If you haven’t heard the word, EA may be hopping off the lootbox train — at least for the time being.
The mega-publisher took a huge publicity and community relations hit last year when it seriously botched its business model with Star Wars Battlefront II. You may remember it as the spark that lit an industry-wide discussion over lockboxes, strong backlash against the company, and government intervention.
One thing is for certain: 2018 is not 2017, at least in this regard. With its upcoming Battlefield V, EA confirmed that it will not be inserting lockboxes or premium passes into the business model. “All players have access to the same maps and modes in Battlefield V,” developer DICE tweeted. “Keep your squad together, no matter the front.”
So what does this mean for EA, the studios under its umbrella, and the future of monetization in video games? EA may just be biding its time until this whole furor blows over or it could be investigating new methods of raking in additional cash from players. What do you think?
No loot boxes. No Premium Pass. All players have access to the same maps and modes in #Battlefield V. Keep your squad together, no matter the front. pic.twitter.com/0aY17Jh68r
— Battlefield (@Battlefield) May 28, 2018
