Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson recently sat down for his first interview “in a couple of years” with GameDaily.biz to discuss the company’s mistakes and accomplishments in recent times.
He’s been at EA for 19 years, was the former head of EA Sports and has now led the global video game giant for the past six years. At one point, the conversation shifted towards the company’s “complicated relationship” with loot boxes and microtransactions in games like FIFA 19.
Wilson defended the monetary in-game system, explaining how four key vectors played a part in making it “actually possible” to properly implement microtransactions:
Whether it's direct purchase or this mystery box style that's become commonly referred to as loot boxes we really think about four key vectors: Value, fairness, choice, and fun. We want to feel like we got a good deal. We've got some live services businesses that are microtransaction fueled that have some of the highest sentiment and highest engagement in the industry. So, it's actually possible to do this right.
When asked about how the company planned to tackle countries “taking a stand against the practice”, Wilson said EA was taking the necessary steps to ease any concerns and would be transparent with its player base.
Part of improving the experience is helping engage parents, so they can have better control over what their children are playing:
We're going to work harder on surfacing tools so that parents can actually feel more in control of the lives of their children. The reality is these tools exist inside of PlayStation, Xbox, and Origin, and other platforms today, they really do.
What we're going to try to do is actually try to surface that even more in our games, in the language in our games, in the communication around our games, actually use our games to better surface some of those tools so that parents have better control over the digital lives of their children.
What are your thoughts about the current state of microtransactions in EA’s games? Tell us below.
[source gamedaily.biz]
Comments 96
Just get rid of them. Games as a service was a horrible idea and it's just biting you in the butt.
Why can't we just make games that are complete anymore?
Really? EA have never managed to do it right, hence why their activities are currently being investigated by multiple governments.
Also they're called "surprise mechanics" and not loot boxes, if you're going to lie to people at least stick to the script
EA... they never change.
Atop those 4 vectors, and dear to his heart I assume, is profit!
Of course he’s defending them. EA are making BILLIONS from having them in their games. He’s being given multi million pound bonuses from them, as if he’d say anything to disparage them. If we thought they were bad, wait till we get hit by the new subscription wave and ‘access not ownership’ model.
I support DLC.
But not microtransactions. That's for mobile titles, not fully priced retail home console endeavors.
I'd rather see him defend their weak Star Wars titles
Didn’t EA recently rename micro transactions and loot boxes as surprise mechanics or something ridiculous like that anyway they are not fond of publishing switch games so it doesn’t really bother me but they are money grabbers
“Part of improving the experience is helping b***s*** parents, so EA can have better control over what their children are playing:”
FTFY
Suriprise mechanics, I'm dying xD
This is the video in question btw:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVYEqaFZJWo
All I hear is "We are working harder to manage a way to fool you into thinking this is fine"
wouldn't mind them as much if their games were free to play for extremely cheap to buy up front. But nanas to paying £50 for a game to then be expected to spend even more to compete online etc
Actually Try implies it's currently actually wrong
How to do it right?
Step 1: don't be EA
Step 2: stick to cosmetic and NO paywall!
bs! - typical ea...
No, it is wrong, Loot boxes (Mystery Boxes as he calls them) are just gambling for kids
And micro-transactions are just evil.
I'm going to keep an eye on their stock price and watch it fall after this statement
That's so EA! XD
They are an abomination and so is EA anyone who still buys their games is out of their mind
Of course it's possible to do it right.
The right way to do it is to keep it out of my sight.
There is nothing inherently wrong with Microtransactions; just their implementation. For example I would say the purchases in Pokemon Go are good value and it is obvious from the outset what you’re getting with your money.
I could hold up Fortnite as another example but I don’t think £15 for a skin can be described as a ‘micro’ payment.
What is outright evil is random items (or loot boxes) for your money. I want to know exactly what I’m getting for my £££ so I can determine what sort of value it represents. FIFA, Destiny, Battlefront etc are all guilty of exploiting players, particularly younger ones with gambling mechanics.
Some could argue that Panini and Merlin were doing this for years with football stickers or some other collectible but that is different. There you have a physical product you can sell, swap and horde forever.
The worst offender in recent years has been Forza Horizon 4 which locks every in-game unlockable behind a loot box system. You don’t pay for any of it, it unlocks through gameplay but it’s a crap way of progressing in a game.
I personally absolutely dislike loot boxes, but we have to admit they are not going anywhere.
