EA charging gamers to access unlockable content

by Blake Snow { Oct 16th 2006 at 8:00PM }

EA announced a new premium service today that allows Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 gamers the ability to unlock all game content for a fee using Xbox Live without "playing" the game. You'll still be able to access game content and extras the old fashion way: playing for upgrades or using tip guides. But why wait when living in this "instant gratification, pay to fix it without working for it" society of ours?

Pay-instead-of-play content includes unlocking new golfers, pro shop access, and new courses to name a few and come at a cost of 200-300 Microsoft Points (about $3-4). Also keep in mind this isn't the first time EA has exploited a sports franchise in an effort to get pay'd.

[Thanks, JamesO]

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Infil @ Oct 16th 2006 8:06PM

While it's nice of them to "let" you still unlock it the old-fashioned way, how long are we before there are certain unlockables that MUST be bought?

There's something very "slippery slope"-esque about this whole idea.

Antonio @ Oct 16th 2006 8:07PM

For every time EA comes up with something good, like the SSX series, they come out with 100X the garbage. Man, I hate this company.

Ash @ Oct 16th 2006 8:13PM

good job EA.... ur getting really good at pissing people off

RP @ Oct 16th 2006 8:16PM

Whats the bet that said unlockables will soon become MUCH harder to attain the old fashioned way...

AssemblyLineHuman @ Oct 18th 2006 6:07AM

Hold on! We can get up-in-arms and protest when they DO start forcing us to pay for shit, but in some games, I don't want to go through the crappy single-player gameplay to unlock stuff for multiplayer. This has the potential to be a good thing in that sort of situation.

JET @ Oct 16th 2006 8:23PM

I've recently taken a new tact on this issue. I'm now in law school and I work a full-time day job; my weekly work & study schedule now tops 100 hours. My time available to play anything has dropped to just a few hours a week. I don't have time to unlock content even I wanted to. When I had more time I liked unlocking goodies, but these days the ability to immediate access the extras is very appealing. My biggest gripe with Test Drive Unlimited is that I'll never get to drive more than the earliest cars. I'd gladly pay $10 extra to immediately unlock the cars I simply don't have to access otherwise.

JET

qbix @ Oct 16th 2006 8:29PM

Ok, this is getting out of hand. Why not just release a cheat code for those who don't want to go through hours of gameplay. I'm already not buying FIFA 07 because I have a feeling they are going to charge for content which is available on versions for all other platforms. I'm at the edge of boycotting you EA, and if you keep being so damn greedy, other players will follow.

potato @ Oct 16th 2006 8:32PM

AHHHH people!

You buy the game you play it you like it you buy some more.

Like food

wslcrew @ Oct 16th 2006 8:34PM

Codemasters does it with their TOCA racing sims...

Fuzz @ Oct 16th 2006 8:38PM

I imagine a day when you have to pass a level to move on, and are also asked to make a micro transaction. It will be like back in the day, throttling through an arcade game, and having to drop in a couple quaters to continue on the next level. Sorta the reason I took up home gaming. Circle of life, I tells ya.

Novacharged @ Oct 16th 2006 8:43PM

EA SUX and i have no idea why people are still buying their crap.
all they do is piss me off. for god sake please stop making games EA. its an embarassment.
i blame this on the 360. if MICROSUX didn't encourage microtransaction this would have never happen.(horse armor anyone)
its like saying that you pay 8 dollars to see a movie and if you want you can pay 2 dollars extra to have them spoil/sumarize it for you.
kiss my ass EA.

Kiey @ Oct 16th 2006 8:44PM

I don't see what the big deal is, it's not like inorder to unlock stuff in the game you have to pay extra money. All they are doing is taking money from lazy people who aren't real gamers, but would rather eliminate an important aspect of the game (unlocking extra stuff) then actually play the game get good at it and do it themselves.

If you should be booing anyone, it's the people paying for this thing, not EA.

Dracula Jones @ Oct 16th 2006 8:45PM

At first, I thought this was pretty outrageous. But I sort of agree with JET (#6). I don't have the time to unlock tons of content, even when I LOVE the game. I can never seem to devote enough time to it to get everything (Table Tennis, Soul Calibur II). If I could drop a couple points on something that takes away the grind and just lets me play the game in full, I could be interested.

