10 Major Missteps By Video Game Companies
2. Pay To Win - Star Wars Battlefront 2
It is common these days for multiplayer games to have a lootbox or online transaction component, and while many games let you purchase skins or cosmetic items to customise gameplay, some include the ability to level up faster and experience the game a bit differently.
Battlefront 2's loot box system though? It was so despised, EA's stock droppted. They were also forced to pull the system altogether right on launch, and the endeavour even inspired anti-lootbox legislation in some countries.
The lootbox mechanic was very much pay to win - or "pay to keep up", as those who'd purchased better Star Cards would have better perks and abilities. Fans quickly realised they could grind out the currency to buy upgrades and characters... but it would be 40 hours just to unlock a single hero, of which there are several.
EA were forced to remove micro transactions at launch, then severely dial them back when they were reintroduced.
The company lost $3 billion in stock value, and several world governments are in the process of passing legislation to ban the use of in-game lootboxes. The game launched to a rating of 0.8 on Metacritic, the lowest in the site's history at the time.
That was, until our next game launched...