This is what I was afraid of when MS announced their microtransaction bullshit on MTV in the summer of 2005. EA has needlessly manipulated this for way too long. They keep on selling things that should be free when you buy the game. This is all the reason that I will try to not buy any EA games for as long as possible. They don't deserve anyone's money.

Gagamus

@demonknightinuyasha: @Spartan1308:

I stand by my statements. I've already stated that they're different beasts, yet share some similarities. Having actually worked in the industry on MMOs and knowing what goes on, I can tell you that it's no big secret that companies hold stuff back from release to sell it in the future. What do you think your $15 a month goes towards? It's not just server maintenence. So they don't charge you a microtransaction for new features, they force you to buy them with your subscription service. What if you don't want changes to the Warlock class, well too bad, it's coming with the patch anyway. The way I see it, at least some of these microtransactions are giving you choice.

I agree it seems wrong to charge for anything that's included on the disc. If this is the case, then I wouldn't doubt a class action lawsuit in the future. Enjoy your free budget EA game when that happens.

I doubt any of the weapons they offer give a significant advantage. Remember, Game Designers are gamers too. I've never spoken with a designer who thought selling advantageous items was a good idea. I think this is a classic case of making mountains out of mole hills. And why not, it's fun to hate on big companies because they're not you. They have a lot of money and you don't. They're an easy target.

Honestly, I want these companies to make as much money as possible, and you should too. If games don't sell well, then companies like EA will not take chances on new ideas. They are more apt to go with only titles that sell well, like Madden and Medal of Honor, and some of the more risky ventures will not see the light of day. So view it as an Evil Empire all you want, but in the end, you're only dooming yourself.

TheRockingDead

Well, since the game is named "Bad Company", it is more than fitting that EA is publish it.

RonJeremy4Pres

Is anyone even getting this game anyway?

NPlace

Game looks good.

EAs biz practice not so good.

:x

Witzbold

I was going to write something with more depth but I'll settle for this: I don't agree with this sort of business practice and simply won't buy the game. I may rent to check it out but EA just lost a potential $60 sale. They need to ask themselves what's more important before they put the practice of over-reaching into play.

I'm not a cheap gamer by any means, I'm just intelligent enough to know when I'm either be ripped-off or when a company is asking the consumer for more money in the wrong manner.

It all comes down to greed in the end. People don't know why they need more money or what they'll do with it, they just want more. *shrug*

Replica23

when they release sims 3 they will make you pay for the upgrade so your sim-guy or sim-gal can go for days without having to take a shit

.. oh shit they didn't think of that? what? they're reading this board?...

diablofreak

DAMN YOU EA!!!

_Ted_

There was a game I heard of that you payed for bullets and stuff but u got money for killing people.

-AS

Archaic Stigma

This is the kind of bullshit that made me quit buying EA games.

Rebelphoenix83

@UFO: The sad reality is that most people that have been console-only don't know any better. Their ignorance is being abused by MS, EA etc.

ErskinPig

This kind of thing is only going to get worse the more people say its ok by buying the products.
If you dont like it then dont buy the game or DLC.
I`ve given games a miss in the past because of trends i dont like (BF 2142...in game ads, gears of war on pc...live registration) and there is a huge amount of other good games to take their place.
Vote with your money,spend it on some other game.
Or if you want to be screwed again in the future then buy it.

UFO

My God. I'm not sure I want this game anymore...

Taco Bell™

I'm glad the vast majority of you have the sense to see what a con this is. Hopefully if we all speak with one voice, things will gradually change for the better.

ErskinPig

@bosintang:

Let me ask you this, is there a EA game worth pirating?

Fireblast

What does this mean for the PS3 version? Same thing? I would love to see Sony reject it, make it free, just so MS has to do the same (per their decree of pricing equality on their platform vs. the PS3.)

But, if it's EA pricing, I doubt anyone will be free.

Man, this is just stupid all around.

PapaBear434

In-game ads i can handle, as long as it feasibly fits within the atmosphere of the game, but paying for a different type of gun? EA goes a bit too far here. Hopefully enough of the backlash coming from us, the gaming community, will knock some sense into them. Money-grubbing EA. It's really sad, to what lengths they attempt to make an extra buck.

JohnnytheFuture

well i say we still dont have all the facts yet. i'm hoping EA is just doing the same crap they did for NFS buy the cars now or unlock them the old way with hard work!

Jackel2072

This is why EA trying to monopolize the game industry is bad news.

argh

@D00mM4r1n3:

Then you're what's wrong with society?

or something.

Do you skip to the end of books as well, because you "don't have time to grind all those pages"?

Billkwando

EA: stop giving us reasons not to buy your games!

tofoomeister

This game was looking AWESOME. Upon hearing this news, it's not even on my radar of purchases. You know they are going to put the better guns as DLC to attempt to force people to purchase them in order to compete with those that did spend their money. We need to show EA that as gamers, we won't put up with this.This goes for all you EA sports buyers of Madden that buy the same exact product yearly with updated rosters, which could easily be updated with DLC.
This cements my fears of the T2 purchase in regards to every successful IP in their stable along with any promising games in development being turned into a pile of feces.
With schemes like this, there is no mystery why they are falling from being the leader of game development and publishing.

bluesquareapple

This is another reason why EA are the biggest D-Bags of the video game industry...

metalmnky

@DerrickDS: Microsoft alraedy does that! It's ridiculous.