I understand that some might think that's not what gaming is about, but I bet a similar discussion took place when unlockables first entered the scene, there just wasn't a community web forum for it at the time (newsgroups don't count!). "Why should I have to work to get something I paid for already?!" is becoming "Why should I have to pay for something I could just work for?!"

Usedtabe @ Oct 16th 2006 9:09PM

Yeah Nova,
It's all MS's fault that EA charges for things like this. I guess it's also MS's fault that Sony will have an online store for transactions too, huh? But wait, we already knew that, as Sony seems to copy plenty from its competitors

Wedge @ Oct 16th 2006 8:46PM

This is the kind of crap we always had the "Unlock All" cheat for in games. Or in the worst case, you used a Game Genie/Shark/Whatever. Now instead, you get developers charging for that cheat. Hooray micropayments. Hooray EA. Hooray beer.

dkh @ Oct 16th 2006 8:47PM

Ugh, slippery slope indeed.

....

....

Fine, I admit it. I would have killed for this back in the Goldeneye days.

Al @ Oct 16th 2006 8:57PM

Well, as much as I don't like this idea (because it has implications like the slippery slope that's been mention above) I guess it's OK. But only if there's ALWAYS a way to unlock it via actually earning it. There should also be an indicator that shows if you've earned or bought the extras or not.

DaveTehWave @ Oct 16th 2006 8:58PM

I'm am totally against this as well as 'consumables'.

I'll unlock things the old-fashioned way - by playing the game!

Money hungry idiots.

a robot @ Oct 16th 2006 9:06PM

You shouldn't have you unlock _anything_. You payed for the game, you should be able to play everything in it without having to play other parts. It's as if I bought a racing game with an awesome car on the cover, yet I can't use it in multiplayer races because I haven't played the "Career" mode.

guises @ Oct 16th 2006 9:08PM

The slippery slope that I see here is not moving towards mandatory payment for unlockables (that would be too obvious), but rather a gradual increase in the difficulty and amount of time that it takes to unlock them the old fashioned way.

My initial reaction was that this was not such a bad move on EA's part (for once) but, after thinking about it, it seems wiser to oppose this sort of monetization unilaterally. Once we start down that road it's going to be hard to turn around.

Kanadwen @ Oct 16th 2006 9:19PM

I agree with #1. Sooner or later we're going to have to pay even more money to fully enjoy the games we buy, from EA only hopefully.

Usedtabe @ Oct 16th 2006 9:29PM

Hmm, So I'm retarded, huh Nova? EVen though I agreed with you earlier about 360's overheating? Wow, you're just a fanboy. And, to take the troll bait:

PS3 added a harddrive after Xbox
PS2 added online(though it was horrible) after Xbox
PS3 added motion sensing from the Wii.

But, unlike you, I know all the systems copy each other. I was only bringing up the Sony copying as sarcasm to you blaming microsoft for this

otakucode @ Oct 16th 2006 9:33PM

This is pretty cool. I paid to get my licenses in Gran Turismo 3. I went out and bought a Gameshark, used the code to get all the licenses and nothing else, then put the gameshark away and haven't used it for anything else ever. The whole 'license' thing was complete and utter BS and I paid prolly $50 to get the gameshark (it was right when GT3 came out, so LONG ago) just go get those things so I could race certain races (which I could beat EASILY, whereas some of those license tests were near impossible).

mountain_rage @ Oct 16th 2006 9:34PM

i wonder what kind of legal issues this will raise with action replay like devices? Will they still be allowed considering they could unlock this content.

antonio @ Oct 16th 2006 9:46PM

Im gonna have to agree....if u buy the Game you should be able to have all the features. i understand they want u to keep playin to be able to "unlock" all the features but CMON like homie said, some of us dont have that much time like we use to back in the day, some of us are family/career men now, and we still find our little joys in playin our video games. so EA do us a favor and take ur "unlockables" and kick rocks eh?

