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Battlefront II has Removed Microtransactions, So What?

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Battlefront

Star Wars Battlefront II, boy, I am sick and tired of talking about this game. This is a game that is plagued with bugs, graphical issues and even presented the worst alternative to Loot Boxes I have ever seen. But some players love to jump in and defend that like it’s nothing else, and I am here trying to warn them that they are at risk like a fool.

It all culminated today when one of the representatives from Dice, an EA Subsidiary, mentioned that the Microtransactions in general would be removed. So yeah, the Battlefront II loot boxes are gone, so what?

You don’t realize this is temporary. EA won’t give up on sucking money from others.

Electronic Arts is as greedy as any company can get, people. This isn’t a company that will give up on trying to find ways to go after players’ wallets. I mean, the fact that they terminated their Loot Boxes is because Disney practically forced them to.

I mean, we are talking about the game that was about to be investigated by a Belgian organization. We’re talking about the game that literally everyone hates and had the worst attempt at damage control I’ve ever seen.

Star Wars Battlefront II’s loot box retirement doesn’t mean victory for the microtransactions detractors. It just means that Electronic Arts is making a strategic retreat before coming back with way more advanced weaponry.

It’s way too late to Stop Loot Boxes and their success now. No matter how much people would love to think otherwise, they are here to stay. The fact that this absolute cancer to gaming is already on an advanced stage and got removed from one game doesn’t mean it’s time for party.

The Games as a Service model has been completely abused by developers like EA and Monolith. Oh yeah, have you forgotten that Call of Duty: WWII, Middle Earth: Shadow of War and Overwatch still have Loot Boxes and microtransactions? Alongside games like Need For Speed: Payback, Forza Motorsport 7 and others?

Heck, there’s already talk at EA and Dice about how they are going to implement microtransactions again. Not even a single day passed and we already are seeing that these things are gonna come back. Let’s just face it, EA simply won’t give up and find another way to suck up other people’s money.

Boxes

The game is a piece of rubbish anyway.

Have you even played Star Wars Battlefront II? I avoided having to buy it and waited for Jim Sterling to play the game. Unsurprisingly, I found out that the game has unbearable graphical and performance glitches.

Great, the sequel to the most panned video game in history hasn’t learned from its mistakes. What a shocker, especially considering that the developers were too focused on making their awful pay-to-win scheme instead of, you know, fixing the goddamned game to begin with.

Even without the fact that this game has so many exploits that would make Smash Bros Melee blush. The game is just too unbalanced to be played (Let alone taken) seriously at any level no matter which you think. If you think this is eSports material, you are delusional.

I am not too well-versed into Star Wars to talk about how much inaccuracies there are in the game. But I have heard from friends and other fans of the franchise that some ships and heroes are given more credit than they should. But, that’s unreliable because it’s testimony so, bleh.

This is a game I am so glad I skipped over instead of having to play it, and you’ll bet your ass that these issues will be fixed. Not for the sake of the players, no, but to appease the chairmen and investors.

Not everything is doom and gloom though, some fighting sequences seem awesome. But just the fact that the game has one or two moments that make it stand out doesn’t mean it’s a good game. It’s simply a grind-fest that doesn’t have a microtransaction model (For now).

Belgium

Playing Devil’s Advocate for a Second.

Let’s address the elephant in the room. When I covered the article that mentioned the Loot Box system being too popular to be terminated. I got curious when Glixel made mention that Loot Boxes could be handled well.

I looked back on Overwatch and remembered the argument I’m so sick of hearing “It’s just cosmetic”. But why does it work so well on this regard when Battlefront II couldn’t get away with it?

I started taking things onto a different perspective, and I noticed that Overwatch does handle this better. While I’d rather have NO Loot Boxes in sight, at least Overwatch offers no DLC, no Season Passes and every update and character addition is free of charge. Not to mention, this is done heavily to support the eSports players and their divisions.

I mean, if we really are going to have to deal with this sort of microtransactions from now on. Then, how about just taking out every single bit of paid content and keeping the Loot Boxes for cosmetic items only? Heck, this was the original idea for Battlefront II‘s development

I mean, it’s still a scummy strategy that resembles gambling. But (minus a few exceptions which are respectable) every company and it’s subsidiary wants to try their heads into Loot Boxes. So, once again, an alternative that allows players to support the game because they want to is good.

I mean, just look at the REQ packs in Halo 5, people bought them because they wanted to help others. Not so much for the benefits in the packs themselves, which are pretty lackluster if you ask me. Again, I’m not saying we should have them, but we can reach a compromise that can appease both consumers and publishers. I’d suggest watch this essay by Cleanprincegaming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nookkjCSHUs

Returning to the question in the title.

