What were sales expectations for Battlefield V?

The following doesn't really answer your question, but should give you idea of what they weren't expecting. This isn't a dodge; I don't have hard numbers. I'm not sure they even post hard numbers of how many sales they expect to make.



https://seekingalpha.com/article/42...ales-disappoint

The full-year bookings cut isn't from Battlefield V alone, but it's still a sizable cut.

Kid's Room is on sale as well, and will set you back £5.99 (all the other expansion packs are available, as far as I can tell). The bigger mystery is why most of the packs can't be obtained through the subscription methods, given that the base game and a couple of the packs can be obtained that way and EA apparently think subscription is the future..;.

Offering the entire library of Sims 4 content at that price would make for a pretty killer deal. $15/month for over $500 worth of content. The subscription model isn’t designed to be a consumer friendly deal though, it’s designed to charge people way more than they realistically would have spent by just buying the games.

I was literally just online to pick up Fitness Stuff on sale because I wanted the climbing wall. Kid's Stuff remains unavailable here except the EA Premier. There is no buy option available. Maybe I should just use a VPN and get it off the UK site. But the way Origin is set up that probably won't allow me to use it in game.

If it's being limited by region, then that makes no sense at all. If there was some law-based reason for the removal from sale, I'm sure we would have heard about it by now, and it still wouldn't explain why the same content remains rentable.

Perhaps, when EA is considering how to reverse its fortunes, basing its commercial decisions on logic might be a fruitful step for them to consider.



It's a killer deal... ...if you plan to play Sims 4 for less than 34 months. 8 years (or 96 months) into Sims 2, its users were still taking up at least 1% of traffic on EA servers, despite there being no online element to enforce any sort of participation from its players. Even if, say, 70% of the users get a good deal in such an offer, that hardcore 1-2%, backed up by maybe 20% who played the whole 5 years before the next Sims got released (thus costing EA 26 months' of rent just from their Sims-playing), could make the offer a serious loss-maker. That is before considering that at least some of those people are going to at least dabble in other games during that time...

The subscription model works if people want to play a lot of games for a short amount of time each (assuming they wouldn't have purchased had the rental option not existed). There's a core of Simmers who are subscription models' worst nightmare this side of the law.

People could open a window, toss money out of it and get the same thing in return.

EA is doing everything they can think of to box people into spending money they'd rather not spend. If I played TS4 and wanted a game pack, I'm not going to spend $100.00 a year to play that pack. I'm going to tell EA to go pound sand, then I'm either going to go back to games I already own or something else entirely.

EA isn't trying to be generous by allowing people to play games they normally wouldn't. They are trying to squish people into a pigeon hole by taking sims packs that have never been sold this way before and pretending like they are somehow doing everybody a favor. In other words, their Wall Street overlords expect a infinite amount of profit and EA is going to jump through every possible hoop to please the overlords. It's a fun house full of distorted mirrors as there is no such thing as infinite profit.

This isn't just a EA thing by the way, all the big game companies are living in the fun house with the mirrors. Activision is now charging money for red, hollow circles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fCLc6bSuQw

https://twitter.com/TheSimCommunity...828286369787909



I'm not snickering, honest.

cries in Bioware

https://seekingalpha.com/article/42...void-ea-fun-end

The above is a mere summary of the article. For more details, feel free to read it. What I found interesting was the bluntness of the talking points. While we have seen some of this off and on, there hasn't been many as on point like this particular article. It is almost as if the overlords are paying attention. They may not be reading sims forums, but they are definitely reading something, somewhere.

I do wonder though if the author is aware that micro-transactions and loot boxes are a problem across the gaming industry as a whole and not just with EA. It is being predicted that by the end of next year, mobile games will be outselling PC and console in total sales as a means of catering to the Chinese gaming market. Whether that happens or not, we'll have to wait and see, but what are mobile games mostly comprised of? Micro-transactions and loot boxes.

Does this mean investors will walk away from the gaming industry as we know it? That would be a interesting scenario to watch unfold, or I think so anyway.

Fascinating article, Gargoyle Cat.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, EA never learns. There is trouble brewing for Anthem and the game hasn't been released yet.

Early Glimpse of Anthem's Microtransactions Featuring $20 Items Raises Concerns

EDIT: Ooohh.