The reason is simple - costs of development. They keep growing, but raising MSRP for AAA-titles becomes increasingly difficult. It's $60 now for a standard edition, making it $70 would cause an uproar. So we have it - half-heated remasters (aka selling the same game twice), DLC, games as a service (updating content for one game instead of working on its sequel or a new title) - and loot boxes. For mobile it's as hard as Free-to-Play, because mobile gamers apparently don't stomach premium prices. This will only be resolved trough streaming, I believe.
@Gs69 that is what confuses me so much... if they really are money grabbers as they appear to be then why are they so against publishing games on switch? Maybe if micro transactions are outlawed we will start seeing more EA games because they will need a new source of revenue.
Guys guys guys - can we all just agree that these are just 'surprise mechanics'. The issue is that mictrotranscations covers a lot of areas. The other point is that to maximise revenue, you need to make microtransactions, in whatever form, a part of the gameplay. Having some skins or whatever as cosmetics will net you lots of money, sure, but does it keep you coming back? Does the game force you to them? The answer is no.
My problem with all this is that games are changing to accomodate this live service stuff rather than sitting alongside.
Only right thing to do with micro transactions is to remove them.
@PuppyToucher Their greed doesn't including working on an engine that could work on the Switch, so porting games would "cost them too much". That's why.
Good microtransaction models exist, but not in any of EA's games, and certainly not in full-priced retail titles.
Look at titles like Pokémon Rumble World, Kirby Team Clash Deluxe, and Magikarp Jump. Free to download and start playing, reasonable progress can be made for free, and eventually the gameplay slows to a crawl that purchase of the in-game currency becomes necessary to continue playing.
It's set up in a way that you can buy it all and get unlimited access to the game, but with a cap on how much you can spend. Obviously EA would never do this because there is no potential for an unlimited revenue stream.
Is there anyone surprised by the fact EA is defending the practice? They have basically been bolting loot boxes to their games since the 360/PS3 era, and for sports games like FIFA/Madden it is a huge source of exploita.... er, revenue.
Microtransactions are not the issue, loot boxes and gotcha mechanics are. There is nothing wrong with a $0.99 purchase that clearly delivers what it says it will. There is many things wrong with a $0.99 purchase that gives you a 0.00001% chance of getting what you want and the rest is just crap stuff no one wants.
Gotta feel for those who grow up in the world of micro transactions. We may have only had 8 bits but at least we had all the bits after buying the game the first time. Now I’m too old for any of it to feel normal to me.
@PuppyToucher I think EA like to develop and publish games for Xbox and PlayStation because they are so similar make 1 game and put it out for 2 systems they have to put actual effort into making switch games as it’s not as powerful and may not run as intended on the switch it’s just laziness and will eat into profits
@Rudy_Manchego If these surprise mechanics were nothing more than cosmetics, I'm sure no one would have a major issue with it. But this is EA. A company notorious for endless season pass campaigns, endless DLC additions to incomplete $69.99 packages, endless loot crates providing statistical advantages in PVP arenas, etc. People want to pay $69.99, and get a $69.99 experience. People want to pay $69.99, and perform online with the same game balance as someone else who's paid $150.00.
Honestly don't see any reason why microtransactions should exist in games that aren't free if the purchases aren't purely cosmetic.
Games like Paladins are free, PVP, and only sell cosmetics. HiRez are a pretty bad company but relative to EA's monetising schemes, they are angels.
"Does the game force you to them?"
No, as you said. But the way they are pushed isn't anything short of obnoxious for many of these games. Find me an EA game with a main menu that isn't just "Campaign / Multiplayer / Store / Options". So many are pushing tiled menus covered to the brim with things to buy and season passes and DLC and crates. I've heard stories of people using games to cope with gambling addictions. Imagine picking up FIFA for some innocuous football and getting blasted with a gussied up slot machine. It's predatory, and you get no forewarning unless you are actively involved in online game discussion which 90% of people aren't.
@sleepinglion Supporting DLC is how we got here. Stop being stupid.
If it's free , and it's not a demo, don't download it. They either want your data and/or an unending trickle of your money. Applies to phones, consoles, and drugs.
@Xelha Your PFP made me think of Animal Crossing with microtransactions and I had to pray for forgiveness immediately
@cryptologous I would.
Cosmetics in many games are a big deal. They can make a player more or less visible to team mates and enemies.
@matdub I am middle aged, I have never gotten any free drugs. I want my free drugs, where are you getting them?
@Kalmaro Tell that to UBI. All their GAAS content is 100 percent free.
