EA Games And The Ethics of The Computer Games Industry

The micro transactions/ multiplayer emphasis and the attempt by likes of EA and Activision to phase out single player is what is hurting gaming.

Been playing games since Atari.

Serious question, not trolling (this time).

If this is about "Ethics in Gaming" where is gamergate? Oh wait it's not about girls in gaming or transgendered or gay characters. Got it.

originally posted by: amazing
Serious question, not trolling (this time).

If this is about "Ethics in Gaming" where is gamergate?

Business model v. SJW. Two different fights.

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: amazing
Serious question, not trolling (this time).

If this is about "Ethics in Gaming" where is gamergate?

Business model v. SJW. Two different fights.

But it's still ethics in Gaming or is that a false tagline? and what does SJW have to do with ethics in gaming?

a reply to: amazing

This is about the overall business model.

A game is going to have microtransactions whether or not it has gay, female, black, white, or purple characters with green spots.

In this case, it would be like saying that Star Wars Battleground II had a super-secret kickass lesbian Jedi that you could only either access by playing 2,000 hours of regular game time as wimpy straight white male Republic Trooper or by paying $5/pack to purchase a loot box in which you could get lucky a pull that hyper rare character day 1, but the odds of getting that specific ultra rare are, as C3PO might say, 7, 535,400,999 to 1!

So, if you are dead set on playing that hyper rare character, you have to keep paying $5/pack until you get lucky enough to draw that character.

There. Is that putting the issue being discussed in terms you understand better?

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: amazing

This is about the overall business model.

A game is going to have microtransactions whether or not it has gay, female, black, white, or purple characters with green spots.

In this case, it would be like saying that Star Wars Battleground II had a super-secret kickass lesbian Jedi that you could only either access by playing 2,000 hours of regular game time as wimpy straight white male Republic Trooper or by paying $5/pack to purchase a loot box in which you could get lucky a pull that hyper rare character day 1, but the odds of getting that specific ultra rare are, as C3PO might say, 7, 535,400,999 to 1!

So, if you are dead set on playing that hyper rare character, you have to keep paying $5/pack until you get lucky enough to draw that character.

There. Is that putting the issue being discussed in terms you understand better?

I understand the issue but that is still ethics in gaming. And isn't that what gamergate was all about? If your really about ethics in gaming you can look at all kinds of ethical issues. Just like cops dont' only arrest murderers they arrest all kinds of criminals.

That tends to lead credence to my theory that gamergate was never about ethics in gaming but about harrassing women, transwomen and gay people and characters. I think this is a timely statement since we're back around to talking about "actual" ethics in gaming for once and not just a couple of questionable game reviews. Just adding again what did anything have to do with social justice? Are we talking about MLK or Mother theresa? Both real social justice warriors.

a reply to: amazing

Gamergate was about the incestuous connections between the AAA developers and the journalists who review the games too.

Mass Effect 3 was given stellar reviews by most outlets only to crash and burn in front of the public because of the ending.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: amazing

Gamergate was about the incestuous connections between the AAA developers and the journalists who review the games too.

Mass Effect 3 was given stellar reviews by most outlets only to crash and burn in front of the public because of the ending.

You can say that and some "gamergaters' believed that but many used the taglilne ethics in gaming and many harrassed female developers and any game developer with gay characters. Again, this is ethics in gaming for real this time, and not a peep from anyone that was for ethics in gaming.

a reply to: amazing

It so happens I think characters need to be who and what they are and not shoehorned into a game in order to satisfy and vocal gaming demographic.

I don't enjoy it when certain aspects of a character become the reason for their plot to turn or for them to exist in the game and be given line space.

And I certainly don't think I should have to game as a plain character in order to prove that plain women are good protags too. If the company gives me the power to make by character, I ought not be forced to make something I can't enjoy the look of, male or female, and when I say that it doesn't always mean I am making a hotty.

