Electronic Arts is officially enamored with the “premium” service concept. It was only earlier this month during E3 when their first foray, Battlefield Premium, for Battlefield 3, was kicked into gear at EA’s press conference. The service lavishes gamers with free, early access to DLC; exclusive weapons, customization options, and double XP weekends; and the ability to reset all stats on Battlelog – but only after payment on a $50 subscription fee, a near equivalent to buying another full game.
Not surprisingly – and likely in line with plans predating the release of Battlefield 3 - EA has run the early sales numbers, likes what it sees, and is hungry for more.
In its first week, Battlefield Premium and Close Quarters, the first Battlefield 3 DLC, became available exclusively for PlayStation 3 owners, opening to the Xbox 360 and PC crowd the following week. In that span, according to what EA Games head Patrick Soderlund told USA Today, the company saw over 800,000 players enlist to the service.
A little perspective: That’s $40 million dollars of revenue for a “product” that skips the packaging, skips the retail store, and – in the case of PC sales through Origin – skips the extra party platform maker. No wonder Soderlund was then quick to echo his boss, Peter Moore, on the reason EA is embracing the digital marketplace:
What EA has undergone in the last 4-5 years – the digital transformation that we’ve been going through – has been based on that type of consumer and how that consumer plays. If EA was a very console-centric company five years ago, it’s wrong to say we don’t still focus on packaged goods. But if you look at the volume of revenue coming from what we call direct to consumer digital, that’s by far the fastest growing part of EA.
And it might just be that perfect storm – that confluence of the growing digital market and EA’s insatiable appetite for selling extra content – that sees the premium service model extend to more games under the EA sun.
Frank Gibeau – the president of EA Labels who recently lauded the business savvy of Dead Space 3′s new co-op integration – spoke to GamesIndustry on why Premium, as well, is a viable schematic for the publisher’s larger product line.
In addition to reconciling Premium’s inspiration from rival Activision’s Call of Duty Elite service (“This is an industry where people have a lot of oneupsmanship, and if somebody innovates, you match it or you exceed it,” he says), Gibeau is excited to see how broadly the model can grow:
“We actually think our Premium service exceeds what Elite does – from a value standpoint, from a content standpoint – and longer term we think that we can bring more properties into that offering and that’ll be great for the business.”
As Gibeau also mentioned, Battlefield Premium isn’t the first time EA has explored the subscription based concept; the EA Sports Season Ticket grants annual early access to EA Sports titles along with a 20% DLC discount. But Premium goes a step further. It cuts deeply into the fabric of Battlefield 3 itself, so much so that – even if it truly does provide substantial standalone additions to an already-sterling title – future developers might be tempted by the template (more than some already are) to withhold vital content for an “exclusive” post release download.
Are we at that point yet? Not exactly. And with EA scouting out more games to implement the free-to-play model on, a premium service might also be their answer to balancing out a lesser price upfront. That being said, don’t be surprised if a future Medal of Honor, Madden NFL or Need for Speed begins trending towards a “two games in one” marketing angle post-release – with an equal number of charges to match.
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Follow me on Twitter @Brian_Sipple.
Source: USA Today, GamesIndustry [via Destructoid]
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Activison, EA, whomever. All just a bunch of greedy b*stards, and people just line up to lap this sh*t up.
I can’t decide if it’s funny or sad…
No, EA is not greedy. If they were greedy BF3 wouldn’t be so much different/better than BFBC2. Also Premium would be a a monthly or yearly subscription, not pay and be done. Now activision on the other hand, don’t even get me started. Lol
How is BF3 even close to as good as BFBC2? I have lost all respect for you good sir. Also if you look at any EA market ploy, they are greedy…
Even DICE said BFBC2 isn’t as good lol. And in this case EA is not greedy.
Please list a citation where they said that. Most people would agree BFBC2 was amazing. Also how is making people pay a subscription not about money? A subscription is guaranteed money, they sell the dlc before its released with that. Seems pretty greedy…
Chris, I don’t think you understand. BF3 Premium SAVES you money. If you’re planning on buying all 4 (or all 5 if you didn’t get the Limited Edition of BF3), Premium will save you money. Not only that, but it offers some extra goodies that admittedly could have been more and better, but still goodies nonetheless. This is why EA wasn’t too greedy with this one. It saves the consumer money.
@Matt no i understand that, but think of it on EA perspective. Anyone who would otherwise decide to not buy the last dlc, maybe because they don’t play anymore, have already paid for it. They are greedy they were the first to make it so you have to pay for an account if it’s a used game. And half of what you get should be free services, but EA throws them on because, 1 they are worth nothing to EA, 2 They make the consumer feel special.
Chris, that comment was confusing and irrelevant.
How is it irrelevant? I explain why EA is greedy do I not?
We were talking about Premium, not EA’s other stuff.
Oh and also you save $10 if you get Premium and you are getting the DLCs.
Holy sh*t, thats a LOT of money lol. DICE deserves it.
waste of time, ive only used call of duty elite once, it was a waste of money and so will this. im not wasting any more money on this crap
If you were already planning on getting the expansion packs it’s actually a good deal just for the money you save in the long run. Especially if you don’t have Back to Karkand yet. You’d end up saving between 10 to 25 dollars on the expansions. Sure, that savings won’t show itself until the last expansion or two when you pretty much get them for free but it’s spending 50 now instead of 60 to 75 over the next year.