Barf#1

@TheRockingDead:

you are completely off base on this thinking.

that's completely comparing apples to oranges. expansions in an mmo are much more significant compared to nickel and dimeing patches like what EA's doing. and of course in wow there's a power difference, there's 10 more levels you can get in the expansion. Its the next part of the game basically. Plus there is a TON of free content updates in between the expansions. The way EA is heading, you're going to get half your game now and the other half when you pay them even more for it.

really trying to justify this by comparing it to something like wow is just an argument made of some high quality fail.

demonknightinuyasha

@TheRockingDead: Games cost a lot more than tickets to movies or the purchase or rental of a movie. Devs who make good games are doing just fine. I will not shed a tear for EA. This is stupid. MMOs have always been different from other games, and I don't play MMOs. I won't buy this game either. I'm still waiting for AC6 to drop in price so I can buy it even cheaper used since BN decided they'd put DLC up the day they released the game rather than including the extra content w/the game. I was excited about the game and was set to purchase it within the first few days until I found out about the content they decided to omit from the game just to screw people over w/DLC. BN lost my purchase b/c of this, but EA probably isn't losing anything from me since the game looks like generic crap anyway.

Spartan1308

This is precisely why microtransactions horrify me.

Strangelove

@FightingChance:

yeah but you don't have to pay 60 bucks for a pack of cards. also this isn't a "collectible weapons game". plus with card games i get infinitely more social interaction. with xbox live what do you get? a bunch of 12 year olds insulting your race and/or sexual preference.

i mean don't get me wrong, I've spent crap tons of money on cards over the years and it does suck but its unnecessary for that environment. There is absolutely NO reason that so many weapons should be planned buyable like this.

though personally I've been against micro transactions since be the beginning since i knew it would eventually start coming to crap like this. eventually games will cost 100 bucks and be downloaded in 100 convenient micro transactions -_-

demonknightinuyasha

EA does have an official Bad Company message board, let them know what is on your mind.

mindscienceofthemind

Way to encourage piracy

MisterFeeny

Oooooh, that's just nasty. First their hostile takeover. Now this. EA just gets on my nerves. Ever play their 'The Godfather' game? Plbbbbt!

octoSink

@johnny_ultimate: The gameworld/pay for an avatar is actually quite a clever idea. Evil, but clever. I could see it working as part of a deep character customization process done on a proxy website.

TrevWolf

I would pay for equipment, just the same as I pay for gold on WoW. I do not have the time to grind a game just to unlock or acquire something. Hopefully, they will sell cheats too, that can be used and still earn achievements.

I'm being quite serious.

D00mM4r1n3

this is defiantly a problem but there is a simply solution.

DON'T BUY THERE CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!

If they want to do something like this the best way to stop them is not to buy into it. Why do you think people who play MMO's are still getting their wallets raped because they still buy into it. Did you know Xbox live could be free? But people keep buying into it so they keep charging.
Your could try to complain about but the best way to handle this is to vote with your wallet and not buy into these borderline scams.

nightshade71986

@TrettOff:
Yes really. In your anti-MS rant, you failed to notice that Valve said it was up to "SONY and MS to set the price" not just MS. Hmmm. Why would Valve want to spread FUD about PSN and Xbox Live? It's not like Valve has its own rival, download service. Oh, right. They do.

More semantics and conspiracy theories. It's up to Sony and M$ to determine what the Unreal maps will cost too, and guess what they're going to cost on the PS3? That's right, zilch.

Do you know how much Valve intends to charge on their own download service, Mr. FUD? That's right, zilch.

I fail to see your point on the above.

Your response to me, however, makes sense. M$ did not invent the expansion pack, that we know of.

Billkwando

Unless there's a damn good reason for this, and I really can't see one, what the fuck. This is ridiculous. I want everything the game has, why should I unlock something that's already on the disc? What the hell man... Just what the hell...

Now something like ME DLC doesn't bother me, because it makes sense to have little in-between adventures between the big stories (the main ME games). Something like Bringing Down the Sky would have been fairly odd to experience AFTER you just saved the galaxies sentient species from utter destruction.

This pay-as-youu-kill BS... Now THATS just lame.

Garro

more reason EA can forever kiss my ass and never get any more of my money.
Piracy is bad, unless it's an EA game.

bosintang

@Billkwando: "An expansion pack is different from a handful of guns, and you can't deny that the lion's share of downloadable PC content is free and always has been."
I never said the majority of content on the PC wasn't free, but paid DLC or expansion packs are not new on the PC. Heck, even in the Playstation 1 days you had things like "Maps of Death" for "Return Fire" which was just a disc of extra maps (that took less than a megabyte of an otherwise empty CD-ROM) for a console game. Paying just for additional non-core content isn't new. The first dozen Sims expansion packs is based just on buying "more stuff" for your living room. And despite what you imply, a large chunk of the DLC on Live Marketplace is free. Look at Crackdown. Half the DLC (like the nifty "Keys to the City") is free while the other half is paid. And it's not like someone has a gun to your head. If you don't feel something is worth it, don't pay for it! I've only ever bought one piece of DLC so far (Mass Effect) because 1) most isn't worth the price 2) most of it becomes free eventually (see Halo maps).

TrettOff

@ErskinPig: So you'd rather pay $30 for a "expansion pack" in a nice card box that really only has one or two things you wanted instead of downloading online the one or two you want and only paying a couple of dollars for each? Then your complaint, sir, isn't with MS- it is with Apple and the whole iTunes model. Go bitch at them.

TrettOff

Why the fuck is everyone shocked? I said ages ago that THIS is exactly where "microtransactions" are headed. They know it's a money maker too because the sheeple are too fucking stupid to just let it sit there. Instead they buy it, then others buy it because if they don't they'll be at a disadvantage and on and on it goes.

Gamers are good at one thing in situations like this and that's bitching and moaning about it then bending over and taking it anyway. STOP BUYING THIS STUFF. The WORST offender by far to date has been Ace Combat 6 however.

YouCanEatMe

@ErskinPig: Yes really. In your anti-MS rant, you failed to notice that Valve said it was up to "SONY and MS to set the price" not just MS. Hmmm. Why would Valve want to spread FUD about PSN and Xbox Live? It's not like Valve has its own rival, download service. Oh, right. They do.

