Will Battlefront 2 Microtransactions Lead to Real Change?

The big news last week was that Electronic Arts did the unprecedented move of temporarily removing microtransactions from Star Wars Battlefront II due to fan backlash. The plans are currently unclear for the long-term, as EA has said they’ll be back in some sort of capacity at a later date. This could be a pivotal moment, or much to do about nothing.

That’s why the question we posed in this week’s Now Loading was “What do you think about EA temporarily removing microtransactions from Star Wars Battlefront II? Is it all an attempt to save face, or do you think this will lead to meaningful change?”

Check out the gallery below to find out what the staff thought of this week’s question:

Now that you’ve seen our answers, we’d love to see hear your thoughts on the matter at hand. Feel free to chime in below with your answer to this week’s question. We can’t wait to hear about what you think about the current state of microtransactions, and if Star Wars Battlefront II will wind up being a tipping point.

We’re always looking for suggestions for our next Now Loading. If you’ve got a good one then let us know via email (or leave a comment below), and we might feature it next week. If we do, we’ll make sure to include a special thank you to the sender!

Now Loading is a weekly recurring feature where the PlayStation LifeStyle staff discusses anything video game-related ranging from hot topics to more whimsical subjects. Past editions can be found here.

Essential Reading:

Star Wars Battlefront 2 microtransactions

Thoughts on Battlefront II Microtransactions?
Cameron Teague

I am on the side of none of this bothering me really, so I don't really mind if this was done just to save face. This is a business and as such, things will be done to make money. I also don't have any problems with loot boxes and I have loved leveling up and opening new boxes in Overwatch every time.
Chandler Wood

This is the breaking point. It's a culmination of many things, from gamer outrage, to publisher overreach, to Start Wars being a massive franchise owned by an even more massive corporation. Other developers are bound to take notice of the fallout though, and will likely opt not to toe that line.

It's a bit of both. Of course EA wants to save face as they launch one of their biggest properties. Is that so surprising? But I've talked to the DICE guys. They are passionate about the community and taking feedback to heart. Star Wars is a franchise filled with passionate fans, including the people making the game. They want it to succeed, and honestly, more success means more people buying into whatever microtransactions they put back in there. It's a two-fold operation.

They've already admitted that the paid currency is coming back, so it's not a matter of then being gone. The games industry isn't sustainable in its current trajectory. Post-launch revenue streams are a must. But we will see them fix it to become far less predatory and pay-to-win. Dial it back to cosmetics and gamer rage will subside until the next great ridiculous controversy that seems from gamers forgetting that gaming is simply an expensive hobby.
Elizabeth Henges

I really think it's just an attempt to save face, because... Well, it's Star Wars. The new movie is coming out next month, and Disney probably doesn't want bad publicity involving the series so close to The Last Jedi. I doubt EA would have changed their microtransaction policy if it weren't for Disney's CEO calling and having a chat with EA. While I don't doubt that when the microtransactions come back they'll be better than before, I don't think this will be a lasting change of policy with EA.
Keri Honea

Eh, another reason why I'm glad not to be a fan of multiplayer. Not that single-player titles don't occasionally have their own pay-to-win or pay-to-finish models...
Louis Edwards

I'm not sure I understand what all the fuss is about. Paying for better equipment and/or characters has been implemented in sports games like Madden's Ultimate Team and MLB The Show's Diamond Dynasty for years. It's always a gamble when buying packs and you're better off saving those points or Stubbs for use in the marketplace, but still, you can have the greatest offense and defense in Madden or the greatest pitching staff and batting line-up in The Show and still get your butt handed to you by a more skilled player. Do I like the pay-to-win model? Of course not, but why all the whining about it now? It's not a new concept.
Michael Briers

Given Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader were locked from the beginning, it's difficult to see this U-turn as anything other than saving face. And that's okay. As Zarmena so rightly says, implementation is the key here, with Battlefront II being the textbook example of cultivating a pay-to-win environment.
Paulmichael Contreras

I've been saying this since day one: they should have followed Titanfall 2's post-release DLC plans. Launching free content such as maps, and only asking for payment for new cosmetic items as a sort of tip doesn't piss off any sane person, keeping the game fresh while also creating an avenue for additional revenue for the retained player base. You could see this kind of fallout coming a mile away, but the question was whether Star Wars as a gaming franchise was big enough to weather the storm. I think we now know the answer.
Tyler Treese

I get the feeling that we'll see similar microtransactions added back in a few months from now after Disney isn't worried about an upcoming film, and Battlefront II is no longer the hottest topic in gaming. I feel this is just a way to save face, and I really doubt we'll see any meaningful change in how AAA gaming operates. This is a business after all.
Zarmena Khan

I'm going to go with what one of our comments said: this might just become a case of Mortal Kombat and the birth of video game ratings. It's not microtransactions or loot boxes that are a problem per se, but rather how they're implemented. One could argue that gambling is also a choice and going out to a casino is also a choice. My personal take is that if these microtransactions are starting to cross the line between harmless cosmetics/minor items and games of chance, then I think authorities have every right to look into these practices. I don't consider a total lack of governance a good thing either. Is this backlash going to lead to meaningful change? Maybe. I hope so.