Following player outrage at the ludicrous grind required to unlock Heroes in Star Wars Battlefront II‘s multiplayer, developer DICE opted to reduce the cost of all unlockable characters by 75 percent.
This change has been celebrated by many players, who see it as a victory for the community, but also evidence that the developers are listening.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a nasty plot twist. Hero costs weren’t the only thing getting slashed. Those who completed the game’s single-player campaign prior to the Hero cost cuts were receiving 20,000 Credits. Those completing the campaign after the price reductions are now receiving 5,000 Credits.
DICE seems to have balanced out the reduction in Hero cost by making it trickier to get Credits via single-player.
Reputable Australian gaming website Stevivor claims that an EA representative confirmed this change was “a result of a reduction in in-game character unlock feeds.”
Further to this, an EA representative has just confirmed with Stevivor that the reward has been reduced to 5,000 Credits as a result of a reduction in in-game character unlock fees. https://t.co/bXI6aOSFBH
— ?️? Stevivor ?️? (@Stevivor) November 13, 2017
I suppose the only bright side is that multiplayer-only gamers won’t be affected…
In other Star Wars Battlefront II news, developers say that they have been receiving death threats and personal attacks due to loot crate controversy, EA has achieved the most downvoted comment in Reddit history, and DICE has issued a statement regarding the Credits grind for unlocks.
Source: Stevivor (Twitter)
Funny how this wasn’t mentioned in EAs self congratulating press release about the Hero costs going down….
They can’t rain on their own parade. 😛
Game developers like EA, UbiSoft and others, try to inform their customers that it costs huge amounts of cash, to make a major AAA video game title today, with all that goes into producing, developing, distribution and marketing costs of a AAA game. So they must resort to ways to recoup their investments. If true… what does a game company do… to show a return for their investments and make enough money to pay investors and stockholders? If their stockholders have no return, as in dividends for their investments… they walk and no games are made and EA closes it’s doors… like so many game companies have done over the years.
So… how many of you forum posters here… would pay $80 to $150+, for a AAA game like Battlefield 5 in 2019, so no micro transactions or loot boxes would need to be included and allow a game developer to show a profit on their major AAA video game?
It’s been reported in the game press over the years, that a major AAA game can cost as much or more to produce than a major Hollywood movie. Think of the many costs that goes into making a AAA game. If you have no clue… get educated.
“How Much Does It Cost To Make A Big Video Game?” https://is.gd/9d2WhI
The 2014 report above, shows the production costs of many AAA games in the past that you may have owned. Just add on 10 to 20 million dollars more for each title and you will get the picture what it costs to make your favorite video game in 2018. If a game company like EA or UbiSoft… makes one to many stinkers that does not sell well… bankruptcy of their company may soon follow. UbiSoft has come to that point of closing it’s doors several times in the past. It’s been reported that UbiSoft may be sold out soon.
Ever heard of games like SOCOM, MAG or Zipper? I’ve been an investor in 3 major game developers or companies. If I don’t get a return on my investment… I walk. And I have.
Quote: “When we do get specific numbers, it is often only the development or marketing costs, which do not necessarily provide a complete picture of a game’s entire budget of development, distribution and marketing costs. Also, specific numbers communicated to the public may not be accurate: like the film industry, it is possible for accounting to play tricks with budgeting to change the appearance of things. In 2009, EA executive Rich Hilleman indicated in a speech that his company “now typically spends two or three times as much on marketing and advertising as it does on developing a game.” This formula is not necessarily applicable to every potential blockbuster game—a “AAA game”, in gaming parlance—or to every company, but it is fair to say the break-even point for the average AAA game is well above the development budget. Companies also need to recoup marketing and other expenses.”
Good points. Yeah, most people don’t know that games costs as much now as it did way back then.
Thing is that even if they increased the cost of games, they would still have micro transactions or dlc to collect additional revenue. No developer is going to put the price up and limit other proven revenue generating mechanisms if people buy them
I reckon if you load the game offline and play the campaign offline pre patches, you could get the 20 k in credits. Not sure if you have to be online for campaign though
Funny how this wasn’t mentioned in EAs self congratulating press release about the Hero costs going down….
They can’t rain on their own parade. 😛
I reckon if you load the game offline and play the campaign offline pre patches, you could get the 20 k in credits. Not sure if you have to be online for campaign though
Game developers like EA, UbiSoft and others, try to inform their customers that it costs huge amounts of cash, to make a major AAA video game title today, with all that goes into producing, developing, distribution and marketing costs of a AAA game. So they must resort to ways to recoup their investments. If true… what does a game company do… to show a return for their investments and make enough money to pay investors and stockholders? If their stockholders have no return, as in dividends for their investments… they walk and no games are made and EA closes it’s doors… like so many game companies have done over the years.
So… how many of you forum posters here… would pay $80 to $150+, for a AAA game like Battlefield 5 in 2019, so no micro transactions or loot boxes would need to be included and allow a game developer to show a profit on their major AAA video game?
It’s been reported in the game press over the years, that a major AAA game can cost as much or more to produce than a major Hollywood movie. Think of the many costs that goes into making a AAA game. If you have no clue… get educated.
“How Much Does It Cost To Make A Big Video Game?” https://is.gd/9d2WhI
The 2014 report above, shows the production costs of many AAA games in the past that you may have owned. Just add on 10 to 20 million dollars more for each title and you will get the picture what it costs to make your favorite video game in 2018. If a game company like EA or UbiSoft… makes one to many stinkers that does not sell well… bankruptcy of their company may soon follow. UbiSoft has come to that point of closing it’s doors several times in the past. It’s been reported that UbiSoft may be sold out soon.
Ever heard of games like SOCOM, MAG or Zipper?
I’ve been an investor in 3 major game developers or companies. If I don’t get a return on my investment… I walk. And I have.
Quote: “When we do get specific numbers, it is often only the development or marketing costs, which do not necessarily provide a complete picture of a game’s entire budget of development, distribution and marketing costs. Also, specific numbers communicated to the public may not be accurate: like the film industry, it is possible for accounting to play tricks with budgeting to change the appearance of things. In 2009, EA executive Rich Hilleman indicated in a speech that his company “now typically spends two or three times as much on marketing and advertising as it does on developing a game.” This formula is not necessarily applicable to every potential blockbuster game—a “AAA game”, in gaming parlance—or to every company, but it is fair to say the break-even point for the average AAA game is well above the development budget. Companies also need to recoup marketing and other expenses.”
Good points. Yeah, most people don’t know that games costs as much now as it did way back then.
Thing is that even if they increased the cost of games, they would still have micro transactions or dlc to collect additional revenue. No developer is going to put the price up and limit other proven revenue generating mechanisms if people buy them