TrettOff

"or shell out $60 and get all of the maps and guns at once."
---- I like DLC, especially when done right. Battlefield Heroes sounds like a good example similar to what you suggested (at least from what I've heard of it). But Bad Company strikes me as the kind of game where EA will expect me to shell out $70CAD to buy, and still lock parts of the game away unless I pay them more (even if the content is already created and ready to use before the game goes Gold). Expansion packs good, locking parts of the original game bad (again, thats assuming they make me pay full price for the watered-down game).

Granted it will also suck if it applies to multiplayer, as people who pay will have the advantage. Things like maps work as you can only play against other people who have the maps, or things that just customize the game for you but not the weapon statistics. I was annoyed enough when people would buy better items or gold in Diablo2/WoW.

tcrat

In other news, EA has started a hair salon, prices start at $60 for half a haircut, and $2 a hair from then on.

ungivenglory

Its confirmed!
You will ahve to pay to unlock the virtual sex sceneas in Mass Effect 2.

Not-Witzbold

Isn't there an actual FPS in which you need to buy ammo with real money? I'm almost positive that there is.

kubevubin

Eventually, if DLC gets severe- people will try to make a pirate XBL, or piracy/hacking will occur in greater amounts. There does come a point where the consumer says enough.

arstal

heres a copy paste of my original comment in the first beta thread. oh and the "in gold" means in the limited edition of the game which i assume will be 70 bucks soo it translates to 2$ per gun.

heres the proof pic for ea charging you for guns that seem to be on the disk [www.flickr.com]

the 10 guns are
an94
f2000(in gold)
spas15
usas12(in gold)
vss
qbu88(in gold)
xm8c
uzi(in gold)
mg3
m60(in gold)

the (in gold) ones say this "in gold edition or available for purchase on xbl marketplace"

i should probably start tipping sites off o_O

Truepatriot

@TrettOff:

You're exploiting semantics.

An expansion pack is different from a handful of guns, and you can't deny that the lion's share of downloadable PC content is free and always has been.

That's not even getting into user-made mods, which of course M$ won't allow because it will cut into their profit share. Call it "certification" all you want. They're certifying that you will certainly have to pay.

Billkwando

@TrettOff: Oh really? [kotaku.com]

ErskinPig

Im really getting fed up with this whole micro transaction bullcrap. Im beginning to think these companies (EA) don't give a left nut and just want to take advantage of a gamers love for games and just make money! Ridiculous!

sprtnelite

@TrettOff: Yes yes (and I never said they did - nice word twisting) but expansion packs are qualitatively different. They are a box of value. DLC is much more wide open to abuse, as crap like this demonstrates.

ErskinPig

@Billkwando: just saying... MS has used sickening practices for years but everyone loves the 360 after all is said and done. since EA is getting a knee jerk bashing for what they are doing here just imagine if they made a console... everyone would love it and pay nominal fees for anything and everything and wont be able to think of when gaming was ever better. people that enjoy video games the growing culture should know who the bad influences are and just where the charging for anything they can get away with came from. id rather be called fanboy all day long (though whos fanboy i am i dont know) than enable the trash thats going on thanks to the big guys.

Crazy_Buffet_Happens

@ErskinPig: "Incidently, blame MS as much as you blame EA. They have final say over what DLC costs an" Not quite. MS can veto a dev charging for something under very strict conditions, but beyond that devs are free to charge as little or as much as they want. For instance, they won't let a dev charge for content that is free elsewhere, so it's not like the PS3 version of Bad Company is going to get this content for free.

TrettOff

That's really sad - is this what the state of gaming has come to? We'll have second class gaming citizens. When you put it like that, maybe it is just a natural part of the virtual world, like in real life when you have the haves and the have-nots. Or, perhaps it is grossly unfair and makes a mockery of fair play and all that.

Mr Butterscotch

@ErskinPig: MS didn't invent paid additional content. PC games had that for years before the original Xbox, both in retail "expansion packs" which added things like new weapons, shinier graphics, "CD-quality audio", roster updates, new scenarios, etc. Mac games as well. To say this is all Microsoft's doing is just ignorant.

TrettOff

What's even sadder is 80% of those complaining will end up buying the game anyway. Maybe if you assholes quit buying this shit we'd stop seeing it.

Talleyrand

1) This is no different than buying new cars for a racing game. It's a shooting game so buying new weapons shouldn't be considered more sacrilegious.
2) Could all the "This is the problem with Live" Sony fanboys give it a rest. PSN makes you pay $10 extra just to play Tekken 5 online after you've already bought the game. That's a bigger sin than allowing a player to pimp out their arsenal.

TrettOff

I can't remember the last EA game I bought.

I don't particularly hate them, it is just stuff like this is a big turn off. It puts a bad vibe to their overall image, and when I look at the games on the shelves with their logo, I get a negative impression because of it.

I'd probably be more apt to buy their games if they just gave away stuff for free rather than charge for it. They're taking a $60 hit over $5 extra content. Doesn't make any sense to me. Usually the carrot on the string is what gets us there in the first place.

Pips

figures EA would do this... just in case people havent noticed, they kinda suck.

leimeisei

@LividChihuahua: No, this content is not unlockable through other means. There is a section of 10 other guns that ARE unlockable and are labeled as such. Then there are 5 guns that can either be purchased or are available through the Gold edition (assuming this means a token with the game), and 5 guns available only through XBL purchase.

whiptcracker

@GMC: Wow, thats pretty fuckin wack!!

squidboy007

@Rask: We blame MS bnecause they started the whole DLC thing, if they were a little more open, and the diden't have to bust a devs balls about the DLC you'd have different requirements. UT3 for 360 won't have mods like the PS3 has because microsoft demands that they check everything, that means it costs microsoft (which they'll never take on the chin), microsoft charges the dev and the dev can't take the hit so they charge the consumer, if microsoft diden't have to check it it could be put up for free, well... not on live because they charge for "upkeep to the server" I'm shure, it's MS, they make money, and if that means pssing costs on to the consumer then so be it.

