Other initiatives we've announced, for example [the] Star Wars online MMO, are mid-session games which are microtransaction-based. You'll be hearing more about those in the February [conference] call.

Other initiatives we've announced, for example [the] Star Wars online MMO, are mid-session games which are microtransaction-based. You'll be hearing more about those in the February [conference] call.

Not too sure about this one. I hate MMOs to death and then the art style is really throwing me off, but I loved KOTOR 1 and 2 so Im keeping my ear to the ground...

"

I'm leaving wow for this

"

I will likely play the fuck out of this!

Provided the micro-transactions don't include batteries to power the lightsabers, I'm in!

DC Universe...

Although I do occasionally play WoW, I would love seeing a great supported MMO without a monthly fee. This all depends on how much they cash in on these microtransactions though. But I have faith they'll do it sensibly...I hope. I don't care much for the simple style of the screenshots I've seen so far either, but I like Bioware a lot and the game probably has a long way to go yet.

I MIGHT be willing to consider this one if it is microtransaction based. The biggest thing that has always kept me away from MMO's has been the idea of mixing something I love, games, with something I despise, monthly bills. For whatever reason Guild Wars never managed to rope me in, but a KOTOR game definately has a better shot with me than anything so far.

I think too many new MMO's fall to the "we must aim to beat WoW!" feeling and in so doing they ultimately fail at what they attempt to achieve. The way to beat WoW is to bring out an MMO that ISN'T a carbon copy but something that improves and adds onto the features WoW already has. By that i mean, make a damn new game thats more fun to play and doesn't make players want to return to WoW because you've essentially copied it but made a bad copy thats inferior to WoW. There is also the fact most MMO's seem to go for the fantasy theme and setting which is now so over done i think.

SWOR looks to be fun because A.) Its Star Wars and thats not going to have the usual Elves, Orcs or Dwarves with magic hammers etc and B.) Its a KOTOR setting in the Star Wars universe which i think a lot of people will find refreshing and new compared to the same old Galactic Civil War setting most SW games follow.

However i don't like the idea of microtransaction MMO's....i think it becomes an elitist community where people will splash out lots of money to buy all the extra content available and i imagine that will cost more than the usual £10 monthly fee most other MMO's have where you have the same content available for everyone. You will end up having one part of the community unable to perhaps take part in certain quests or areas because they haven't paid to access it. Or they won't have the same items and such like as others because they can't afford to buy them. Atleast with a set monthly fee everyone gets the same chance of gaining items, skills, areas and content.

EA fail once again i think. Sorry but an MMO community tends to be horrid at best, turning it into an elitist one would be a bad move. Give SWOR a monthly fee and keep it like that please!

Universe of Starcraft.

Damn. And I was excited for this.

I was very excited to play this but I'm not going to if it's micro-transaction based. Give me a monthly subscription or even better give me Guildwars and make me pay for exapnsions only.

"I think too many new MMO's fall to the "we must aim to beat WoW!" feeling and in so doing they ultimately fail at what they attempt to achieve. The way to beat WoW is to bring out an MMO that ISN'T a carbon copy but something that improves and adds onto the features WoW already has. By that i mean, make a damn new game thats more fun to play and doesn't make players want to return to WoW because you've essentially copied it but made a bad copy thats inferior to WoW. There is also the fact most MMO's seem to go for the fantasy theme and setting which is now so over done i think.

SWOR looks to be fun because A.) Its Star Wars and thats not going to have the usual Elves, Orcs or Dwarves with magic hammers etc and B.) Its a KOTOR setting in the Star Wars universe which i think a lot of people will find refreshing and new compared to the same old Galactic Civil War setting most SW games follow.

However i don't like the idea of microtransaction MMO's....i think it becomes an elitist community where people will splash out lots of money to buy all the extra content available and i imagine that will cost more than the usual £10 monthly fee most other MMO's have where you have the same content available for everyone. You will end up having one part of the community unable to perhaps take part in certain quests or areas because they haven't paid to access it. Or they won't have the same items and such like as others because they can't afford to buy them. Atleast with a set monthly fee everyone gets the same chance of gaining items, skills, areas and content.

EA fail once again i think. Sorry but an MMO community tends to be horrid at best, turning it into an elitist one would be a bad move. Give SWOR a monthly fee and keep it like that please!"

Art style is fine, just why do they have to have such massive lightsabres? I think Bioware's making up for something.

"But I have faith they'll do it sensibly...I hope."

Best sentence I've seen in a while.

And I hope EA remembers this moment when the game fails and they blame Bioware for everything. Or maybe I'm wrong... but surely there must be more people out there who feel as I do and won't touch a microtransaction game with a 10 foot pole?

I'd be happy with a monthly payment option, its easy to do and keep track of, " mid-session games which are microtransaction-based" sound a lot like a loooooooong list of payments to go on my bank statement that i dont really want, it's long enough as it is

also:

microtransaction = strike one.

Microtransactions are not completely evil. I don't agree with essential game content being sold as microtransactions. If there is no game to be enjoyed before the micro-purchase, the content should have been included or free. On the other hand, I feel microtransactions are a great way to show true support for your favorite developers. If you really like the type of game and want to help ensure another one is made, you have the option to give the developer more of your money in increments not quite as demanding as buying extra copies of their game; and getting a little something extra for it. Of course this perspective only applies to games that are not mainstream or well recieved, whereas games like Gears of War and Halo need no such support to ensure sequels. 

Hmm idk how to feel about this... EA can be really greedy when it comes to stuff with micro transactions. I hope they are not to bad cuz it could ruin whats one of my most anticipated games. And hopefully it isnt casual, i mean MMOs are not games for causal fans. They need to just stick to the diehard MMO fans and the legions of us diehard Star Wars fans.

I thought Guild Wars was doing alright.  I'd play it if I had the time between marathon sessions of Single Player Console Experiences.

MICROTRANSACTIONS SUCK!!!

Shacknews actually got a response from EA stating:

"no statements have been made about the Star Wars business model," and attributing Mr. Riccitiello's comments to a misunderstanding."

Whether this was/is a misunderstanding or not, it certainly opens up a whole new range of possibilities (and thinking) for EA.  Clearly, they're very interested in the topic (think Battlefield Heroes), and it wouldn't be a surprise if Riccitello simply threw the idea out there to measure consumer response.  I'm not sure there'll be a mass exodus from WoW, but having an alternative to the daily grind might be welcome. 

The western market has yet to seen a blockbuster microtransaction based game, and if EA and BioWare can get this right, it could be the pebble that sends off thousands of ripples.  Here's to hoping - and agreeing - don't microtrans me for batteries for my lightsaber.  Now...a super slick jedi outfit I'd be more up for.