EA Faces Criticism: Microtransactions Found in Closed Alpha

Key Takeaways

1. EA is known for strong monetization techniques, leading to player annoyance, especially with pay-to-win loot boxes and microtransactions.
2. Star Wars Battlefront II faced significant backlash over its monetization, resulting in a complete revamp of its system.
3. EA’s upcoming Skate game has introduced a currency system called “San Van Bucks” during its closed alpha for acquiring cosmetic items.
4. Community reactions on Reddit are mixed, with some confused about monetization in early testing, while others support it due to the game being free-to-play.
5. Players can keep any purchased San Van Bucks when the game transitions to Early Access, but all other progress will reset.

EA has been known for its strong monetization techniques, which often leads to player annoyance. Examples include the pay-to-win loot boxes found in FIFA (now known as EA Sports FC) and the heavy reliance on microtransactions in Star Wars Battlefront II. This particular game faced such a massive backlash that its system was completely revamped. Despite this, EA persists in making in-game purchases a key part of its overall strategy.

Criticism Over New Game

Now, EA is under fire again for its monetization approach, this time concerning a game that hasn’t even been released yet. As reported by Insider Gaming, the upcoming Skate installment is currently in closed alpha, where a currency system called “San Van Bucks” has been introduced. This allows players to acquire cosmetic items from the Skate Store. Full Circle, the developer, states that this early test is aimed at refining the system before the game’s Early Access debut in 2025, ensuring a “positive gaming experience.” Notably, while all progress will reset before Early Access starts, any San Van Bucks purchased will remain, as long as players use the same EA account.

Community Reaction

The introduction of microtransactions during a closed alpha has led to intense discussions on Reddit. Many users are confused about why a payment system is operational when essential gameplay features are still being finalized. Conversely, some supporters argue that since Skate will be a free-to-play game, having a monetization method is necessary anyway, making early testing a sensible decision. Provided that purchases are just for cosmetic items, some gamers don’t see a problem with it.

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