So, once again I ask. Battlefront II removed the Loot Boxes and microtransactions, So what? The game is still broken, we have loot boxes and such in many other games and their implementation is abusive. EA is gonna return into a microtransaction scheme regardless of whether or not we like it.

And the sad part is that we are going to have to live with this now. So, if we can’t reach an agreement where these dreaded cancer tumors can go back to hell. We can at least reach a compromise that we can all agree on.

Or, you know, the gaming community can insult me for getting X detail wrong. Or for saying that I am a Loot Box advocate despite only defending it once through this article, whichever works. But the point is, things still need to be done regardless of this temporary setback. Especially in the rise of the Games as a Service model which people love to take out of context.

I always wanted to be a journalist who listens. The Voice of the Unspoken and someone heavily involved in the gaming community. From playing as a leader of a competitive multi-branch team to organizing tournaments for the competitive scene to being involved in a lot of gaming communities. I want to keep moving forward as a journalist.

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Sony is reportedly engaged in discussions to form a partnership for a potential bid on Paramount

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There hasn’t been much buzz lately about any new acquisitions in the world of video game intellectual property. According to a recent report, Sony is currently engaged in discussions with a well-funded partner to potentially acquire the renowned film studio Paramount, along with all the exciting possibilities that come with such a merger.

As reported in the New York Times (thanks, ResetEra), Sony Picture Entertainment is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management, an investment firm, as per two sources familiar with the matter. In the past, Apollo had made an offer to acquire Paramount for a minimum of $26 billion, but their bid was ultimately turned down.

The terms of the joint bid are currently under discussion, and there is a chance that the two parties may decide against making a formal offer. Unnamed sources have revealed that Paramount is currently in exclusive discussions with Skydance, preventing any official offer from being made at this time. Investor opposition to the recent deal that Skydance brought seems to have been significant.

The potential impact of such an acquisition is immense. First and foremost, it would introduce adaptations of Sonic and Halo into the expanding media empire of the PlayStation platform holder. Following the announcement, Paramount’s stock experienced a significant 11% surge in after-hours trading.

What are your thoughts on the news? Is there a possibility of Sony acquiring Paramount? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Helldivers 2 Players Face Overwhelming Hordes of Factory Striders

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In the ongoing conflict against the Automaton invasion fleet, the Helldivers 2 players have successfully halted their advance. However, the situation has now reached a tiresome stalemate. Yet again, the machines refuse to take a break from their relentless pursuit of progress, with reports emerging of the Factory Striders being deployed in record-breaking quantities.

There have been reports of alleged machines that were supposedly encountered during Operation Swift Disassembly, which was just the beginning of a larger campaign. However, these accounts should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are unverified and seem to be more on the imaginative side. Factory Striders have gained a reputation as formidable weapons platforms that can produce more Automatons while enduring significant damage. If the machines are able to withstand such a relentless assault, it will be necessary to develop innovative strategies.

Have you come across groups of Factory Striders in Helldivers 2? Which strategies are proving to be the most effective in taking down these armored brutes? The Orbital Railcannon Strike will prove to be a valuable asset in the comments section below.

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Todd Howard affirms that the timeline of the Fallout series is coherent and well-constructed

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The recent release of Amazon’s adaptation of Fallout has ignited a renewed interest in the series and brought attention to the captivating alternate history that forms its foundation. Fans have expressed concern that the TV show’s events might be at odds with the plot of the Obsidian Entertainment video game New Vegas. Warning: Spoilers ahead for New Vegas and Amazon’s show!

Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard and Fallout TV executive producer Jonathan Nolan recently sat down with IGN to discuss the timeline. Howard was taken aback when showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet presented him with the surprising concept of obliterating Shady Sands, the bustling capital of the New California Republic, in the aftermath of the events in New Vegas. Howard eventually warmed up to the idea: “After discussing it, we realized that this could be a significant story moment that many things hinge upon.”

It seems that they had to make some tough decisions to ensure everything fell into place, but Howard emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of the Fallout timeline: “We take great care with the timeline. There seems to be some confusion in certain areas. However, all the events from the previous games, including New Vegas, did occur. We take great caution in that matter. We’re really pushing the limits here, but the explosions occur right after the events of New Vegas.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it up to par? Even though it may not have a significant impact on the overall quality of the games or show, it is comforting to know that those in charge are paying attention. We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

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