Former EA CEO: Devs Who Don't Focus On Microtransactions Are 'the Biggest F****** Idiots'

Lunatic_Gamer

Lunatic_Gamer

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When asked about the pushback that some developers have given regarding implementing monetization early on in developing a game, Riccitiello did not hold back.

"Ferrari and some of the other high-end car manufacturers still use clay and carving knives," Riccitello said. "It's a very small portion of the gaming industry that works that way, and some of these people are my favourite people in the world to fight with – they're the most beautiful and pure, brilliant people. They're also some of the biggest fucking idiots.

I've been in the gaming industry longer than most anybody – getting to the grey hair and all that. It used to be the case that developers would throw their game over the wall to the publicist and sales force with literally no interaction beforehand. That model is baked into the philosophy of a lot of artforms and medium, and it's one I am deeply respectful of; I know their dedication and care.

"But this industry divides people between those who still hold to that philosophy and those who massively embrace how to figure out what makes a successful product. And I don't know a successful artist anywhere that doesn't care about what their player thinks. This is where this cycle of feedback comes back, and they can choose to ignore it. But to choose to not know it at all is not a great call.

"I've seen great games fail because they tuned their compulsion loop to two minutes when it should have been an hour. Sometimes, you wouldn't even notice the product difference between a massive success and tremendous fail, but for this tuning and what it does to the attrition rate. There isn't a developer on the planet that wouldn't want that knowledge."

www.ign.com

Former EA CEO: Devs Who Don't Focus On Microtransactions Are 'the Biggest F****** Idiots' - IGN

Former EA CEO John Riccitiello has spoken up about microtransactions in video games, saying what while those who avoid implementing monetization early on in the creative process are some of the "most beautiful and pure, brilliant people," they are also "some of the biggest f****** idiots."
www.ign.com www.ign.com

Revenge Of The Sith Evil Laugh GIF by Star Wars
 
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"...some of these people are my favourite people in the world to fight with – they're the most beautiful and pure, brilliant people. They're also some of the biggest fucking idiots."

also

"...tuned their compulsion loop..."

Awkward Kenan Thompson GIF by Saturday Night Live
 
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Dude should move to Ubisoft. Recent Assassin's Creed games are a complete and utter drag to get through so you're compelled to purchase "time savers" so you can skip 4 hours of grinding for materials.
 
What in the world is going on with EA. It looks like they were back to getting some good press from Dead Space and Jedi Fallen Order 2 and then they go right back to sounding like they hate traditional SP games
 
There is some truth here. On one hand, we have seen how stubborn some devs have been in regards to player feedback. Bungie treated us like shit for years as if they knew better. A lot of GaaS games failed because devs failed to adapt.

And looking at massively successful their microtransactions have become with Fifa, it's clear that you would be an idiot passing on a guaranteed billion dollars a year. That said, it clearly doesnt work for everything. Not every game needs to be designed as GaaS. The audience that plays Star Wars Fallen Jedi is never going to spend a billion dollars on microtransactions every year. And sometimes you have to trust the developer's vision just like you would trust Spielberg's vision for Schindler's list. Neil fucked up TLOU2 just like Kojima did MGS2 and his next game's sales will suffer just like MGS3 did but I highly respect Sony for not interfering with his vision. Sometimes, the suit has to realize his job is to sell a difficult product to sell. That's why he gets paid the big bucks. Anyone can sell Fifa every year.
 
This is why as much crap as some people give Sony they at least still care about full SP games.

That being said I blame the people who purchase micro transactions almost as much as the people who sell them. If nobody bought them then they would die.
 
Honestly, until the players fight back, it's only going to get worse. I wouldn't be surprised if we have another great crash at some point. Some of the biggest names in the business have been ruined by hare brained monetization schemes.
 
Yeah. Like it or hate, but from a pure business standpoint, he is not exactly wrong.
Magic Carpet said:
Probly why this stuff needs to be regulated and/or outlawed. People just can't help themselves.
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Yes. Business practices which prey on people's weaknesses should be made illegal, period.
 
Speaking for myself, I don't give a shit. More games to be ignored.

The issue "is the children oh no!!". I have like a niece and she plays Roblox...and she is obsessed with the premium currency or some shit like that to buy cosmetic shit. The game shows you who has/is premium l or something like that. (Appeling to the elitism/status)

And I have seen this bullying/discrimination if you have like a default skin.

Roblox has a value of 40 billions of dollars.

So. Whatever it is what it is.
 
Ladioss said:
Yeah. Like it or hate, but from a pure business standpoint, he is not exactly wrong.
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I agree with this take that he's half right. Apex Legends saved Respawn. There's a fine line here and the issue is that usually big publishers tend to push in one direction too hard.

Ladioss said:
Yes. Business practices which prey on people's weaknesses should be made illegal, period.
Click to expand...
It will go away the day casinos go away too.
 
He's right, GVMERS spend far more on microtransation turds than actual complete games. You guys have only yourself and all your friends who buy that shit to blame. These companies ain't runnin charities, their function is to make the most money possible.
 