LividChihuahua

@Rask: Enter the fanboy, the bodyguards of our corporate abusers, their agents that walk among us, fiercely loyal, always missing the point, defending their beloved machine against any negativity, however just it may be.

MS, for all intents and purposes, created the concept, culture and business model for chargable DLC as we know it today. Not Sony. Not Nintendo. MS will reap what they have sown.

ErskinPig

EA would be the company that would try this move. It was first predicted when MS described the Marketplace before the 360 was even launched. It was the line people drew in the sand to say what would be the limit. What does paying for a better gun say about a company that produces games? It says they don't understand anything about gaming except it make them money. I don't like EA and this decision only proves my feeling on them. They have not failed to disappoint me.

inajeep

Alot of this flak is because you are paying for content on the disc, which is complete BS, but what if it's like the NFS ProSrteet DLC, you can unlock the content or be a dip and pay $2.49 and download it now. That seems a little more likely than forcing people to pay for whats there (although it's EA so anything goes), even if that is the case it is very misleading to put a buy it on "XBOX Live" message over it, it implies to strogly thats it's the only way.

Either way EA sucks and they only make crappy games now anyways, except for the orange box I haven't bought a new game from them since Timesplitters 3 (Thats was EA right, I'm to lazy to look)

LividChihuahua

@dadeisvenm: "This frag brought to you by [insert company here]"

Nice.

P.N.03

All I can do is hope nobody buys the DLC.

Mukman

I love how people are all bashing the 360 without relly thinking that this model will be used across ALL platform that BF:BC will be released on.

That means the pay to use weapons will also be sold on your precious PSN as well.

Rask

I can see it now. . . "To unlock functionality of the right joystick please proceed to downloadable content under the XBLM"

NiteShado

EA. IS THE EVIL EMPIRE. WATCH OUT DEVELOPERS. WATCH OUT.

thechain212

@Zegridathes:

That's called a "Free Trial" in EA language.

Billkwando

FEAR LEADS TO ANGER.ANGER LEADS TO HATE. HATE LEADS TO...EA TAKING OVER.

thechain212

@whiptcracker:

Nooooo. The cheat sandbox mode is free. What you have to pay for is new weapons, vehicles, and a slew of new missions that should've been included.

The only saving grace is that in co-op, only one player needs to have the DLC, so I got most of the new achievements with the help of people who bought the pack. One guy chauferred me up the side of the building in his SUV and got me the Driving High achievement.

Billkwando

Incidently, blame MS as much as you blame EA. They have final say over what DLC costs and they created the culture and climate for this CON to not merely exist, but THRIVE in.

MS have insidiously gained a foothold in the console market, sneaking in under the cloak of Sony's disasterous handling of the (pre) launch of the PS3 and they are now thoroughly abusing their position. The sad thing is, Sony and Nintendo will copy their bad practices up to the point where they feel it isn't harming their competitive advantage. If this were the galaxy far far away, MS would be Palpatine. Give them an inch & they take a mile. You know what we need?

UUUUUUNLIIIIIIIMATED BACKLASH!!!!!

ErskinPig

This would be a similar model to many free-to-play Korean MMO's with the exception that you don't have to actually buy the game first.

I don't condone this behavior for something that requires an initial investment.

Also, what happens when someone who has not purchased the weapon attempts to loot it off the corpse of a player who does have the weapon? Or would this game be conveniently missing that feature?

Zegridathes

Complain all you want but this wouldn't happen if you didn't buy DLC in the first place. Just look at the PC and how they get virtually all DLC for free.

Gex

DEAR EA.
GO KISS YOUR OWN ASS

thechain212

A little while ago you asked how I came to Kotaku. Penny-Arcade showed me the light. But it's the clear frustration with this concept and Sticking up for consumers is the reason I stay.

**************

On the Game front: Why do companies continue to Nerf their games before they hit the street? Maybe I'm dumb, but I don't understand their thinking on this (Outside of the obvious, We Want Moar $$$). When they release a game that sells for $60 dollars they ask the consumer to have a faith in the company that the game is good and worth the investment.

Now my thinking is that they would want this initial gaming experience to be worth the $60 dollars right from the start. In my opinion that means filling the game with as much as possible. As for DLC, I think it Can be a selling point with the game as long as the additional content is worthwhile and has some substance AND down the road. I don't believe that content, which is finished and ready to go on launch day, should be DLC from the get go. That smacks, as in this case, of greed. Nothing more. What are intelligent consumers supposed to believe? That once you purchase this supposedly "Full" game, you get the "Right" to pay more for content you could have easily placed on the disc I already bought? Reminds of the old Microsoft joke, It's not a flaw, It's a Feature.

No sir, that's buying the beef and bun and charging for the ketchup and mustard.

Dear EA, You're Screwing the pooch on this one and it is indeed a slippery slop.

MasterSauce

JUST DON'T BUY THIS STUPID GAME!!!

thechain212

@TRT-X: I played through Crackdown a couple of months ago and loved the game. The downloadable content you're talking about is essentially a cheat sandbox mode, and a mode that provides some extra vehicles and weapons that can be used in the single player.

The different between the additional weapons in Crackdown is that those DLC weapons aren't a vital part of the game, and the game wasn't released with those weapons in a locked menu that you had to purchase to open up. Battlefield practically is rubbing it in your face that there's weapons that are in the game that you purchased that you can't access unless you give them more money.

whiptcracker

What ever happened to shipping a complete game? If this is indeed true, they can shove their weapons right up their asses. Right next to Horse Armor.