I miss those times when you bought a game and you knew, that it’s a complete product, totally worth it’s money.
And nowadays with all these DLCs, subscription fees, and etc. you can’t even enjoy the game itself.
Greedy b*stards.
You do get a complete product. They are just continuing to make additional content (not on disc content). Are people really this dumb? And isn’t the point of a company to make money, if there is a market then by all means they should provide it and make money. Plus with premium is actually giving you a discount. Does nobody in the gaming community have a business degree?
@Chris here you go: http://gamerant.com/battlefield-bad-company-2-disappointment-trung-106970/
Yes BFBC2 was good but not amazing. BF3 is better.
Haha I knew you would bring up that article and that just makes it easier to prove my point. If you read the article it was about 1 man not Dice as a whole.
Also if you read you would see this little quote -
“I don’t know why, but I always feel ashamed about the games I’m involved in making. I can’t even bring myself to start up ‘Battlefield Bad Company 2,’ our last game, because I feel so ashamed. I know it is a great product but still I only see the things we could have done better.”
So if you take that into factor BF3 was a horrible game.
Yeah that one man was the producer of the game. And don’t put words into someones mouth, he hasn’t commented on BF3 yet so theres no telling what he could think of this picece of art.
I really don’t see how you don’t like BF3, I mean they took BFBC2, gave and steroids and here you go. Plus a bunch of new things.
Don’t put words in his mouth did you read the quote?
“I don’t know why, but I always feel ashamed about the games I’m involved in making.”
How is that putting words in his mouth? Also that disproves your point that Dice was ashamed…
I don’t dislike BF3, it’s dece, but when it comes to comparing the 2 BFBC2 had better levels and better combat.
He didn’t say he was ashamed of BF3 so saying that he is is puttig words into his mouth. Also yes he is usually ashamed of games he puts out, but he pointed out BFBC2 specifically.
Not putting words in his mouth can you please read the qoute…
“I don’t know why, but I ALWAYS feel ashamed about the games I’m involved in making.”
See that always? Idk about you but that means every time in modern english.
He used BFBC2 because it was the latest game.
Now please read things so you can make a somewhat correct argument…
Chris, it’s possible that he doesn’t feel ashamed of BF3 seeing as how he hasn’t commented on it. Also, if he is ashamed of ALL of his games, that doesn’t indicate that he is ashamed of one game more than the other. Besides, lots of game devs feel ashamed of their games because they see the flaws, not all the good stuff. You’re your own worst critic.
@Matt the way he implies it makes you feel like he was getting ready to be disappointed in BF3. Also if you read my argument, I’m not saying he is more disappointed in some games then others. Just disproving Shalkowski’s logic that Patrick is ashamed of BFBC2 the most. And I never said most developers aren’t ashamed of their final product. By your statement it looks like you are arguing with Shalkowski more then with me.
Shalkowski. So why didn’t they call it BF, Bad company 3?.. it seems BC2 is it’s predesessor.. it got most of it’s characteristics? Although I have not played Bf2.. I did play Bf2142 and that game was hell of a fun lol.
@Chris find me a citation where he says he is ashamed of BF3. You can’t because he hasn’t said anything on the matter. You saying that he IS infact ashamed is ridiculous. Granted I can see where you can asume but the bottem line is that he hasn’t said anything. And it doesn’t matter the reason, he specifically mentioned BFBC2 of being ashamed.
How is it ridiculous? I don’t assume it, he implies it. Those are 2 very different things. Saying he always feels ashamed for games he makes, is like saying he was ashamed of BF3 before it came out. He was more or less mentioning all games he was a part of, but because BFBC2 was the predosessor to BF3 he named that one no other reason. Its not like he hates BFBC2.
“I know it is a great product but still I only see the things we could have done better.”
What do you mean it isn’t rediculous? You are saying something that in reality isn’t. I can’t even argue because it is your opinnion (even though he hasn’t said one thing about BF3) that he said he does like it. Yes he feels shame for the games he makes but as I’ve been saying HE HASN’T SAID ANYTHING ABOUT BATTLEFIELD 3. SAYING SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVN’T SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT IS PUTTING WORDS IN SOMEONES MOUTH. By the way, putting in quotes from an article isn’t proving anything. He said he is ashamed of BFBC2 and hasn’t said anything on BF3, so obviously, very clearly, Bf3 is a better product.
Wow your logic is horrendous.. How is talking a quote that he clearly said, that he implies any game he makes he is disappointed in. And how is quoting something not proving. I have been using quotes and you have yet to prove anything. Also that interview wasn’t about BFBC2 it was about BF3 but because you only read GameRant I guess you couldn’t see your flaw there. Please look up the actual interview and naming 1 game as an example doesn’t make it worse then the others. In that case it was the most recent.
I don’t understand why companies can’t give us stuff for free… thanks vaulve for bieng the only one
I think Bc2 was better, intense and balanced… BF3 was rushed product even know it’s still rushed.. I mean they keep releasing all of these expansions and what not… and the game is just plain trash.. the graphics is the only thing is good… BC2 is still fun to me I bought Bf3 and I wish i didn’t. The main issue of this game is Hit registration.. and Bc2 had that problem but then they fixed it and it’s awesome right now, BF3 is so bad.. it’s frustrating to play.. even skill or in effort to shoot someone don’t count anymore lol I say EA is greedy. that’s how corporate works.. if you don’t think so? then there’s something wrong with you lol.