The gaming market in 2017 focuses entirely on games that generate ongoing revenue. Few understood this as well as Electronic Arts with their sports games Madden NFL 18 and FIFA 18.
This is an ongoing theme at Mein MMO: Publishers want games that continue to generate money long after their release. They want to offer “Games as a Service” – games like a service.
While many developers are trying to align their games with these new requirements, Electronic Arts has long since succeeded. The success vindicates EA. Where others experiment with microtransactions and struggle with fan resistance, EA is basking in bubbling revenues.
The key to success is the stable and increasing income from the “Ultimate Teams” of the sports games, i.e., from EA’s loot boxes.
Currently, they looked back on the quarterly figures. And it couldn’t be going better.
Significant increase in Ultimate Teams
Especially Madden NFL 18 and FIFA 18 have exceeded expectations. According to EA’s CFO Blake Jorgensen, there is a “significant increase in Ultimate Teams.” The football game Madden has seen about a 25% increase in Ultimate Team players compared to the previous year.
The Ultimate Teams are a game mode at EA that relies heavily on “packs,” a kind of loot box. Players can purchase these packs with in-game currency or for real money. Among other things, these loot boxes contain player cards that can then be used in the game.
Which player cards are inside remains unknown to the players until purchase. It can be anything from a low-level player to a top star.
Money is increasingly earned through microtransactions
According to EA, they notice a shift in the digital market in their sports titles. EA feels well prepared for this.
By the “shift to the digital market,” publishers mean that they no longer primarily earn money at the cash register with game sales, but with microtransactions.
The trick is likely to keep the games fresh with events and changes. Both, the game itself should evolve from year to year, but also in the ongoing season, changes should keep players engaged.
- Especially the “latest idea” of giving games a story mode seems to be well received. FIFA implemented this last year – in Madden 18, half of all players tried the “Longshot” story mode.
- The Ultimate Teams create strong customer loyalty to the mode through special seasonal events (like now for Halloween) and weekly rituals (like the Team of the Week).
EA now wants to expand this model to its shooters. EA intends to forego paid DLCs in Star Wars Battlefront 2 and instead rely on loot boxes.
Loot boxes, events, and weekly rituals – the license to print money
Mein MMO believes: What we see at EA is the money printing formula perfected. It is also behind the enormous success of games like Overwatch. Even there, revenues skyrocket when a new event is on the horizon.
The success formula:
- A good base game,
- regular rituals,
- special events
- and loot boxes.
It binds players to the game and gives them reasons to return and purchase loot boxes repeatedly.
This seems to be the money printing formula. EA found it years ago. The rest of the industry is lagging behind. No wonder EA now wants to expand these ideas to shooters.
However: Sports games target a different audience with casual gamers than shooters. It is noticeable that the resistance to such loot boxes was significantly greater in Battlefront II than in sports games, where it has long been established.
The interesting question is: Can EA enforce its strategies for Battlefield and Battlefront against the will of core gamers?
Then the outcry quickly arises: Isn’t that pay-to-win!