Wolfers

Yikes... I've been worried that this game was going to be crap (don't fool yourself, single player will be shit). Paying for "more game" or advantage in MP after I've already paid for it basically destroys any lingering interest I've had in this game.

You can't blame EA for everything, as the developer could have provided a solid base of evidence against "paying for guns" in multiplayer.

figurhead

I'm pretty sure EA will probably try to create an entire game you buy, then you have to DLC everything in it to do anything. Anything at all. You can move the character around- that's what you paid $70 for but the guns? That'll be some $. The missions? That's some more $. Oh you want to go online? We know you paid MS, but that'll cost more $. As will other modes like multiplayer.

This is why we need an Action Replay for all games...

JGab

Anyone, and I mean ANYONE who buys any of that crap deserves to lose their homes and fortunes because they've obviously got more money than sense. A fool and their money are soon parted.

NO DLC UNLESS IT'S FREE!
NO DLC UNLESS IT'S FREE!
NO DLC UNLESS IT'S FREE!
...

ErskinPig

I would not mind a game where you paid for upgrades, but only if the core game itself was free.

Imagine if a FPS title came out that was a free download, just like a Demo. You get a couple maps and a couple guns. You can buy each map and gun that you wan individually, or shell out $60 and get all of the maps and guns at once.

Eldragon

You guys keep forgetting that the game won't even be playable for the first 3 weeks anyway because it was pushed out by EA way too soon. During this time you can save up a couple bucks so you have more than handgun!

Halosucks3

You guys seem to keep forgetting that the game won't really be playable until about 3 weeks or so after release because it was pushed out the door way too quickly. So you can save up a couple of extra bucks during this time!

Halosucks3

@Pornosaur:

Yeah. So much for John R turning the company image around.

Billkwando

@rkr215: I know with Forza, most of the downloads that I looked over were newer cars (2008 M3, the new Peugeot Le Mans prototype, etc.) which *couldn't* have been included in the game, especially seeing as they typically do full research on the cars. It's the fact that the guns are being made available for purchase in the BETA BEFORE the game is even shipped, proving they're withholding content to nickel and dime people after the game has come out.

jihadjoe343

I think Xbox live is great but damnit with this DLC crap, EA and alot of others charging for this extra crap that could of been put into the game first time around. I mean money talks, they will continue doing it cause people are buying them.

"You want to get a advantage over others, FUCK YOU pay me!! You want to push that right trigger to be able to shoot someone in the game, FUCK YOU pay me! Hell you wanna be able to turn on your system to be able to play the game, FUCK YOU pay me!!!"

Yeah thats prety much what they saying lol thats there next step, in order to play the game, you must pay 800 MS Points to be able to play the game for the month!!

Dizzle

@Collapse The Control: You're actually saying that the type of weapon you use in a game doesn't effect the multi-player outcome? Perhaps in single-player you can make your way through with whatever you have, but something as slight as a difference in clip size has huge ramifications in a multi-player vs. game.

jayntampa

Im sure you can unlock them as you rank or pay if you want them straight away? i saw them yesterday in the BETA and thought oh crap but i dunno.

Woylez

mooseyfate e-mail the editor of kotaku. thats what I am going to do. Then we can start The EA hatting and bashing.

thechain212

@Crazy_Buffet_Happens:

Pointless fanboy is pointless.

Billkwando

Actually, just don't buy the game. That's a better show of disapproval than any petition.

I really wanted Bad Company. It honestly looked like fun. But, I don't support what they're doing here, so I'm not going to give them any of my money for this game.

Any of you that share that opinion should simply do the same.

StarkRavingMad

EA. won't be satisfied untill they rule the world. and Peter Moore will be supreme dictator. and have everyone wearing halo and GTA tattoos.

thechain212

Well I guess we can wipe out any good will gamers seemed to be feeling torwards EA the last 6 months or so. At least things are back to normal.

Pornosaur

What's the big deal? Isn't this a standard for car racing sims where you're able to purchase different cars?

rkr215

@thechain212: Sign me up.

mooseyfate

This isn't going to go over well, but you don't need those weapons to compete. Whatever gun you start with is pretty much going to get you through the game.

Collapse The Control

I think people who believe these are cosmetic changes are being a little naive. This is EA. They are a cookie cutter operation only concerned with making money not good games. People should have stopped supporting them a long time ago. Wait til they own Take2. Imagine, EAs in the boardroom right now:

"Make em' pay for touchdown dances in Madden".
"Make em' pay for dunks in NBA live".
"Make em' pay for home runs in Baseball".
"Okay, how 'bout this, make them pay to get outta jail on GTA"
"And we could charge real money for virtual prostitutes too".
"YEAHH"!!!!
"We could get Kristin".

Dcbronco

This has got to be the worst way for the EA to go about getting publicity for their game. One the eve of a Beta for a game that seems very anticipated, they ruin it all by letting loose the fact that people have to pay for guns...in an FPS!!

It's astonishing to think that people within the company had no issues with implementing this system. Obviously they don't understand the way the internet works and how people will react to something like this. I could understand if it was two or three guns that were just reskins or something. But to give extras of that magnitude to people who buy a special version or the douchebags who use the Marketplace to buy them? C'mon, give me a break.

I know I'll be much more scrutinizing when I'm playing the Beta and what was once enthusiasm for this game has now become a truckload of skepticism. Hopefully sites like Kotaku will help take all of our opinions and bring this to EA in order to get some answers from them. Lord knows they don't listen to their customers.

jihadjoe343

Well, what are the good uses of DLC

Here's my suggestion for the fighting genre:
As an expansion.

I know for VF5 the customizeable items got largely shat on by the playerbase, but that was more due to the quality of items being low. It is said people would pay for the Version D items as a set. Then again, it is SEGA, which is not known for competence outside of AM2.

arstal

Another I hate EA hiaku.....

