EA's Xbox 360 microtransactions: the debate goes on

Just thought I'd share a comment I put up at majornelson.com following the announcement of the Xbox 360 Marketplace strategy for Need for Speed Carbon.

That strategy being to supply different experiences to those with different amounts of expendable income and to sell content to you that you've already bought via unlock codes that merely let you access features, levels, cars sooner than normal in the game. Codes that in every other corner of the videogaming world are known as 'cheats' and are 'free'.

I've had a lot of great comments from various and concerned Xbox owners agreeing with the points in the post, and the more people who understand quite how offensive and dangerous this new direction of online transactions is, the better. So, here it is:

This is getting out of control now and is making every gamer I know furious. First at EA, then at Microsoft.

Releasing content down the line that has been developed after a title ships is reasonable (as long as it is good value) but EA's strategy here to sell access to content that you have already bought, and then to make you feel like a second class gamer for 'only' buying the regular version is disgusting. In the UK new games cost £49.99 (that's $95), isn't that enough to get all aspects and features of a new title?

Larry, Microsoft are reverting to type here and are being seen by an awful lot of people as money-grabbing, conscienceless exploiters of gamers - just what you and the Xbox 360 community team have tried so hard to distance the Xbox brand from being.

These microtransactions and the subsequent dollar-defined gaming elitism is exactly what gamers feared would happen when Microsoft first announced they were coming into the videogame market.

Surely making a few bucks from some easily hoodwinked gamers isn't worth destroying the up-to-this point 'gamer friendly' image Microsoft have done so well to develop?

With Nintendo and Sony coming online within weeks, I'm surprised Microsoft are seemingly doing everything they can to make gamers look elsewhere, where they won't be ripped off every time they logon.

I doubt we'll see Nintendo charging for 'extra' dungeons in Zelda on launch day or taking your money so you can get access to the boomerang earlier.

Microsoft are in a position to steer the industry on this one, don't show yourselves up by letting good old American corporate greed spoil the party.

EA's Microtransactions are threatening the credibility of an industry and threatening the integrity of videogaming.

And thanks to an xbox.com user who sent me this terrific message:

Just wanted to say that i thought the post you put onto that majornelson site was probably the best piece of writing I have seen on xbox.com. I really hope something comes of it but thank you for taking the time to express so well what most of us think, you have done us proud.

See, gamers (apart from the weird ones) are good good people.