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Camreezie said:
Wasnt this dude in charge when Mass Effect 3 and Dead Space 3 shipped with microtransactions? Yeah , go figure.
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considering how half baked the microtransactions were in these games Maybe he is on to something.
you gotta build the game from the ground up with MTX in mind or something.

All joking aside I dont think he is Wrong from a business perspective. From a gamer perspective Yeah it sucks.
 
On a purely making boatloads of cash level

He's 100% correct. You can have a game and whore it out with micro transactions and make money like you've never made before off of it. Look at Diablo. Madden. FIFA. NBA2K. The FTP world of games etc

I wish the population rejected it. But they accept it and relish in it. They beg for more. Sure we can sit here on a gaming forum and bitch.

But we're the "hardcore" minority. They don't care about review bombed scores or tweets at them. They care about cashing big checks.

This is only the start. It will get worse.
 
You might not like it, but he's right, just look at the revenue mobile gaming brings, look at LoL, Fortnite etc. recent Diablo Immortal that is reported to bring 1M every single day. For the vast majority of people out there spending a few bucks every now and then is nothing compared to blowing out tens-close to a hundred dollars. And thkse few bucks paid repetitively turn out ymto be hundreds of dollars spent on a game instead of "just" 40-70. So at the end of the day people get games for cheaper while the devs earn more, it's a ein-win situation. Now, if the monetization, the MTX implementation isn't just one big scummy cash grab, that's a different topic. But then again, the market always verifies, as it turned out many people don't mmind Diablo Immortal's approach.
 
Lunatic_Gamer said:
Web_Summit_2017-_PlayerOne_DF2_4636_%2826486427939%29.jpg


When asked about the pushback that some developers have given regarding implementing monetization early on in developing a game, Riccitiello did not hold back.

"Ferrari and some of the other high-end car manufacturers still use clay and carving knives," Riccitello said. "It's a very small portion of the gaming industry that works that way, and some of these people are my favourite people in the world to fight with – they're the most beautiful and pure, brilliant people. They're also some of the biggest fucking idiots.

I've been in the gaming industry longer than most anybody – getting to the grey hair and all that. It used to be the case that developers would throw their game over the wall to the publicist and sales force with literally no interaction beforehand. That model is baked into the philosophy of a lot of artforms and medium, and it's one I am deeply respectful of; I know their dedication and care.

"But this industry divides people between those who still hold to that philosophy and those who massively embrace how to figure out what makes a successful product. And I don't know a successful artist anywhere that doesn't care about what their player thinks. This is where this cycle of feedback comes back, and they can choose to ignore it. But to choose to not know it at all is not a great call.

"I've seen great games fail because they tuned their compulsion loop to two minutes when it should have been an hour. Sometimes, you wouldn't even notice the product difference between a massive success and tremendous fail, but for this tuning and what it does to the attrition rate. There isn't a developer on the planet that wouldn't want that knowledge."

www.ign.com

Former EA CEO: Devs Who Don't Focus On Microtransactions Are 'the Biggest F****** Idiots' - IGN

Former EA CEO John Riccitiello has spoken up about microtransactions in video games, saying what while those who avoid implementing monetization early on in the creative process are some of the "most beautiful and pure, brilliant people," they are also "some of the biggest f****** idiots."
www.ign.com www.ign.com
Click to expand...
Look at this fucking lizard.
Close Up Princess GIF by The Holy Mountain

If his face sags anymore, his disguise is going to come off.
 
Reallink said:
He's right, GVMERS spend far more on microtransation turds than actual complete games. You guys have only yourself and all your friends who buy that shit to blame. These companies ain't runnin charities, their function is to make the most money possible.
Click to expand...
And here it is, the most idiotic take.

Those companies have LEGIONS of psychologists and behavior experts, bent to exploit every single weakness hard wired in our brains.

BuT yOu H4V3 oNlY yoUrseLvEs tO BlAmE!!1!
 
Fuz said:
And here it is, the most idiotic take.

Those companies have LEGIONS of psychologists and behavior experts, bent to exploit every single weakness hard wired in our brains.

BuT yOu H4V3 oNlY yoUrseLvEs tO BlAmE!!1!
Click to expand...
It's at minimum should be only allowed to be in 18+ games. Even then parents will find their credit cards stolen.
 
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Soulless corporate fucks like him have ruined gaming. Scum of the earth, really. Dude also looks like Bolsonaro. He probably chops Rainforest trees for fun, too.
 
Is there a single successful microtransaction based game that actually started out that way?

Seems like publishers like EA are missing the forest for the trees. Build a good product first with enough content to build a userbase. Worry about added content and other modes of monetising when you have a userbase
 
Oddvintagechap said:
Its true, I like Sony because they are stupid fucks.

Jimbo might be changing that soon.
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Isn't this literally why they bought Bungie? To empower them to produce more GaaS? Nevermind the shuttering of most of their Japanese studios, which made more unique and experimental fare. I can't find much to like in modern Sony.

Seems like the future of the console market will be split between indie, prestige and service games, and it's real depressing.
 
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