As for MT. Its okay for cosmetics.
If only what he says in interview was reflected in the games...
Microtransactions done right, the importance of value, fairness, choice, and fun, all things that never showed in any EA game.
Ack, if someone is to blame for the huge hate and political mess around microtransactions is indeed EA and the other big companies that abused the system and broke it beyond any acceptable way. Kinda offensively funny how they are trying to save what they destroyed beyond any chance of salvation...
I am surprised hasn't entered the field of teledildonics. After all they are very familiar with f@#$ing you in the a## and charging you for it.
@ibis_87 How many copies are being sold for $60?
The first copy of the game has all the cost, the rest are basically free to make.
Streaming will resolve this for me, since I will simply keep playing my old games that never had any of this.
Streaming will make it worse for you though. You will pay for a subscription to the service, for the game, for the DLC, for the loot boxes and for the microtransactions. Then after a couple years you will lose it all when that game is not longer supported.
Eventually people will look elsewhere who don't "pay to win", I hope it comes soon and EA disappear
@eltomo Not likely. These things are designed to prey on children. They are skinner boxes dressed up as games and gambling added on.
@cryptologous Completely agree. I think this was my point - EA are so aggressive they are changing the games to maximise the need to purchase them. I remember playing SW:Battlefront after getting it in a sale and not actually knowing just what the heck I could play and what I needed to spend more money on.
Games are getting grindier, or having their MP components skewed to encourage additional spending in games. Sure in Fifa, you CAN play MP without mictrotransactions - but you are competing with those who HAVE.
Live service games are designed, by their very nature, to generate ongoing revenue. THey can only do that by modifying a game to encourage that revenue spend.
I would agree that there is a correct way to do microtransactions, but EA has not shown that they know what that is.
@StevenG Very fair point. Paladins has had issues with cosmetics affecting perceived hitboxes in the past.
@StevenG @eltomo I think this model is unsustainable. The question remains as to just how many of these 'cash cows' the market can sustain. I mean a lot, at the moment, but like earlier this year, The Division, Anthem etc. You can only invest time and money into one of these games. During the same time period, I could have bought and completed multiple single player games.
@Rudy_Manchego That's the idea. Most of these games are cheaper to make than a single player game, no AI just other players and they are huge timesinks that suck cash out of wallets.
@Rudy_Manchego I like to call this grind vs cash thing "Pay us to not play the game you bought". I find it cheaper not to buy those games.
(Breathes in)
&&$&&@@$)&&&@
The way to do microtransactions correct is to make them upfront, relatively inexpensive, and purely optional/cosmetic.
Unfortunately, microtransactions in EA Sports titles are the exact opposite of that.
Shut up EA! We all know you're never right
I had purchased The Sims 4 PS4 add ons and Expansion packs for $50 (3 stuffs in 1 for $25).
I hope EA can ask Maxis to bring good The Sims games in the future.
Ok then... then do it right EA. I doubt that will ever happen.
“Four key vectors”. Nice “surfacing”, I really love it when suits allow quantifiable fun in an easterly direction. Please also tell me about your company’s “DNA” and other nonsensical weasel words.
Lootboxes and gambling is fine. It's existed for a very long time and adults can make decisions about it for themselves.
What isn't fine is when it is marketed to kids, which is what I hate EA for. They will twist words and invent new terms to make it okay to sell gambling tools to kids.
All I'd really like to see is any game that has these types of mechanics be rated Adult with it very clearly stated on game boxes in huge ugly print (like what's on cigarette packs) and the first thing in bold in the description in digital shops with a pop up about before purchase that the game is rated Adult due to using real money for gambling purposes.
And I mean the Adult rating higher than Mature. Mature games have simulated violence, simulated sex and so on. Lootboxes aren't simulated gambling, but real gambling with real money and they should be rated as such.
I hate the defense that you always get 'something', so it's not gambling. If Lotto corps changed the system so you 'can't lose' by the minimum reward always being $0.01, would it then be okay to sell that stuff to kids? They are guaranteed a cent, after all.
The lengths they go to to sell this to kids is sickening.
@Cotillion I think you are 100% correct. Any game that had gambling should be rated AO, Adults Only. Just like lottery tickets selling it to children, or even parents knowing they intend for children to use it, should be a crime.
Of course they will stick to it, it's too profitable to give up.
I wonder at what point will people just have enough and stop buying new games. The amount of nostalgia milking seems to suggest not long from now.
