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GAME warning customers about missing DLC in used games
[Webshots user Jamshaheed] In an attempt to deftly avoid the legal issues which recently befell its North American counterpart, UK electronic entertainment retailer GAME has begun adhering warning labels to used games which have likely been stripped of their bundled DLC vouchers, such as Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2. According to MCV, the stickers, which tell consumers to check with store clerks on the availability of a particular game's DLC, arrived in stores last week. We appreciate GAME's transparency in its reaction to Project Ten Dollar, but we're not sure why these warning labels also say "but each new copy of this game also includes a handful of angry, extremely venomous scorpions, so maybe you should just go with this used one instead." [Via GamePolitics]
Lawsuit claims GameStop 'misleads consumers' about bonus DLC with used games
GameStop must have known that those download vouchers for free DLC with new copies of games -- what EA calls "Project Ten Dollar" would be trouble for its business at some point. It probably didn't suspect it would be this kind of trouble. A customer named James Collins, after buying a used copy of Dragon Age and finding himself unable to access the game's free bonus DLC ("The Stone Prisoner," above), has filed a class-action suit against the company, for "fraudulently, unfairly, unlawfully, and deceptively [misleading] consumers at the time of their purchase to believe that the game comes with free downloadable content when, in fact, it does not," effectively duping customers into paying more for a "complete" used game than for a new copy. In addition, GameStop's seven-day return window, the lawsuit claims, gives consumers insufficient time to discover they lack access to the DLC. A copy of the complaint can be perused at IGN. [Thanks, Rob]
Report: EA planning premium, pre-launch DLC for retail games at $10 - $15 [Update: EA explains]
During a recent visit to EA's offices, Wedbush Securities' Michael Pachter (and other analysts) got what he calls a "candid" view of the future for the publisher. Among the many glowing things that Mr. Pachter had to say in the report from the meeting, he reveals that EA group general manager Nick Earl told him EA has plans "to release premium downloadable content (PDLC) as a product for sale prior to the release of a packaged product." Comparing the PDLC to Battlefield 1943 -- a game for which we unfortunately have yet to see any post-release support from EA -- Earl revealed that the content will be priced at between $10 to $15 through Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, and will arrive prior to a "full-blown packaged game." That "full-blown packaged game" will of course still carry a "full retail price" when it does arrive in stores. Pachter expanded to Gamasutra, "I think that the plan is to release PDLC at $15 that has 3 - 4 hours of gameplay, so [it has] a very high perceived value, then [EA will] take the feedback from the community (press and players) to tweak the follow-on full game that will be released at a normal packaged price point." This is just one part of the digital effort EA is gearing up for in the coming year, according to the report, which details an expected "1/3 [growth] of revenues over the next few years" in the digital market. Between this and 'Project Ten Dollar,' EA's certainly taking an aggressive approach to new monetization routes on the digital frontier. It remains to be seen how it'll all pan out, but for now things are at least staying interesting. Update: EA's Jeff Brown explained the PDLC concept to us in more detail this afternoon, saying: "EA is working on a number of projects for delivering premium content to consumers before, during, and after the launch of a packaged-goods version of the game. EA SPORTS, EA Games and EA Play are each experimenting with download strategies that deliver fresh game content in formats players want to experience. To date, there is no set pricing strategy for the entire EA portfolio. And many of the proposals include free-to-play content on models similar to Madden Ultimate Team, Battlefield Heroes and Battlefield 1943. None of the proposals call for charging consumers for traditionally free game demos."
Mass Effect 2 gets free Arc Projector heavy weapon, courtesy of Cerberus DLC Network
Commander's Log: Well, whaddya know? I get up this morning and ride down to Deck 2, and the first thing outta Kelly's mouth is that I have a new message at my Private Terminal. About time -- things have been hella boring around here since beating up the Collectors! Anyway, it's from Illusive Man -- who else -- with a tantalizing subject line: "Arc Projector." So, get this: Mr. Smokey says Cerberus has passed off a new "advanced electrical attack device" to me. It was recently tested on some geth during a "highly successful" skirmish in the Skyllian Verge. (I won't tell Legion that part, but "they" probably already know.) Well, I'd sure like to test it myself, but the galaxy's awfully quiet these days -- still waiting on that Hammerhead delivery. I guess I'd better just start up that New Game+ ... –Shepard P.S. I've been feeling really homesick for Cali lately. That's where I grew up before enlisting in N7, fool.
EA Sports supports 'Project Ten Dollar,' out to 'digitize' Madden consumers
Watch out, Madden consumer, 'cause Peter Moore is coming -- and he's gonna digitize you. In a speech at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference yesterday, the EA Sports prez said, "I think we need to move much quicker, in particular with Madden, through a digital world ... you're going to see more announcements there how we digitize our Madden consumer." He was likely referring to the currently "burning" business model that revolves around disc-based media, a topic Moore has remained outspoken about for some time now. In his eyes, rather than focusing on moving more units which each year's release, EA Sports should instead be looking at "How do I get an extra $4 or $5 dollars?" from the already existing 6 million person-strong install base. He insisted that, in line with the company's "Project Ten Dollar" aspirations, digital content keeps gamers from trading in their titles. "It keeps the disc in the drive longer, it stalls trading the game in, it allows me to be able to take further advantage of that consumer over a longer period of time." We'd like to remind you that Moore was speaking to a group of financial analysts, so when he talked about being able to "further take advantage" of you, he meant it in the nicest way possible. Promise. He finished up by promising that future EA Sports titles will have new business models that allow for a customer to trade in their annualized sports games while simultaneously granting EA the ability to earn money from that customer -- a "best of both worlds" take on the transition from retail to digital, if you will. We'll see what happens in the not-too-distant future, as Moore also promised "We're [EA] certainly going to do a lot of that this year."
