EA suspends microtransactions in Star Wars Battlefront II hours before game launch
"Sorry we didn't get this right," says DICE general manager
EA has suspended microtransactions in Star Wars Battlefront II following a furore over loot boxes, hours before the game's launch earlier today.
Loot boxes have been increasingly controversial in recent months but the backlash towards Star Wars Battlefront II has eclipsed the debate.
While other developers and publishers have been embroiled in the controversy, EA has taken the brunt due to the imbalance potentially caused by randomised loot in a competitive multiplayer shooter.
"We hear you loud and clear, so we're turning off all in-game purchases," said DICE general manager Oskar Gabrielson in a statement. "We will now spend more time listening, adjusting, balancing, and tuning."
The option to purchase in-game currency will be taken offline until a later date while the team make changes to the game. Until then, all progress will be earned through gameplay.
"Our goal has always been to create the best possible game for all of you - devoted Star Wars fans and game players alike," added Gabrielson.
"But as we approach the worldwide launch, it's clear that many of you feel there are still challenges in the design. We've heard the concerns about potentially giving players unfair advantages. And we've heard that this is overshadowing an otherwise great game. This was never our intention. Sorry we didn't get this right."
Just yesterday DICE took to Reddit for an Ask Me Anything session which was met with derision from the community due to the the developer's vague, non-committal answers.
The news comes just days after it was announced that the Belgian and Dutch gambling authorities are investigating whether loot boxes in Battlefront II and Overwatch constitute gambling.