It is possible to do microtransactions right... But screw that! A sucker is born every minute, and we gotta make as much money from their parents' credit cards as we possibly can!
Lol EA makes mediocre annual titles with built in slot machines, then defends said slot machines by saying people like to gamble. Just be honest and say you’d like to make more money.
@StevenG Hey, when Nintendo adds content to Breath of the Wild or Mario Kart 8, I'm gonna buy it
Which is like Satan saying "Eternal damnation, it's possible to do it right".
This is basically printing money.
Show me how its done right EA, impossible this is yust an excuse for easy money, no love tot the gamer, yust money money
@ibis_87
We had games priced the same as you guys not so long ago, at $60. Now, they're $80. And people still buy them. Although speaking for myself, I rarely do buy them at this price now, and prefer to wait until price drops because.... holy cow... $80... for incomplete games now.... but hey... just buy the "gold" edition for like $150.... or so they say...
Games are not games anymore. They're more commercial products sold as games. Many companies now refer to a "good game" simply by looking at the "total revenue" column next to its name. The "game" aspect of the product being good or not, fun or not, is completely irrelevant. Does it make money? Yes? Then it's a good game. No? It's a bad game.
The game in itself is not important anymore. It's a product made to generate money. It could've been shoes, dishwashers, tables... it just happens the product these companies are manufacturing are games. To the shareholders, it makes no difference.
This leads me to realize than most of the big studios aren't making games for me anymore.... which may be one of the reason why spending $80+ on a game isn't a thing I usually do.
Thank god some indie developpers are still passionnate about the games they create.
EA you are scum, you business practices abhorrent and you product quality a bare minimum to make sales. You treat your customers like utter trash and you actively spit on entire swathes of the gaming community.
Your opinion are of no meaningful value to me, what you have to say is worthless and you will make no money off of me any longer. The only titles you have that genuinely interest me at this point are Mass Effect 1-3. But it is clear you have no interest in porting those games, or making new titles in that series of similar quality.
They are right. I think it is possible to do micro transactions right... Just not by EA!
Its sad that EA is so out of touch to customers.
It's "actually possible" to polish a turd. Should you, though?
They themselves have proven time and time again that it can't be done right. How are they so unbelievable stupid?
This guy is a massive clown lol.
I was thinking angry, switched to laughing at the comment. They're not worth anger, just derision for their behavior. There really is a very limited way they can be done right, and EA will not do it, ever, too greedy. Nintendo did it, optional, truly, DLC after learning cutting out a piece of a game will backfire(Mario Golf 3DS, leaving 20% of it as an upsell higher than retail MSRP.) Look at Dragalia, Pokemon Go, Fire Emblem, even with that gatcha mechanic so so much free 'cash' is given you never need to spend, you spend in those games not even from pressure or dangling desperation, it's really setup as more of a tip or a thank you for the work. You can beat the game as well, just a little slower (not dramatically slower like 90% of them out there) by just playing. That's how you can do it right, unforced, optional, do it by making something so great people want to pay (donate) to the "free" game because they enjoyed the time. You can't cure stupid or impatience, but they don't prey on it either.
EA published Unravel 2 on he Switch for 30$
A month before they released 1&2 physically on PS4/Xbonx for 20$
That’s not specifically relevant. I just hate them
If they really love microtransactions so much why don't think just become an exclusive mobile game making company. Stop making craps on consoles then and forcing microtransaction down everyone's throat.
EA is full of BS no one should be supporting this kind of behavior from a greedy company.
EA, if it's possible to do lootboxes in an ethical and possible way then why haven't you done so yet? It's almost as if they're stalling this out as long as possible to fulfull a never-ending revenue...
@xxx128 i havent bought a single game from them for years the last one was need for speed most wanted on the wii u thats it.
@NinChocolate you said it. Look at all the red tape associated with consoles today. I'll take my Master System, Genesis, and its games anyday...hek I even enjoyed my Colecovision greatly.
EA is like the greed of Take Two combined with the laziness of Game Freak.
EA says they can do micro-transactions right. The gaming community however has yet to see them accomplish this.
Ofc it's possible! tehy just don't want to do it.
@Ventilator There's always n exception, though what you mentioned is a bit different.
EA likes to give us games that aren't finished, then make us pay for the rest.
The Ubisoft example seems more like the game is done and they are just tossing more stuff just because. That's not so bad.
Not interested in EA they are like a tumour that needs cutting out.
