My main concern is this. Like many of you, I've been playing videogames since the early 80s (or earlier in many cases I'm sure.) So I know how companies tend to seize on successful business models and drive them into the dirt. And I also know how the industry can take on an inertia of its own that creates new - not always favorable to the consumer in my opinion at least - standards and practices.
So here's the nightmare that goes through my mind.
First and foremost, EA won't be the only company to do this. If it succeeds - and all precedents prior to this, especially in the last decade or so, indicate that it probably will as many will accept it without question or at least continue to buy the products that incorporate it whether they embrace it or not - other companies will definitely jump on the bandwagon.
So, okay. All the major publishers start doing this. At first this is all optional. No harm, no foul. Impatient gamers can pay more money to get what they could already get if they have more patience and perseverance. Experienced, core gamers can continue to do it the old fashioned way. And companies have a new revenue stream. Everybody wins, right? Well... at least in the beginning.
DLC was at one time free. Then it cost money. (Natch.) It's still "optional," but today in a lot of cases you really don't necessarily feel like you're playing a complete game unless you buy the DLC. And some of the DLC is already on the disc, or gives you a clear advantage in the game. So there is a tend there. There's an inertia, however slow, toward DLC feeling less and less optional, even if it technically still is.
So publishers get comfortable with this new "optional" microtransaction revenue stream. They market the hell out of it, they put it in every single game practically, and they all make a lot of new money. Then one day it becomes apparent that they are beginning to reach the limit on how much they can grow their revenue through this model. Their shareholders are none too happy about how slowly their profit margins are expanding. Hell, they might even stagnate or contract. That's unacceptable, of course. So now what do they do?
I think we all know the answer to that. Like "freemium" games on our mobile devices and web browsers, they start to increase the grind. The effort necessary to make meaningful progress in the game increases. Or the amount of fun decreases. Or the sense of fulfillment and "completeness" shrinks. These are subtle, psychological things that they can reasonably argue are both fair and subjective. So they aren't screwing anyone over, right? But then it gets worse. And worse. And worse.
I mean, it seems simple to me. Company needs more revenue + model not extracting sufficient revenue anymore = model must change to incentivize revenue again. In that context, isn't it sort of inevitable?
And that, my friends and fellow long time gamers, is my ultimate dread for the future of this industry. Please companies, don't do it. Please gamers... don't support it.