The boss of EA Mobile, Nick Earl, has revealed that EA’s latest mobile schedule for 2013 has absolutely no premium games on it. Every game that is planned to be released this year will follow the much debated free-to-play model which is then moneytised with micro-transactions.
Personally I hate this style of game as they often end up being grinding games that you can either play for hours and get nowhere or drop some coin and quickly rank up.
I would much rather pay R100 for a small mobile game that is fully featured than to get it free and then spend R100 to unlock it. I’m not exactly sure why that is but I’m not alone with these feelings.
According to Nick there is a vocal minority on the Internet who are making a big noise about this but their research, and sales, have proven that it is more profitable for EA to follow the freemium model and as such that is what they are going to do.
Hopefully this doesn’t mean FIFA 14 on the iPad is going to follow this model as I am simply addicted to the mobile version of FIFA and couldn’t stand the thought of not getting my yearly fix.
Last Updated: April 4, 2013
Slade Boender
April 4, 2013 at 10:37
Agreed. Unless the grind is workable F2P should die horribly. In a freak toothpaste accident or something as absurd. EA could be a the drunken passenger too. As long as some one adopts Battlefield…
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
April 4, 2013 at 10:40
I knew this was going to happen. I ranted that this was the path that would be taken and it has started.
Grinding games where you can either rage quit from frustration or pay to get to the end.. or whatever the goals are.
The industry is busy collapsing in on its own greed
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 4, 2013 at 11:28
Attachment leads to jealously. The shadow of greed, that is…
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 4, 2013 at 10:40
EA should merge with Disney
Danny Baromen
April 4, 2013 at 10:45
EA should’ve merged with LucasArts the day before yesterday… then we’d be free of them…
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 4, 2013 at 11:16
haha, seems like we had the same idea more or less, 4mins apart
silverscorpio
April 4, 2013 at 10:49
This is how it is going to work. They make a free shooter but you have to pay to get guns.
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 4, 2013 at 11:15
…or bullets
CypherGate
April 4, 2013 at 11:00
You end up spending a lot more than R100 with these kind of games just to get some sort of enjoyment and even then its not as enjoyable cause you never really worked for what you wanted ingame. All you need to do is spend cash and there you have it. Not much of a game anymore…
Milesh Bhana
April 4, 2013 at 11:01
EA did the research based on our behaviours.
So clearly their blockbuster apps didn’t sell, and their freemium ones gave them better return.
We voted with your wallets. (That or their premium apps were too expensive).
Anyway, EA has shown us that Freemium can be done right with Real Racing 3.
I still think that they should give you the option to skip the whole thing altogether and just pay for the app.
Jonah Cash
April 4, 2013 at 11:02
Fifa on your iPad???? In the SA store????
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 4, 2013 at 11:44
Heh, sounds like a meme…..:P
Sir Captain Rincethis
April 4, 2013 at 11:33
EA, gonna catch all em Worst Company Awards.
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 4, 2013 at 11:48
AAAAAAAND the winner for the WCA is……drum roll……..EA!
The Electronic Assmonkeys now has a clean sweep of the douchebag awards ceremony. Thank you for attending
That Tall Twit
April 4, 2013 at 12:19
‘Electronic Assmonkeys’ <— deserves an upvote.
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 4, 2013 at 12:34
XD
umar bastra
April 4, 2013 at 11:59
EA releases crap games for mobile devices in any case. Real Racing was the best thing they released then they F*d it up with the insulting IAP. bleh, Chaos Rings ftw
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
April 4, 2013 at 12:08
Strange, I don’t really have an opinion on this. This falls in my “I don’t really care” box.
Amazing EA, you’ve managed to invoke Banana Apathy… CONGRATULATIONS!
Admiral Chief Erwin
April 4, 2013 at 12:35
Banana apathy, now selling in a shop near you
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
April 4, 2013 at 12:37
Smells like vanilla essence… 😀
Blackhawk
April 4, 2013 at 12:38
When you look up the phrase “strutting your stuff” in the phrase dictionary, the header image is the one you should see. Awesome pic, Gavin!
Wtf101
April 4, 2013 at 14:39
Oh hells! I just had this nightmare inducing thought… What if they do this with The Sims 4????? That game is perfect for the freemium model.
You create a Sim. Want some clothes on that Sim? Cough up 10 bucks. You want your Sim to eat? Cough up 30 bucks…
Want to take your Sim out for a drink?
Beers….R10.00
Whiskey….R20.00
Want your sim to get some action (or woo-hoo as it is called in the game?) You can spend a r1000.00 on wining and dining another sim, or you can head down to Madame Bella Goth’s Brothel and pay R150.00 for “female companionship.”