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 getting two DLC maps on day one, more coming in March
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will unlock two multiplayer maps on launch day, free to players that input a "VIP code" included with new copies of the game (think: "Project Ten Dollar"). VIPs will also gain free access to a second map pack, which developer DICE will airdrop later in March. If you purchase the game second-hand, you can access the VIP code separately via the in-game store (think: $15). We can already see a repeat of the Mass Effect 2 account confusion coming from five klicks away, so make sure your affairs are in order before you redeem the code. BC2 Senior Producer Patrick Bach claims, "These first two map packs are just the beginning. We're planning ongoing support for the community by always keeping the experience fresh and ensuring the best possible gameplay experience." This is where Battlefield 1943 fans wipe the tears from their faces as they march toward a more modern battlefield.
Used game retailers respond to 'Project Ten Dollar'
It's unsurprising that most game retailers who dabble in the pre-owned market feel jilted by an initiative EA CEO John Riccitiello calls "Project Ten Dollar" -- after all, it was designed to reclaim some of the revenues earned by secondhand sellers. A number of representatives from used game retailers recently spoke to GamesIndustry (login required) about the perils EA faces by bundling DLC redemption codes with new copies of the publisher's games. Chipsworld exec Don McCabe said consumers won't prosper under this new system, as copies of the game will lose their resale value, but retailers will "just readjust [the price] bearing in mind you have to buy the voucher." Marc Day, CEO of SwapGame, says diminished resale value will do more harm than good to the publisher's bottom line, as "customers who trade in for cash or credit do so to acquire new games they could otherwise not afford." Check out GamesIndustry's full article for more retailer opinions on EA's new DLC strategy. It's an interesting read on what might turn out to be a pretty vicious cycle.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 includes 'VIP code' for free day-one DLC
John Riccitiello's "Project Ten Dollar" endeavor -- in which EA looks to combat used-game sales by offering free DLC goodies with new purchases -- has another game marching under its banner: Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Just like Mass Effect 2, the game will ship with a code that enables access to free DLC. The first batch of add-on content for DICE's shooter will be a set of new multiplayer maps, MTV Multiplayer reports. "In the future you will get more content, for free, if you have this VIP code," noted producer Patrick Bach, describing a free content delivery mechanism similar to BioWare's Cerberus Network. Also of note: the VIP code will be attached to your EA.com account, so make sure you keep potential hazards in mind if you buy Bad Company 2 when it launches on March 2, 2010. [Thanks, Michael]
Schappert clarifies EA's sweeping DLC and online strategy
During this week's quarterly earning's report, EA COO John Schappert answered an investor question with a somewhat vague but potentially far-reaching comment regarding the publisher's future strategy for implementing online functionality into its games. "In fiscal 2011 [from April 31, 2010 to March 31, 2011], every one of EA's releases will have an online component, both downloadable content and online play," Schappert said, according to a VG247 report. CFO Eric Brown then cited Mass Effect 2's Cerberus Network as the company's "most recent example" of how this plan might manifest. The obvious question: Does the plan apply to all platforms, including Wii, DS, PSP, and mobile? Schappert clarified to Joystiq today: "My statement wasn't in reference to any specific platform as most of our titles are multiplatform and have different features per platform. Though you can expect our PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 titles to have very robust online features. Of course, depending on the title, this may extend to other platforms as well." While this clarification is not exactly the firestarter statement one might interpret from Schappert's original comment, the plan still raises concerns -- based on recent experiences -- that EA games' online components could continue to induce headaches so long as they are tied to EA.com accounts and the issues that have arisen as EA has increased its DLC efforts. If the plan is to include online components in all EA games in the future, then the wrinkles need to be ironed out of Project Ten Dollar now.
Riccitiello talks 'Project Ten Dollar' and digital distribution
Crack open a fresh copy of Mass Effect 2, The Saboteur or Dragon Age: Origins and you'll see it: A code to download some piece of game content that those suckers buying used will have to pay for. It's not just coincidence that EA is shipping so many games with these bonuses/punitive measures (depending on your perspective). It's what CEO John Riccitiello calls "Project Ten Dollar," a bid to take back a portion of revenue from the estimated $2 billion in annual used game sales. That and the rest of Riccitiello's strategy to to make EA more reliant on digital content is detailed in a new BusinessWeek report. All we know is, with a 25 percent decline in revenue for Q3, the company needs to find some way to fill the gaps sooner rather than later. Though Riccitiello seems convinced the digital strategy will patch the hole, some remain unconvinced. Former EA consultant Eric Goldberg told BusinessWeek, "While it's possible EA can make the extremely difficult transition from providing a shiny disc in boxes to [leading] in digital, history suggests it's rather unlikely."