Keep it to visual stuff only, nothing that effects gameplay. We literally have the answer EA and have been telling you for years. How hard is it to understand?
As horrific as the gaming industry is, even in that particular environment EA stands out like a sore thumb. No one should listen to their garbage.
Ironic their slogan Used to be EA it's in the game...
They see tons of games with micro-transactions become hits... including their own.
They do not care, because obvious that most gamers do not care.
And when Nintendo had a chance to sell FIFA and NBA2K, they also didn't care... they pimped it to their base and collected their 30% for each microtransaction.
The hypocrisy is amazing.
I wonder how much he had to practice those lines without laughing before the interview
It is hilarious to watch these big corporations try to convince everyone that predatory gambling practices are a good thing. I know Star Wars Battlefront 2 has been a very controversial subject, as someone who got the game I was always annoyed with how the micro-transactions ruined the multiplayer.
EA: "It's actually possible! We've seen other companies do it!"
Isn't this just the text book example of a face that's begging to be smashed in?
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Utterly despicable company, and a highly despicable person.
I love how they try to frame continuous payments for basic content as "fun."
I have an idea on how EA can have "fun" - they can give out random cash prizes to all their employees. Every time someone goes to the bathroom, EA gets to roll some dice to determine how many dollars they give to the flusher. Because repeatedly spending money is fun!
@ThanosReXXX That is no doubt the face of a man that spends at least $400 at Neiman Marcus per month on cosmetics. I can picture him putting his makeup on and tweezing his eyebrows in the mirror.
@Realnoize Anything that is sold is a commercial product, including games, novels, music. I don't think there is anything wrong with making money by selling entertainment. But there are unethical ways of making money, and I think we can all agree that loot boxes, aka gambling aimed at children, and pay to win micro transactions, are highly unethical.
I'm with you on the current games being released. Most big studio games aren't for me either, but as you say, thank god for some indie developers making some truly outstanding games and selling them without any bs.
@NEStalgia His face looks like he sleeps on a pillow drenched in vinegar. Kind of a sour, pickled look. Hardly ever a smile, unless he managed to yet again come up with some kind of nefarious anti-gamer scheme...
Reminder that companies like EA and Activision are willing to risk Government intervention in all aspects of gaming just for the sake of making some extra money. Fingers crossed that this just affects the worst of microtransactions, since it could very well kill these companies. They're already hitting a ceiling with the most ridiculous means of making money (2K games just put ads into their sports title, which is outrageous for a games people spend $60 on at minimum) so expect them to flail about until this either ends, or passes. My only concern for the latter are all of the jobs lost from downscaling and shutting down, but that's still on Devs encouraging this ridiculous nonsense.
@Realnoize
Yes, but that's what happens when a small, enthusiast-driven industry attracts serious money. Not that it has not happened in, say, the film industry. Again, I'm not happy with that, but that's what's happening. The more money are needed to make a game, the more large corporations are involved, the more "heartless" their approach is. You need a safe product which will bring revenue on your investment.
People are as much to blame who buy their products and support this crap, if everyone took a stand against crap like this we would have so much power to stop companies like ea doing these “micro transactions” but I guess that’s a pipe dream
Hope the government bans loot boxes altogether. I don't mind paying outright for cosmetic sets or maps or DLC. But forget that 'chance' element of getting something lousy in a loot box.
@ibis_87
... and this is why I said I feel big game developers aren't making games for me anymore. Most big games these days are generic and derivative as hell (although there are some exceptions sometimes).
Most indie games are driven by passion. These people make games as they feel it should be made, because that's how good games are made.
With most AAA productions, the prime consideration will always be a return on investment, so everything is done to maximize this, often at the expense of balanced gameplay, or immersion. The worse case is when gameplay has been artificially altered to allow the inclusion of these mechanics (timers, second monetary unit, typically in F2P games but now starting to appear in full blown $80 games).
Anyway, all of this to say I have ZERO faith in EA to actually "get it right" because that would imply getting rid of these. This would be like asking a company like Google, who lives on selling our data, to not gather our data. EA is producing the videogame equivalents of big Hollywood popcorn chompers made solely to make money at the box office by throwing tons of explosions and CG at us, in the hope we don't notice the lack of substance or the scenario fitting on two lines of text.
Like for music, books and movies, videogames have become an "industry" and to truly appreciate it at its best, you nowadays have to look for stuff off the beaten path...
AAA in gaming used to mean something at some point. But now, it rarely does anymore.
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