I have to buy guns?
You have to be kidding me!
Fuck You EA Games!

Mr.SithNinja

@Milihpen:

That would be awesome. It seems EA isn't satisfied with you BUYING the game. Stupid money grubbing bastards need to leave the gaming industry and own sports teams instead.

Fireblast

we should start a petition. on kotaku. this is totally obnoxious.

thechain212

Thats horrible.
I remember playing games on the black-box and having the ability to download maps and packs and they were all FREE. You click on "Downloadable Content", and bam, there you go. Your service packs and all available maps. Download to your hearts content. Then, someone figured out they could make 10 bucks a person for a map pack and well, thats all she wrote.
Not that it will go back to that way, but I think unless its a completely new expansion to a game, map packs/weapons/etc should be free.
I'll pay to download a full expansion that adds playability to a game, but just to add 2 new multiplayer maps and 2 new weaons, screw that.
I think as gamers we spend plenty on games. $50/year for xbox live...which hasn't worked perfectly since it was launched, $70 for a game that usually requires an emergency patch to fix horrible problems they should have caught during QA, and $10 for every map pack/expansion they release that could have been included in the original game, and most of the time these packs slow the game down or cause more problems.
I don't have a problem dropping some cash for a map-pack/weapon-pack that comes out many months after the game came out to prolong playing it, but if I buy a brand new game and have to pay to download weapons/maps immediately, they can shove it.

Capp

EA. would do it with mass effect. I could see that happening. very said also. sad face.:(

thechain212

Can't wait for the achievements to leak... Buy 1 DLC weapon, Buy 5 DLC weapons, and title of buy all DLC weapons ... "We suck your wallet dry" what would the points be? Who cares, it's still lame to buy DLC for something that is obviously already part of the game.

web_man_dan

@Moonshadow101:

I've been gaming for since I had my coleco vision without DLC, so no I don't worry about developers not giving more stuff while charging us for it.

Gex

Next stop.....Consumables!

@TRT-X:

What's worse is that that Crackdown was woefully lacking in content in the first place, so being asked to pay for the rest of the game is an insult.

Stuff like this is why I never buy an EA racing game, and why I never bought Katamari on 360, no matter how bad I might want it.

Billkwando

If EA is doing this with bad company, imagine what another game like oh i dont know, mass effect 2 will be like. I just died a little inside with that thought.

mooseyfate

Yeah. Ken_f. Fuck EA. Totally agree. Fuck em.

thechain212

@Gex: Swearing off DLC entirely is infinitely worse, because if the whole idea dies then the potential good uses die with it.

Moonshadow101

@TheRockingDead:
Ehm its not exactly correct.
In MMOs, even after you've bought the expansion, it still requires a great effort and hours of gameplay to get better armor and stuff. Blizzard doesn't have online store where you can go and buy yourself better equipment/power-ups/levels-ups/whatever.

neojam

@Bon5ai: If bullents cost 5000 MS points there wouldn't be anymore innocent bystanders getting shot!

Mr.SithNinja

This is absolute garbage. When I hear of business practices like this I immediately knock the game off my radar. Way to go EA! Your paws just got grubbier.

kent_f

artsal. your right. I don't think this will be a problem neither. But it's still a shit head idea.

thechain212

Spawning in 3.. 2... 1...

Press A to accept the charges to your Visa.

wicko

I don't think this will become a massive problem, unless EVERYONE starts doing it. FPS's are pretty elastic in demand, wouldn't the people unwilling to pay just flock to another game that didn't require it?

Isn't the issue to games costing too much to make just to spend less on making the game and make more profits?

arstal

@TheRockingDead: Haven't been to the WoW forums have you? People have been doing that exact thing for 3 years.

Milihpen

Maybe i'm naive, protected, mollycoddled, but i just realised that you can buy a fully skilled-up golfer for tiger woods on xbox live. What has the world come to?

This is what it has come to:
[www.penny-arcade.com]

at least here the free option acted as a teaser, according the model outlined in the post, the rub out "free" and replace it with "39.99"

GMC

i kinda starting to think that EA enjoys all negative publicity they can get...

neojam

Completely agree with you Fahey.

mooseyfate

It could eventually turn into buying perks like in CoD4. So you literally buy abilities in game to make your person stronger.

NotAZombie

I don't know who's worse. EA or the tools who pay who pay money for this kind of bullshit.

EA wins by default, but barely...

P.S.: Can anyone imagine how much at the extras is SSBB would've cost if EA made it? $500 for a complete game, that's the EA way!

VicViper

thats why developers prefer xbox+live i guess...
:) nice plan m$ but i don't want

steliosco

Seems to me with the problems that EA has had with public opinion from gamers they wouldn't pull this kind of crap. Now if they are gonna drop the price of the game to 19.99 or free and pull microtransaction stuff that is fine. I don't see how they can justify this when other games (Better games) don't do this (COD 4).

Daemonati

You have no one to blame but yourselves for this mess. If you would not buy their crap they wouldn't charge for it plain and simple. I haven't paid for any map packs or dlc and never will since I have the patience to wait until its free. Ill wait until the mass effect dlc becomes free and if it doesn't then I'll never play that side story just like I don't have the hero pack for Marvel Ultimate Alliance which should be free by now.

Gex

@Bon5ai: i was just about to post that.....

+ Watch video

jfx316

@whiptcracker: Crackdown did this to. I got the game a month or so ago and had a few title updates (read: "Patches") to download before I could start.

Next thing I know there are locked guns, vehicles, and MISSIONS all over the place. I'll run up to a marker and get a message saying "You must purchase this to do it."

What kind of BS is that?

