EA Responds To UFC 3 Pay-To-Win Backlash In Official Statement
Excessive microtransactions have become the talk of the gaming scene as of late, putting players in an uproar over potential “pay-to-win” complications. Star Wars Battlefront II‘s new loot box system has been at the center of this immense controversy, even prompting the US state of Hawaii to investigate Electronic Arts’ perceived “predatory practices“. With so much negativity surrounding the notorious publisher, it’s no surprise to learn EA Sports’ upcoming UFC 3 has also come under fire for similar reasons.
The Beta for UFC 3 went live for a select few recently, and several players have claimed the game supposedly continues unfair pay-to-win scenarios. While this makes it seem as though EA has learned nothing from their current microtransactions mess, other players have called these claims overblown, assuring that purchasable items are only present in the non-essential ‘Ultimate Team’ mode. EA clarified the situation in an official statement to IGN, but the response may leave gamers with more questions than answers:
There are no purchasable fighter upgrades that affect any other mode. Our matchmaking logic takes fighter attributes, moves, boosts, and perks into account and prioritizes matching players with similarly upgraded fighters in addition to player skill. The goal is to prevent uneven matchups as much as possible. Furthermore, the game features Online Ranked Championships and unranked Online Quick Match for competitive and casual head-to-head online play.
The beta is very helpful in tuning all aspects of our game, including Ultimate Team. We welcome constructive feedback, and thank everyone playing the beta for providing us with vital information to make the game as fun and engaging as possible for our fans.”
EA’s statement does clarify their reasoning loot boxes, but problems arise with this logic when considering the need for these solutions in the first place. Loot boxes seem to be the main deterrent keeping UFC 3 gameplay balanced, when the base game could just as easily be presented that way by default with upgrades playing a more supplementary role. Before anyone gets too worked up, this is just the beta after all. EA has every opportunity to further explain, or maybe even alter the microtransactions by the time UFC 3 releases on February 2nd, 2018.
What do you think? Are you excited that UFC 3 won’t be plagued by pay-to-win practices, or are you not convinced by EA’s response? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more controversial news from recent weeks, check out these following few stories:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
