NBA 2K19 producer says microtransactions are an "unfortunate reality"

[Cal Jeffrey]

Big quote: "VC is an unfortunate reality of modern gaming. Every game, at some point, in some way has currency and they’re trying to get additional revenue from each player that plays the game." — Rob Jones, senior producer NBA 2K19

When NBA 2K18 launched last year, it received mostly positive reviews. The one complaint that critics and users seemed to have was the sheer number of microtransactions being pushed.

“Microtransactions are everywhere, and trying to advance without them feels nearly impossible,” said GameSpot in its review.

Not that this is a big surprise for any game affiliated with EA, but NBA 2K18 really felt like a pay-to-win title. The grind for VC (the in-game currency) was so long that many players felt that microtransactions were the only option to advancement.

Now with NBA 2K19 coming up in less than a week, Trusted Reviews got a chance to talk with 2K Sports' Senior Producer Rob Jones about the issue. Perhaps not surprisingly, Jones placed the blame for microtransactions on literally every other game producer in the industry.

“VC is an unfortunate reality of modern gaming,” said Jones. “Every game, at some point, in some way has currency and they’re trying to get additional revenue from each player that plays the game. You know, the question has to be when does it feel like it’s a straight money grab versus when does it feel like it’s value added, right?”

He also places blame on the impatience of the typical player, saying that most of them do not want to work to advance in the game.

“We know nowadays that most people don’t have the patience to work their way to the top. They just wanna be there right away. So, you know, we look at it as, oh it’s an opportunity for us to allow you to skip the grind, but then if the grind is too long, like some people felt last year, they’re gonna sit there and they’re gonna go ‘well, you knew the grind was too long to begin with.’”

An early release of the game and the demo seems to show that 2K Games has tweaked the progression system to address fan feedback. The sense of reward is increased, and there are other ways to earn VC in a more natural way than just grinding.

“We’re hoping that by rewarding you more that, A: you won’t need to go in and get as many things [VC] and B: you won’t feel like you know, ‘oh this is how they’re getting me.’ You can now participate in other things to get what you want,” Jones said. “I think the biggest problem last year was not knowing where you were going. A lot of the time you wasted VC that you had earned on things that weren’t necessary.”

According to Jones, the design team approached VC with the attitude of giving players a choice rather than forcing them to grind. With more ways to earn VC, players will feel less obligated to make purchases with the option still being there.

But that is still pay-to-win, isn't it? I guess we will see when NBA 2K19 launches for PS4, XB1, PC, and Switch on September 11.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/76286-nba-2k19-producer-microtransactions-unfortunate-reality.html

 

[BSim500]

Pure unadulterated BS. Micro-transactions don't solve the problem of modern games being too grindy when pay2degrind micro-transactions is precisely what openly encourages devs to make them abnormally grindy in the first place for obvious reasons. The industry code-word is "enhanced engagement". Plain English = "we want our total sucker customers to pay for our games twice and will 'encourage' them to do it by screwing with the game mechanics until they have to jump through 100hrs of grind to play 20rs content, then tell them we're doing them a favor by allowing them to pay to skip the fake circular content that never would have been there in the first place had the game not been designed around pay2degrind MT's..."

Meanwhile, tune in next week when 2K attempts to explain how wearing huge pants makes you fat...

 

[TomSEA]

"We know nowadays that most people don’t have the patience to work their way to the top."

That is a total cop-out excuse to include micro-transactions. Make the game so it's not a mind-numbing grind and players will do just fine with progression "to the top."

 

[ZackL04]

I have no problem consuming all of GTA V’s free content the traditional way vs. buying shark cash cards. At least give the customer the choice, and to purposely create a grind is absolute BS

 

[alabama man]

I would like a good sports game again, haven't seen one since microtransactions and even before then they had yearly releases so I never bought them as they would get old in a year. If some indie developer made a good sports game without official licence I would like it more than these official "games"(store fronts).

 

[cliffordcooley]

I don't care if micro-transactions are an "unfortunate reality". I'm not buying, plain and simple.