TRT-X

@TheRockingDead:
Well for ripping on all of us for jumping at something that could start an entire new pay-for-your-games mindset you seem to be doing the same thing as us in your post. Except there is only one of you. And your post is very long and articulate. And actually a very good point... and...
Well I don't have the kind of money to bathe in and it made me just as mad when I saw cars unlockable through DLC(50MS points) in PGR3
So EA might not have added huge advantage weapons for purchase but how long is it before someone does if we do not take action?

Psychotic173

Paying for gun in a FPS... Wow that it totally gay. How arrogant for XBL and developers to expect us. the gamers. the guys who pay their fucking bills. To have to pay 60 dollars and additional money for guns. WTF. How stupid. Not going to buy it now. Stick with CSS.COD4 and RB6V

thechain212

I've seen several games for 360 where you could buy features online that you could also unlock yourself in the game. I don't see anything wrong with this, as long as it's just something that's "tacked on" rather than the basic way that players are going to access this content. In other words, it has to actually be possible to unlock the features in the game.

If paying was the only way to unlock these weapons, I'd agree, it's an awful decision. However, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they're not THAT stupid...

UltimatePancakeSensation

Maybe someone should set up a petition?

TheInquisitor

One would assume that weapons PAID FOR in the beta will carry over to the final product. But to be fair if we didn't keep paying for this crap, the developers wouldn't keep dropping it in our laps...

thebetamax

I wasn't going to buy it but now I surely won't :)

alba

It is slimy. They should be paying me rent for storing their inventory on MY disc.

If it's on your disc, shouldn't you own it?

Billkwando

yet if EA released their own console with ridiculous failure rates EVERYBODY would LOVE them and join the EA fanboy cause

Crazy_Buffet_Happens

@JakeDunn:
yeah i suppose that would make for an interesting game concept.... though hard to build a sotry on why your soldier is having to swipe his credit card for his ammo lolz but it would put an end to the Halo "ATTACK!!!! ...dead RESPAWN!!!!!"cycle (which i enjoy very much btw)

Psychotic173

wow, if this ends up being true, I'd imagine that EA will get a TON of flak.

Unknown-User

@Milihpen: I for one dread that day, which is sadly almost inevitable given the way things are going. Shame.

Imagine Bioshock 2: actually having to play for plasmids and upgrades when you reach a vending machine. Tbh, wouldn't be half surprised if some game actually tries that.

Next EA 'microtransaction': buy the gameworld on a disc, but pay us for an avatar to navigate it with!

johnny_ultimate

Fuckers.

Come on EA, don't make me not want to buy this game.

ShirtGuyDom

I hate to say it, but this is the inherent problem with the internet, and news via blog in particular. We're getting half-information here. Does anyone know if these weapons are simply cosmetic 'horse armor?' Are they almost exactly the same as weapons already in the game, but with slight variations? Maybe this one can hold 24 rounds in a clip instead of 20, but it takes longer to reload, resulting in a net zero difference. I guess it's more fun to jump on the hate bandwagon, there's more booze on board or something.

In reality, how different is this from other games, MMOs in particular. I don't see anyone whining when Blizzard puts out an expansion to WoW. No one's crying, "But.. but.. those guys are spending more money and they get better gear!! Waaah!" I am willing to bet the difference in balance there between someone who purchases an expansion and someone who does not, is far more significant than 10 weapons in an FPS. And apare me the "but that's different" argument. I get it, it's different, but the concept is still very similar. You might reason that those guns should have been included in the purchased game. Well, there's a lot of stuff in MMO expansions that should have probably been in the purchased game too.

In an age where video games are taking more money to make than Hollywood films, with a much smaller revenue stream model, how can you blame companies for wanting to make money back on their investment? Sure, blame them all you want when it comes down to things like this potential issue, where they may charge you more if you want to be able to compete. But, to jump to conclusions based on what someone says, without hearing the whole story is just plain ridiculous. You wouldn't like it if someone said that they saw you drop a napkin and not pick it up, then everyone else started running around saying that you were a fat ugly slob who doesn't care about the environment and picks their nose and eats it. If you are this person, well.. I guess it's deserved at least.

TheRockingDead

I think a better idea would be to just tie your creditcard info to your character, so every 1 standard bullet you fire charges $0.01 to your card. Extra charge for different types of ammo, such as explosive rounds.
They can call it a Credit Clip or something.

Milihpen

@Bon5ai: classic Chris Rock!

jp182

@RiazM:

Problem in special forces, the guns unlocked were only for those guys, you couldn't use em in bf2.

I liked one of the maps though, a lot, but hated the at night maps.

JakeDunn

Actually yeah someone had a good idea up there.... id be willing to start a boycott on this game, but i dont know where to start, cause if one company gets away with this, the rest ae going to want their piece of the evil pie...
its not like we could get mass numbers with a boycott, not enough to affect EA seriously but the negative publicity would be something

Psychotic173

@Psychotic173:

well yeah I caught the sarcasm

I'm just intrigued by the idea, having you make effort to survive the game not just for unlocking shiny new things (and then doing it all again on the next prestige ;) )

JakeDunn

I can't wait til I have to pay for more spaceship fuel in Mass Effect 2 through micro transactions.

Getgr

Funny, because when people talk about paying for maps other people start complaining saying it splits the community and that guns and outfits are all that should be charged for.

I doubt the guns are much better, there was a similar situation in Battlefield 2, if you bought the Special Forces add on you unlocked a whole new tier of weapons, none of them was game breakingly good.

I think even in 2142 there's a similar advantage to buying the Northern Strike add on, you unlock a new tier of "perks".

Meant nothing gameplay wise, but if you wanted it, you could buy it.

RiazM

@JakeDunn:
No, i think he means you start shelling out 400 MS points per clip...

Psychotic173

DLC should be additions to the game, NOT unlocking parts of a game.