EA to stop offering FIFA Points for sale in Belgium

A whole lot more needs to happen with this...

They’re drawing a parallel there with Fortnite, adding that at least is a free game. As a parent though, I’m really worried about this development, because that game is played by nine/ten year olds and there’s something dangerously addictive going on with that game I’ve heard. Trapping kids into wanting to buy €10 priced nonsense because it’s ‘rare’? I see comments underneath the videos linked here going: “The worst are the people buying it.” I agree with that, the problem would disappear pretty soon if nobody did. But what if it’s in fact mainly children doing that, like with Fortnite. I praise Belgium for taking a stand against these practices wherever they can. Other countries should follow afaic.

As I understand it, Fortnite also has micro-transactions. They are not necessary and are not used for the Pay to Win scheme EA has going on with FIFA, but they are there. Then there is the issue of what is a micro-transaction versus a macro-transaction. I've heard that some of the stuff in Fortnite is $20.00. That isn't micro, that's macro. From where I'm sitting, this is no different than a mobile game as those are also labeled as free to play, like Sims Mobile. They also charge stupid amounts of money for stupid things.

In regards to Anthem, there is a tinfoil hat theory going around. The theory is that the screenshot that showed shards being $20.00 was a test to see how the gaming community would react to it. Once EA sees that not going over well, they'll charge less, but shards will still be stupidly expensive. If they do this, it is nothing more than a marketing ploy. People will think the stink raised over the $20 screenshot was effective and EA is a hero for reducing prices in Anthem's economy. EA isn't the only company that does this, all AAA gaming companies do. We'll find out if this theory was right or not in a couple of weeks.

Then there are few other things going on that I've found on my own.

Andrew Wilson dumped 9.000 shares of EA stock on Jan 2 for a cash out of $716,081.00.00 He's in his right to do so, but if he has so much faith in the direction he's steering EA's mothership, why would he be dumping all of this stock all of the sudden?

https://www.marketwatch.com/investi.../insideractions

Then there is EA's balance sheet. I don't know how up-to-date the following information is and it is subject to change either for the better or worse, but I find it odd that EA keeps saying that micro-transactions and loot boxes are the end all be all in order for a gaming company to survive, but yet, under the balance sheet category of the link below shows that they are 993.00 million in the hole.

I suck at math, but something here isn't right. If micro-transactions are in fact the end all be all, why are they lugging around so much debt? It is yet another case of what EA sez and what they mean are two completely different animals. On the surface they talk about how they make billions, but those billions are not actual revenue from product sold, it's the stock market.

https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/EA/overview

The more you know...

P.S. There is speculation in regards to how EA is going to try to make up the revenue loss due to what happened with Belgium. For those that play TS4 or any other title that EA publishes, keep a eye on game prices and if the game being played has micro-transactions or loot boxes, watch the prices of those as well.

Yes, those microtransactions come in different forms (I don't play that many games so for me it's all based on what I read and hear about it, like through those links in this topic). Apparently for Fortnite they invented 'skins' kids can buy on just a certain day? By doing that, they get an exclusive status and young kids are sensitive to that. One dad found out after giving in to his son with the words: "You know what, why don't you sleep over it and if you still want that skin tomorrow, you can buy it." Panic! It was only for sale today, tomorrow would be too late. The worst part is, that's not accidently, actual psychologists are being hired to build in concepts like that, with the intention to strip people. In this case minors. I think that's just sick.

I agree 100%. It is absolutely disgusting.

https://twitter.com/SimGuruKate/sta...688722440318976

You really think people are this stupid, Kate? Your apology is as useful / meaningful as a talking toilet.

It is a really strange coincidence that this comes around the same time as EA figured out they were going to lose the battle against Belgium. What does EA do? They decide that since they are going to be losing money in Belgium, they should also lose money in Brazil. What a weird business decision.

The value of the dollar has not changed 100% over the past year. If anything, the dollar has been relatively flat for a long time as the Federal Reserve loves to print money which makes the dollar worth less. Kate has the Swiss cheese thing going on, much like the foundation of TS4.

