Ex BioWare dev says EA is turning to multiplayer games for the microtransactions

[midian182]

For a long time now, there’s been a trend in the gaming industry where the focus often falls on multiplayer titles at the expense of single-player experiences. A recent interview with a former BioWare developer has shed light on why this might be. Unsurprisingly, a lot of it comes down to money.

Speaking on Waypoint’s podcast, Manveer Heir, a gameplay designer who was at BioWare for seven years and worked on Mass Effect 3 and Mass Effect Andromeda, says the shift toward multiplayer is simply a matter of monetization for the companies.

"It's definitely a thing inside of EA, they are generally pushing for more open-world games," says Heir. "And the reason is you can monetize them better. The words in there that were used are 'have them come back again and again'. Why do you care about that at EA? The reason you care about that is because microtransactions: buying card packs in the Mass Effect games, the multiplayer. It's the same reason we added card packs to Mass Effect 3: how do you get people to keep coming back to a thing instead of 'just' playing for 60 to 100 hours?"

BioWare owner EA recently announced the closure of Dead Space creator Visceral Games. Additionally, the in-development Star Wars game is moving away from a story-based, linear adventure into something “players will want to come back to and enjoy for a long time to come.”

Many publishers now look at microtransactions as the best way to continually squeeze money from a game. Heir said he’s seen people spend $15,000 on Mass Effect multiplayer cards.

The problem is partly due to the spiralling costs associated with developing AAA games, and the need to recoup that expenditure.

"You need to understand the amount of money that's at play with microtransactions," he added. "I'm not allowed to say the number but I can tell you that when Mass Effect 3 multiplayer came out, those card packs we were selling, the amount of money we made just off those card packs was so significant--that's the reason Dragon Age has multiplayer, that's the reason other EA products started getting multiplayer that hadn't really had them before, because we nailed it and brought in a ton of money."

Heir said the Destiny-style multiplayer title Anthem, which is set to arrive on PC and consoles next year, is a prime example of how firms now prioritize games as a service. It’s also why Anthem looks so different from traditional BioWare output. He predicts that “the linear single-player triple-A game at EA is dead for the time being.”

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https://www.techspot.com/news/71548-ex-bioware-dev-ea-turning-multiplayer-games-microtransactions.html

 

[Burty117]

I can't believe it's got to this stage but it sounds like EA genuinely needs boycotting or at least a drop in sales so they understand that decent games are better than Micro-transaction filled, multiplayer only games are not the way to go.

It's a shame the dev didn't delve into the moneytary differences between Mass Effect 3 and Andromida, I bet they sold a crap more micro-transactions in 3 over Andromida purely because the game was decent, not because players got addicted...

 

[Humza]

Well the irony is that by the time kids grow up, mature and realize they were the actual audience for these practices, a new generation is already there for companies to poke. The gaming industry needs an overhaul.

 

[BSim500]

"He predicts that “the linear single-player triple-A game at EA is dead for the time being.”"

As dead as my triple-A EA purchases then which have been 0 since Dragon Age: Origins (2009). (And the only reason that game wasn't dumbed down was that they acquired the tail-end of 'old school' Bioware too late in the development cycle to screw anything up, something they soon 'corrected' with DA2)...

Not a problem though. My money goes to Frictional (SOMA), Croteam (Talos Principle), Cyanide (Styx), Larian (Divinity Original Sin), etc, instead. Looking forward to Talos 2 more than every over-hyped EA / Squeenix / Ubisoft MT-filled pay2win cr*pware combined.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

"The problem is partly due to the spiralling costs associated with developing AAA games, and the need to recoup that expenditure."

sounds like the real issue is that game companies dont know how to budget properly, and are spending way too much cash on generic shoot them ups or sandboxes, and not enough on actual gameplay.

interesting how indie devs and small companies can make superior games on a fraction of the budget, and use social media and word of mouth to spread awareness of their game much more effectively then big AAA marketing campaigns. .

 

[Alex Voinica]

Command and Conquer, Medal of Honor, Dead Space, Mass Effect and Need for Speed.
Just an example of how many IPs EA destroyed - without mentioning probably ruining people's lives and studios which people loved and appreciated.
This is the moment when EA needs to fall once and for all.

 

[DDG4005]

This cinches it for me: no more games where multiplayer is the primary focus, especially from EA. I will still play some of the games in my Origin library (Mass Effect series, Crysis 2 & 3, etc) but most of games will be purchased from GOG as long as they continue selling games with focused single-player modes and no DRM.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I can't believe it's got to this stage but it sounds like EA genuinely needs boycotting or at least a drop in sales so they understand that decent games are better than Micro-transaction filled, multiplayer only games are not the way to go.

It's a shame the dev didn't delve into the moneytary differences between Mass Effect 3 and Andromida, I bet they sold a crap more micro-transactions in 3 over Andromida purely because the game was decent, not because players got addicted...

EA didn't earn the coveted title of "Shadiest, Most Dodgy Corporation" three years in a row for nothing. That kind of 'accolade' only goes to the best of the best. You know you're exceptionally good when you've got a company like Apple as your student.

 

[Adhmuz]

"I'm not allowed to say the number but I can tell you that when Mass Effect 3 multiplayer came out, those card packs we were selling, the amount of money we made just off those card packs was so significant--that's the reason Dragon Age has multiplayer, that's the reason other EA products started getting multiplayer that hadn't really had them before, because we nailed it and brought in a ton of money."

They found a way to gouge their consumers and will continue doing so for the rest of time in other words, EA doesn't make games anymore, they make profit, at least that's clearly all that matters to them from that discovery moving forward. Profit is important, but don't **** over every game you make trying to make every last dime possible.

Command and Conquer, Medal of Honor, Dead Space, Mass Effect and Need for Speed.
Just an example of how many IPs EA destroyed - without mentioning probably ruining people's lives and studios which people loved and appreciated.
This is the moment when EA needs to fall once and for all.

Don't forget about Burnout, Paradise was the best arcade racing game ever made, nothing has even come close, EA only published that one, and then killed off the franchise by forcing Criterion to make terrible N4S games, that was the end of Burnout one of the last gems.

 

[Mister_K]

Well no ****, this isn't news...

 

[ManuelV]

I'm not pro EA but EA has to pay a good salary to hundreds of developers, including Manveer Heir, and a lot of money to the producers, directors, musician, cinematographers, etc. Videogames this days cost like high budget movies, and the fault isn't just of the companies, but all the people complaining if a game doesn't have AAA production values (or anything that isn't AAA like, cough, some animations in a huge game).

With so huge investments you need to have big returns, otherwise you screew in one game, every gamer hates you and bye company and jobs.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I'll consider EA whenever EA gets their head out of their ***. That is when they decide they want to help me fix my compromised account without the use of a phone. They are more concerned about getting me on a phone than actually asking me to verify who I am.

 

[NahNood]

Well the irony is that by the time kids grow up, mature and realize they were the actual audience for these practices, a new generation is already there for companies to poke. The gaming industry needs an overhaul.

And why parents need to educate the next generation.