JOB OPENING: Head Of Monetization & Marketplace

"simmerorigin;c-18283329" wrote:
Can anyone give an example of a game with an active in-game DLC online store that doesn't require you to have a constant internet connection?

Bethesda's stupid online store for Skyrim doesn't require it. Or at least it didn't, and I guess it still doesn't. However, what they've done is almost worse. They control access to the store content by altering the executable every time they update the items available in the store.

But I agree with your point. Skyrim is completely single player. For TS5, which is going to be multiplayer, integrated across multiple platforms, and where the DLC will basically be the game, I think always online is pretty much a given at this point.

TS2 and TS3 both had online stores, so some kind of online marketplace for TS5 doesn't feel like a huge surprise.

I'm also not entirely surprised to see that EA probably wants a cut of the money Patreon creators make, and after their partnership with CurseForge to provide "official" custom content, offering an official paid platform for CC seems like a route they might want to go down.

What I really hope is that certain creators aren't prioritized/promoted over others. EA already plays favorites with their GameChanger program, and I'm not looking forward to them doing that with CC too. (Maybe they already do on CurseForge; I don't know, I've never downloaded anything from it.)

IGN reports on the free-to-play business model:
https://www.ign.com/articles/the-sims-5-will-seemingly-adopt-a-fortnite-monetisation-model

Like Kotaku, IGN states they have reached out to EA for comment, so we are still waiting on that.

Interesting that this is concurrent with the job listing being pulled.

I definitely won't even try it if this is where it's heading. Paralives and LBY are eons above my expectations at this point and TS5 was something I was willing to give a go, but not if there's microtransactions. Plus, this is the same company that can't/won't fix bugs - game-breaking bugs - so my expectations that it will be a game that isn't riddled with bugs are nearly underground.

It really depends on how they handle it for me. I'm not against microtransactions as a whole, but I am against it being too pervasive. Loot boxes are an excellent example of what I'm against - having to pay for an ingame mechanic. In that case, you often get the boxes for free, but have to pay for the keys to open them...with little to no recourse against it. If it's similar in style to the Store, then fine...but if it's as pervasive as some MMOs, this will be the second odd numbered Sim game I skip.

I am sure hoping they realized "Whoa, we nearly made this mistake with TS4, maybe we ought to rethink this". However, I have the premonition that they want online, multiplayer, and microtransaction-ridden. Three things I could care less about. My frustrations with FreePlay were what eventually led me to get TS3 and TS4.

"CK213;c-18283700" wrote:
If the base game is free-to-play and the rest of the content is Expansion Packs, Game Packs, and Kits as we know them now, I don't have a problem with it. It's just EA establishing a large customer base as a foundation.

However, if all content are only micro-transactions like The Sims 3 store, I am going to have to sit on the sidelines for a year or two so I can see if we are being taken advantage of. I mean really analyze the content for value compared to The Sims 4.

I am okay if they. Have a store as well.As long as we get the sims packs.

"CK213;c-18283700" wrote:
If the base game is free-to-play and the rest of the content is Expansion Packs, Game Packs, and Kits as we know them now, I don't have a problem with it. It's just EA establishing a large customer base as a foundation.

I'd be ok with that too. My problem is I just don't trust EA. They seem quite enamored with the fast money from MMO games so I fear they're trying to turn the next Sims game into another Roblox or Fortnite, just in Sims form. Which doesn't interest me at all. Didn't they try this before with the rumored Project Olympus? I guess if they're intend on going down that path again I'll focus on Life By You and Paralives instead.

I will not stay with Sims5 if they have microtransactions. I would honestly prefer to just pay $30 to start. If they are doing enter for free, but then you'll have to pay for a third neighborhood or more terrain tools, I am going to be disappointed. I will not buy anything smaller than the game packs. I think kits are too small for the amount they cost.

I want to add that I fully support a store as long as we get the traditional DLC packs. I always loved the idea of a store and I pay for cc to support creators.
As long as this doesn't turn into mobile style micro transactions I think it's fine. I always wanted ts4 to have a store like ts3 did although I heard it was overpriced ? either way it was optional and it's always nice to have options.