I think having things forced into a game to satisfy the demands of groups of people who don't seem to be enough in and of themselves to keep a title afloat is suicidal. Comics are discovering that. No one buys PC titles with forced diversity.

originally posted by: amazing
Again, this is ethics in gaming for real this time, and not a peep from anyone that was for ethics in gaming.

It was the 'pro-gamergate' community, over at Reddit, that forced this issues to be heard, and forced EA to at least turn the micro transaction system off temporarily.

It would appear that they made one hell of a peep.

originally posted by: peck420

originally posted by: amazing
Again, this is ethics in gaming for real this time, and not a peep from anyone that was for ethics in gaming.

It was the 'pro-gamergate' community, over at Reddit, that forced this issues to be heard, and forced EA to at least turn the micro transaction system off temporarily.

It would appear that they made one hell of a peep.

There was a huge outcry before that happened. Almost as soon as people knew about the game they were complaining. Normal people.

originally posted by: amazing
There was a huge outcry before that happened. Almost as soon as people knew about the game they were complaining. Normal people.

No there wasn't.

Reddit had EA giving AMA's about this disaster before the game was even released for 'regular people' (the public) to find out what had Reddit so angry.

Keep trying though.

a reply to: TrueBrit

If they just reskinned SW:BF2 and made it available on XB1 or PS4, it would be a complete blockbuster again.
Leave everything the damn same, just update it with today's graphics and have DICE use the Frostbite 3 on it...I'd be calling in to work for a couple weeks

Been gaming since the BBC B and C64 days.
I have lost interest in things like the new COD games and it's partly due to the pay to win or grind forever ethos that seems to be the thing now.

The only game I play with any regularity is Elite Dangerous mostly on the PC now but my XBone account is still active.

Games have lost something...The narrative plays second fiddle to the monetisation I think and, it's a sad thing, we all love a story, especially when we are part of it, but I think the days of epic releases and looking forward for months to a new release of a franchise are over. Even my lads don't get so excited anymore. Time was I would queue at midnight for the new COD or whatever don't think anyone does that anymore.

originally posted by: peck420

originally posted by: amazing
There was a huge outcry before that happened. Almost as soon as people knew about the game they were complaining. Normal people.

No there wasn't.

Reddit had EA giving AMA's about this disaster before the game was even released for 'regular people' (the public) to find out what had Reddit so angry.

Keep trying though.

Look, I'll give you that reddit created some traction but I've never even played a battlefront game and I knew about it before any of that and I wasn't the only one. But that's besides the point. That's reddit, not all the 13 year old gamer gaters that hate women game developers.

EA is just a momentary shining example of the way the big games corporations view their user base. We're sheep with wallets.

They are only tweaking Battlefront because people are paying attention to it. Their other Star Wars game, Galaxy of Heroes... you know what we just got today for their 2nd Anniversary event?

25% more "crystals" (a type of in-game currency) when purchasing them from the in-game store with actual money, limited to a one time purchase per bundle. So essentially, an incentive to buy microtransactions...

It's all a show. They've learned nothing.

I just hate having to play a certain character just to use my jet pack.It’s not fair!

I play mainly MMORPGS, and prefer computer games and or PC versions of them as well now days, having owned gaming consoles before a computer even.

The dislike of P2W gaming isn't limited to age and experience. Unfortunately it has turned out to be something that people put up with(or don't and can't compete with the P2W players as well-likely end up quitting sooner) because they feel their are limited option on what they want to play in certain game genres. Game developers know that, capitalize on it. It's also a choice between monthly fees($15.00 a month average) or a P2W system-which seemingly makes more money for the gaming company in the end.

a reply to: dreamingawake

If I really want to play something, I will do the monthly subscription for an MMO. If they are constantly turning out new content for it and holding player events, then it's worth it. A monthly subscription model puts players all on the same footing at the outset, and it keeps the freepers out.

It's only a matter of time before Comcast and Verizon are selling Bandwidth Loot Boxes

-some internet user