Due to the backlash EA has received weeks until the launch of "Star Wars: Battlefront II," the game's publishers decided to remove the in-game microtransactions of the game hours before its official launch. Taking to Twitter, EA and subsidiary unit DICE posted a statement regarding the move.
"We've heard the concerns about potentially giving players unfair advantages. And we've heard that this overshadowing an otherwise great game," read the official statement.
"We hear you loud and clear, so we're turning off all in-game purchases. We will now spend more time listening, adjusting, balancing and tuning. This means that the option to purchase crystals in the game is now offline, and all progression will be earned through gameplay. The ability to purchase crystals in-game will become available at a later date, only after we've made changes to the game. We'll share more details as we work through this."
Note that the removal of the microtransactions has not been specified as permanent. The statement said that the ability to buy in-game crystals can still return at a later date after the developers make some unspecified changes about the game.
The microtransaction feature being removed means that all progression in the game must be accomplished via hard-earned gameplay. "Star Wars Battlefront II" has been a target of angry comments for a few weeks, with players stating that the game is nothing more than "pay to win."
Before, players can spend real money on crates to improve their gear and therefore have an increased advantage of the game. The controversy has further increased when the Early Access players discovered that the heroes take so much time to unlock, an effort that can be cut if they can just buy crates and earn credits. EA slashed the cost of all heroes in the game, but the fans' anger has not abated.
It still remains to be seen on what kind of changes EA has in store for "Star Wars Battlefront II," but since the developers are now focusing on consumer concerns, they hope that the negative image of the game will lessen in the coming months.
"Star Wars Battlefront II" is now available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.