Remember the days when a gaming company released a game and everybody that wanted to buy and play it could? Fortunately there are still companies that allow for that to happen, but EA has decided to add their twist. They are now making charts of who can play and when.



https://twitter.com/EAHelp/status/1090701220870709248

This is more marketing of course. It is shout out to all whales and pressuring non-whales to hand over their money. Clearly if somebody isn't signed up with Origin's most expensive plan where people just keep their wallets open with no questions asked( EA doesn't have to work to get these sales) they will be missing out. NOT!

EA is being roasted for this, as they should be.

In the meantime, Graham tossed out a less dubious tweet. (I don't mean to toss him into this post, but I'm doing so to make a point.)

https://twitter.com/SimGuruGraham/s...828162999640069

The tweet in question goes to a Reddit article about the sims and whether the sims should have competition.

Well, Graham, look at what the company you work for is doing. It is insane! Creating charts and telling paying customers when they can play a game that they purchased. Yes, the monopoly on the sims needs to end. I think there are better publishers out there that could treat sims with some much needed love and respect. Andrew Wilson clearly has no respect for sims or anything else for that matter.

Hopefully other games they ruined other than sims get the succesful competitor these deserve. Our can take a while.

That first reaction on that Reddit page is telling. Maybe this is also why EA wants to target young so called 'non-gamers' instead of the veteran sims players.

I think that there are Indie developers that have the talent to create a sims competitor. But with a small team and without big investment you will not have the resources to create a 3D AAA looking sims game within a reasonable amount of time. I mean that is probably why Rimworld, Prison Architect and Stardew Valley look like they do. Complex games with simple graphics. I still hope for Paradox to do something like this. It would fit their catalogue imo. (Unfortunately it would fit their DLC policy too).

And the funny part is if you read the Guru twitter's, they think they're doing an excellent job. It's like the Oscars, they all pat each other on the back for a job well done. They don't even believe the criticism, constructive or not. They blame the complainers, not themselves. It's all over their twitters and other social media.

As someone said, they do as they please because there's no consequence.

There is plenty of blame to be put on devs, but in the case of a game having to have a spreadsheet in regards to who can play and when, I don't know if that was Bioware or EA's doing. I also don't blame devs and the like for game price changes, although it annoys that they act like somehow this news came out of thin air. This is even more interesting when I found the following:



https://seekingalpha.com/filing/4226816

Things can change in a year, but as I've already stated, the dollar hasn't changed that much and if international sales make up more than half of their revenue, it makes no sense to start picking and choosing who is worthy now. Anybody that has a savings account and or a checking account that earns interest in the US can testify on this dollar issue. People literally earn pennies on money that is saved. I can say that for fact as I'm one of those people.

EA as whole loves to virtue signal that they are misunderstood and people should just take their word for everything. They can send all the smoke signals they want, but they are not misunderstood.

Yibs have no shame. Proudly touting that people should by games from Epic Game store which doesn't even allow reviews is gross. I can think of better, more descriptive adjectives for it, but gross will have to do. Is there anything a Yib will not peddle?

I'll be returning to this post later. EA seems to think that posting their financial stuff after Wall Street closes for the day will somehow make a difference in their favor. It doesn't, but wishful thinking or something.

EDIT: I said I would return and reporting after the closing bell didn't save them.



https://seekingalpha.com/news/34298...rimmed-guidance

Another article that breaks things down further:



https://www.marketwatch.com/story/e...miss-2019-02-05

Notes from the conference call will probably break things down further, but the only thing I'm curious about is what is said about EA losing to Belgium. Clearly Andrew Wilson is not happy, although they brought all of their problems on themselves. Until they change their attitude among many other things, they are going to continue to tread water and pissing off the overlords while doing so.

Figures. Andrew Wilson completely ignored the whole Belgium thing in the conference call. As for TS4 and other Maxis things...



https://s22.q4cdn.com/894350492/fil...marks-FINAL.pdf

Since they lump everything regarding sims all together, it is impossible to decipher what Andrew is talking about. He calls packs regardless if they are a SP, GP or EP... " expansion packs". Since he uses this information in a interchangeable way, I guess we'll have to keep count how many content drops and expansions are added to TS4 in FY20. The fourth quarter for 2019 ends on March 31st. New fiscal quarter or FY20 starts April 1st. No. New fiscal year starts in Oct.

I'm not even 30 and I'd agree. My Steam library and Switch are gathering dust.


Okay, where are they finding the 4.8 million new players? Is it the mobile game expanding to new markets? Are they flat-out lying?