Anonymous @ Oct 16th 2006 10:51PM

F*** EA.

pirahna @ Oct 16th 2006 11:01PM

So EA is doing this, which at first seems like an OK idea for people with no time on their hands.

HOWEVER.

What will become of basic cheat codes. You know the up up down down ab start codes? Will they just be thrown aside so EA can make more loot?

FURTHERMORE, what about Gamesharks/Action Reply devices? Will EA buy out these companies and destroy said products to further increase their revenue? Or will they just flat-out outlaw them, someway?

I can only see this as being a bad thing for the gaming community. I like to play my games to unlock everything, and if a long enough amount of time goes by, I'll just look up a cheat code to unlock everything. I can EASILY see this as destroying my options to do this and forcing me to pay the company just for the right to play the game (Gee, didn't I already fork over 60$ to do that?).

/rant

aZn_1080p @ Oct 16th 2006 11:14PM

This is seriously lame as hell, like others have said, this stuff was always unlockable with a code if you're too lazy to get it like a man. Now we're going to pay? I hope every one who cheerleads for Live is happy, these microtransactions are another 'innovation' (almost as good as paying for online play) brought to us my M$. Sure, other companies may follow suit, but before M$ did it, they would have been ashamed to try such a scheme, now, they see that a fair amount of Live subscribers are willing to pay, and since M$ is already doing it, there's no reputation hit to them for going the same way.

Mini Wii @ Oct 16th 2006 11:16PM

And now EA is spying on you and collecting your personal info in their latest game....with no opt out:
http://kotaku.com/gaming/centipedes/battlefield-2142-with-a-dash-of-spyware-207955.php

People stop buying EA products.

Vulture @ Oct 16th 2006 11:34PM

If you really want to eliminate the grind of unlocking things just invest in the device that allows you to download game saves from the internet. I think this option is a lot cheaper than shelling out the points ($) to EA... IMO I would just play the game. Is that not the reason you bought the game?

klinko @ Oct 17th 2006 3:02AM

EA hatred aside, Action Replay that shit and move on.

striderhayasa @ Oct 17th 2006 7:36AM

What happened to earning your swag and plunder? If a gamer doesn't have the skill to earn more powerful weapons and armor, unlockables etc... then tough shit. That's the way it should be. We're already having enough problems with cheaters and stat whores with internet gaming. Aim Bots, God Codes, Hackers and freakz...when does it stop...?

Worst

Idea

Ever

Thanks for nothing EA. Gaming is supposed to be about having fun and EARNING your achievements, including unlockables. You want to generate more revenue in the next gen? Then make some great (bug free) games on a consistant basis, instead of this port-happy, rehash nonsense.

CheekyLee @ Oct 17th 2006 7:01AM

This is actually a very brave move by EA, and I personally have no problem with it AS THINGS STAND. If you pay the 200 points to max out your character, you are still gonna lose online to thos who took the time to learn the game through actually playing it. I say let those who don't have the time to unlock everything buy what they want, as long as there are no achievments connected to unlocking anything you can buy. Completely and utterly fair play from EA, IMHO.

The most interesting thing to me is why has nobody complained about Chromehounds improved rocket launcher? Pay 100 MS points, and you have an instant advantage over people who don't. THAT is dangerous. People moaned about horse armour, which was completely unnecessary because your horse kicks arse without it. People let the potential creation of a 2-tier online society sail past without even mentioning it. (Whilst I admittedly do not own Chromehounds, and therefore can not comment on how much better the new rocket launcher is, I have seen this item for sale in the marketplace, and have summised from the information given as to what may be possible. I am happy to be corrected if I am mistaken.)

Delive @ Oct 17th 2006 7:59AM

If you want to charge me for anything extra EA, Charge me to transfer my maxed out character from Last years game (And the year before and the year before and....) to the current version. It's a shame I'm still playing TW2005 on the PS2 because so far, next gen Woods are not worth it. This year, TW2007 on the PS2 has 21 courses for 39.00, for the 360, 12 maybe for 59.00, BUT there is more, you can buy extra courses. The REAL TW for the 360 will cost about 75.00 to 80.00. Seems the $79.00 game may be a reality after all.