 

[Polycount]

Alternate title: "NBA 2K19 producer admits he's full of crap."

 

[Mark M 1928]

I refuse to buy a new game from EA because of all this BS. There have been plenty of times when I wanted a new game but instead buy a older game I never played because I know it doesn't have all the microtrasaction BS in it.

 

[Skjorn]

I have no problem consuming all of GTA V’s free content the traditional way vs. buying shark cash cards. At least give the customer the choice, and to purposely create a grind is absolute BS

You mean exactly what GTA V is now? To put everything so far out of you reach you have to either pay real money, play all damn day or cheat.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Yeah and the majority can't afford and don't have the time to get all the content. So in essence the content is out of reach on both fronts.

 

[dirtyferret]

An unfortunate reality is I won't pay for a game using micro transactions.

 

[Puiu]

Another game that I will avoid (although I would have liked to play it with my brother since he likes basketball games). Everything that EA does these days just makes their "worst company in the world" moniker more and more relevant.

 

[pencea]

"NBA 2K19 producer says microtransactions are an "unfortunate reality""

Translation.

We're implementing microtransactions in every single one of our games for the foreseeable future. Deal with it.

 

[isamuelson]

In many respects, he is correct in laying part of the blame on users giving in and paying. You know how to vote this out? Stop voting with your credit card (or mommy and daddy's credit card) and refuse to purchase.

Microtransactions are fine as long as they do not give any one player an advantage over any other player. When it becomes a pay-to-win system, that's what has ruined gaming. Look at how Epic did Fortnite. In-game purchases do NOTHING to advance you over the other players. It's skins and other items that only enhance the look of your player. They do not boost a single solitary attribute of the player over any one else. That is how it should be. To pay to advance further or to get a decided advantage over other players is where this is all wrong, and again, part of the blame does go to the users that give in and pay for this stuff that gives them an advantage over everyone else.

 

[ZackL04]

You mean exactly what GTA V is now? To put everything so far out of you reach you have to either pay real money, play all damn day or cheat.

No, play the game at your own pace. To expect access to wverything right away is ridiculous. Become a CEO and rake in the cash if u must own everything. Use google, it will help you get rich faster. Find competent friends, perform heists...

 

[cliffordcooley]

Microtransactions are fine as long as they do not give any one player an advantage over any other player. When it becomes a pay-to-win system, that's what has ruined gaming.

Any micro-transaction system is pay to win, or else what is the point in paying. The flaw behind micro-transactions is the lack of a pay ceiling. This puts the in-game merchandise out of reach for the mass majority.

 

[Skjorn]

No, play the game at your own pace. To expect access to wverything right away is ridiculous. Become a CEO and rake in the cash if u must own everything. Use google, it will help you get rich faster. Find competent friends, perform heists...

I used to grind the final heist and disconnect with my friends when the boat goes under the bridge..that was a F$%&@! grind..it takes too long, for too little pay. Make the heist worth it. You get like 41 million for SP heist, the MP payout is trash af and you know it.

 

[Magneto10]

In many respects, he is correct in laying part of the blame on users giving in and paying. You know how to vote this out? Stop voting with your credit card (or mommy and daddy's credit card) and refuse to purchase.

Microtransactions are fine as long as they do not give any one player an advantage over any other player. When it becomes a pay-to-win system, that's what has ruined gaming. Look at how Epic did Fortnite. In-game purchases do NOTHING to advance you over the other players. It's skins and other items that only enhance the look of your player. They do not boost a single solitary attribute of the player over any one else. That is how it should be. To pay to advance further or to get a decided advantage over other players is where this is all wrong, and again, part of the blame does go to the users that give in and pay for this stuff that gives them an advantage over everyone else.

Microtransactions are accepted only for F2P or long-term supported games. As long as they do not give over-advantage.

 

[isamuelson]

Microtransactions are accepted only for F2P or long-term supported games. As long as they do not give over-advantage.

Isn't that what I just said? Not sure what your reply is for, but we do agree on that point: no decided advantage over everyone else.