Micro-transactions are all the rage these days, and even though Spore isn't even out yet, EA is already contemplating whether it should charge for Spore content.
Speaking with investors over a conference call, EA CEO John Riccitiello said he was keen to "monetise, if you will, body parts, plant parts, car parts and planets as a way to generate incremental revenue on an installed base of several million active users".
He also mentioned that if Spore proved to be successful and a great revenue earner for EA, the company would set up a Spore label internally, just as it did for the Sims. "I would love to imagine that two years from now or a year from now the debate is whether or not we need a 'Spore' label inside of EA," he said.
However, Riccitiello was keen to stress that he did not want these plans to overshadow the Spore launch. "It's all hands on deck to make September 7 the event that matters."
Personally, I'm a little... bewildered. One of the main attractions of Spore is to generate content and share that with other uses. If you need to pay to be able to buy the parts to do that, it could seriously put a dent in the number of people who are willing to do it. After all, there is a recession on...
Keep it locked to NZGamer for more details about Spore as we approach its release, and be sure to let us know below about your thoughts on this situation.
But how could you make a franchise out of a game that allows you to grow a civilisation? Maybe Spore:Divinity? Allows you to build a religion for your creatures, maybe a mini game to see if they change to a secular government. If not, I'M GONNA CRUSADE YO A#S! :p
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