking that away all you will be doing is dividing your customers. I know that the My Player mode will initially take up 99% of my gaming. Does that mean I don't want the association mode or exibition? Definately not! I want the option to chose which mode I play, and I would think many people would try both at the same time or play one after the other. This is what I did with FIFA09, I started off in the "be a pro" mode and once I played 7-8 seasons and had enough I started the manager mode. By doing this, the game stayed fresh for me and I had something completely different to the individual mode I was previously playing. Things like this make this generation of games great, we don't need to separate this just to make an extra buck.
It would be interesting to see if 2K or EA does try this at some point, but I would guess the competitor would stick to the current model in order to attract more customers.
Thats just my two cents anyway...
[rant over]
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