Milihpen

wow gaming is heading in the wrong direction. I say let the comments build for a day and then send a link to ea showing them that the gaming community thinks this idea makes ea look like thrown fecal matter from a caged monkey

lilaliendog

If true, it's outrageous

swordfish2eva1

Fucking EA...always the one to screw evryone over. The sad part is, someone will buy this and start a downward spiral for all of us gamers. They are going to charge us for things that should be included. When you think EA can't stoop any lower...surprise...they outdone themselves again.

nxp3

Congratulations you have just purchased the 9mm pistol for 50 dollars and have unlocked the sub machine gun class by purchasing the pistol. If you wish to purchase a submachine gun that will be 100 dollars....

EA are getting dangerously close to that.

dsmx

"This frag brought to you by [insert company here]"

dadeisvenm

I hate EA, they have become a cancer in the gaming industry. Buying up awesome companies, turning them to dross, nickel and diming consumers for what should be standard features of a game.

If trends like these spread, i will have to downgrade my gamer status from fanatic to an occasional pass the time participant.

Dammit, EA always knows how to leave a bad taste in my mouth.

E..A Games... "Its from our Ass"

fallingdove

I wish someone would organize a boycott of this game. Teach EA a lesson.

greeble

@Candlejack: In reality, this may not work because of patent issues of making money off a button-pressing patent that doesn't belong to you, but hey it is EA...

超外人

Why yes I would pay 6000 space bucks for your aim-bot, thank you, have a nice day.

Alski

Is that a price tag gun? I bet that sucka tears up the battlefield.

Dammit EA, just as you were starting on the path away from being the Great Satan of gaming...

sephycloneno15

Pretty soon you're going to be buying discs with just a title screen saying (insert CC# to continue) and some developer credits.

Milihpen

Whoa whoa whoa, slow your horses. Aren't you jumping the gun a bit here kotaku?

We don't actually know anything about the guns yet. It is entirely possible they are just cosmetic changes to existing guns. Or that they are different but are equally balanced. So maybe a different pistol that is slower but more powerful etc.

There was a limited gun included in copies of BF2142 sold at certain stores and it actually turned out to be worse than the gun it replaced.

While I will say it is slimy for them to hold back content to then merely release it later for extra cash. It is unfair to say they are''allowing players to pay in order to get a leg up on the competition''.

So slimy yes, but we have no idea to what extent yet and I feel the article here is a bit of a knee jerk reaction.

Zim

I'm not surprise by it...from EA you can't expect less.

alecpyron

I don't mind paying for new stages & new game modes, but weapons that should be INCLUDED in the game? EA has sunk to a new DLC low. Next thing you know, they'll start charging per online match.

DerrickDS

On the other hand, nearly all collectible card games function this way. You buy booster packs to get better cards. Sometimes you get cards you already have.

FightingChance

And I know its not the developers fault btw, EA is a bitch...

squidboy007

Will this be the fate of MASS EFFECT 2?

illmatic291

For every 10$, youll get another 5mph added to your bullet. If you dont pay anything, the bullet will fart out of the gun about 1 foot.

Well, there goes my purchase of that game. What a rip off...developers are getting out of hand with this DLC business.

squidboy007

@Milihpen:

Yes, when you fire, McDonald's tiny burgers hit the soldiers and they die from high cholesterol, great bio-weapons.

超外人

Having to buy ammo would be hilarious though, sort of a game within a game, meet the objectives, high accuracy etc earns you credit, which you can use for ammo in the next round...

You would have to have a mediocre backup weapon so you don't run totally out of ammo and scavenging downed players becomes all the more important.

I find the clan thing for the ps# more bothersome though.

JakeDunn

How much for a tank?

Pezdispenser

Just when I thought EA couldn't sink any lower...

This practice is despicable and a blight on the industry. The EA-Borg analogy becomes truer every day.

QualityJeverage

@Bon5ai:
XD chris rock FTW!

Xeros606

I can only agree, it's a slippery slope this stuff. Getting extra maps is just fun, I especially liked the premium modules for Neverwinter Nights, THAT is how payed content should be when it comes to quality (I'm still a bit mad that Witch's Wake and Shadowguard didn't get any sequels though). Pirates of the Sword Coast and Kingmaker are just awesome experiences.

Hell, IMO, you shouldn't even be able to get weapons that are better as unlockables, as it is almost the same thing, only you create a big canyon between veteran players and new players instead of people with too much money and people without too much money.

Tieowbeijas

To be fair it doesn't look like any of the additional weapons actually have an advantage over the ones in the game. There are a couple of different stats for each gun and the beta has a function where you can compare those stats to the other guns.

Still a dumb idea for charging to unlock weapons that are IN THE GAME.

whiptcracker

Wow i thought we'd already been over this with the Godfather "cheats" and whatnot.

What soulless jerk thinks of this stuff; here i was thinking EA had seen at least some of the light.

Sunjammer

What's next you ask? They'll charge you for button usage. Wanna use that right trigger? Yea, you pay. Start button to pause the game? Better ready your CC. Rumble on both sides of the pad? That'll cost ya.

Candlejack

I guess I should also note before I get majorly flamed that I understand this is EA, but its my personal opinion that alot of this has stemmed from MS's model of DLC and devs finally understanding how much money could be made by doing crap like this.

johnnylineup

Will the weapons shoot advertisements?

Milihpen

I said this a long time ago about LIVE, but this is seriously getting ridiculous.

If it weren't for games like rez and n+ I wouldn't have put any money into that service in almost a year. Not that me not doing it will necessarily change anything, but wtf is this?

love the ammo comment btw.

johnnylineup

Not surprising, I still remember the manual DLC they authorized. And yes, wouldn't surprise me if they started making you pay to save your damn game, or to use invincibility power ups or adrenaline shots to take 50 bullets before going down.

超外人