Gary @ Oct 17th 2006 8:25AM

Charging for cheat codes?

boywundr @ Oct 17th 2006 10:13AM

I agree with Delive. I watched the review of Tiger Woods on GamePlay (as well as other reviews of EA/2k sports games) and the common theme was lack of content compared to the "last gen" versions. I kept hearing from these guys that the games were gorgeous but lacking in the amount of content... but future versions will be great (we'll see). My point is, not only are we paying a premium price but we end up paying after as well for things not included or "extras". I know it comes down to choice a lot, but I had it happen to me where i felt I didn't have a choice but to pay - G.R.A.W. online. I bought that game so buddies and I could play online (most live 350 miles away from me) and then the map pack comes out (which were mostly relit existing maps) and I can't get into a game without it. That sucks. I paid 60 bucks for the game then shelled out 15 more so I could play the way I wanted to. That's BS in my opinion and something we are all going to need to "get used to".

xrays @ Oct 17th 2006 10:23AM

It pisses me off that games lock stuff anyway. It's OK for a linear, story-type game to have a locked-down level progression but for anything else it's just annoying. If I enjoy playing the game you don't have to "incentivize" it with unlocks... and if I don't enjoy it then maybe you should let me play the best bits.

Now this little tactic ensures that everything is going to be locked down in games. Great. I can't wait till when I start a new game the only menu option is "buy rest of menu".

idesignit @ Oct 17th 2006 10:35AM

So,

EA forces advertisements on the consumers to subsidize the development costs and increase profits for EA, then they sell games to 360 owners at a premium over the other versions and leave out content. Now they dangle this carrot in front of our faces to get us to pony up even more money so that we don't have to actually play the game. They are really milking the nex-gen console owners...or at least trying to..

Personally I am not going to buy Tiger Wooo 07....after the crappyness of Tiger woods 06 I am a bit turned off....

Mooseoglfr @ Oct 17th 2006 10:57AM

Maybe this is a backdoor fix?? I purchased TW2006 when it first came out for the 360 last year. That thing was riddled with bugs. You couldn't unlock certain equipment even when you acheived the necessary goals. The most frustrating thing was the game saying you lost a match, even though you won 6 & 5. This in particular made it so that I could not beat the game. I think I will hold off on this one, until they fix the bugs that are listed here from 2005.

http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=11593&p_created=1141328151&p_sid=ekcdLkki&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTYmcF9wcm9kcz0xMzc4LDE0MDgsMTQwOSZwX2NhdHM9MCZwX3B2PTMuMTQwOSZwX2N2PSZwX3BhZ2U9MQ**&p_li=&p_topview=1

jabbertrack @ Oct 17th 2006 11:43AM

Codemasters did this too with Toca Race Driver 2

Justin @ Oct 17th 2006 1:36PM

Holy what's all the fuss about? EA is still allowing you to unlock everything as you were before. NOTHING has changed except for the fact that if you don't want to spend the time unlocking things, you can cheat and pay a nominal fee to have everything unlocked. You could do this before with the game genie, but then how does EA (or any video game company) make money off of game genie? They're allowing you the option to NOT buy the $50 game genie, and pay a small fee to unlock content in their game. It's just an option they're giving you. They're not making you do it. Plus it just makes sense from a business standpoint.

Plus for you guys out there who are saying you don't have enough time to play the video game to unlock the content, I don't understand why you are complaining. Unlockable content is supposed to makes you want to play the game more! It is the driving force to keep playing the game. It goes back to the old gaming principles where if you work hard and are dedicated to the game, you will be rewarded. If you didn't have to work to unlock anything, how fun would that be? You'd be like a spoiled kid who had their parents buy them everything, and they never got to feel what it was like to buy something from their own hard earned money.

You guys are also forgetting that consumers are becomming more and more demanding in the video game industry. You want the same volume and quality in games at the same rate even though games now-a-days take a team of 60 people to make, when back in the day, you could make a game with 2 people. Plus with the new next-gen systems, models have to be much more detailed, textures have to be higher res, particles and rendering all have to look 300% better, yet they're not being giving 300% more resources and time to work with.

Hoooly stop complaining and go try and make some games yourself.