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All future EA games to have online features, DLC

Published on 9th February 2010 by Joe Martin

Electronic Arts has confirmed that all it's 2011 titles will have an online component and downloadable content.

Electronic Arts executive John Schappert has promised investers that all EA titles to be released in the foreseeable future will feature some form of online component and post-release DLC.

Presumably, the plans have arisen from the success of Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2, both EA published titles which feature an online hub (though no multiplayer) through which players can access premium and free downloadable content for their games.

"In fiscal 2011, every one of EA's releases will have an online component, both downloadable content and online play," Schappert told investors, according to IGN.

EA has rolled out online hubs and launch day DLC for free as part of a concentrated effort to defeat second hand sales and continuing game piracy, with the idea being that customers will prefer to buy the game new in order to access this extra content, rather than picking up the game cheaper and missing out on it.

It's a plan which seems to be working pretty well so far, with fans appreciative of the extra goodies and game sales on the up too.

EA's big games for the fiscal 2011 period include the likes of APB, Crysis 2 and more in both the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series'.

Let us know your thoughts in the forums.

13 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

fingerbob69 9th February 2010, 12:02

I know I'm gonna get shot down for asking this: but why shouldn't I be able to be a Genuine copy of a game second hand? I can do so with Cd's and DVD's but for some reason software in general but games inparticular seem want to have a buy new or not at all clause on them ...something that's actually runs contray to several thousand years of trade between human beings!

DriftCarl 9th February 2010, 12:03

I definatly enjoy online components more than ever at the moment, although my prefered method is ranking multiplayer. I have played hours of MW2 multiplayer and not a single minute of single player. I expect the same for battlefield BC2, have played hours and hours of the beta and love it.
I probably wouldnt buy a game unless it had a well made multiplayer team or coop component. Might make an exception for HL3.

BlackMage23 9th February 2010, 12:27

You can get the online part of Mass Effect 2 on xbox for 1200 points (£10) so if you get the game second hand you don't loose out.

mi1ez 9th February 2010, 12:40

I love that he's promised this to investors rather than gamers. Another EA failure coming?

Gunsmith 9th February 2010, 12:44

Dead Space 2 is now console only

Horizon 9th February 2010, 13:45

Dead Space 2(PC): Q1 2011

eddtox 9th February 2010, 14:30

I echo fingerbob69's comments. What's wrong with a good old single-player game, and, more importantly, what's wrong with buying a game second hand, or selling one you don't like? I do hate the way software publishers are trying to enforce a non-transferable license policy on their products. I understand that you don't own the software, but you do own a license to use it. Therefore, you should be able to transfer the licence to another person and, if you wish, charge a fee for it.

Bazz 9th February 2010, 14:39

PC gaming was dying slowly, then it made a come back against consoles, now with all this DLC, it will end up dying again.
Saddened to see what is happening to PC gaming, consoles will overtake PC gaming, leaving us non-console (don't like consoles) people with no where to go..................
No more EA games for me, already boycotted MW2 (until it reaches £9.99), moved onto other gaming titles, wonder how long it'll be before they go the same way.

Traditional PC gaming is dying a slow death, with this happening, hardware manufacturers will find it hard to sell the wares, simple commerce.

phuzz 9th February 2010, 15:45

One good thing about EA though, at least there's not much in the way of DRM on Mass Effect 2 et al.
(compared to Bioshock 2 there's practically none.)
We ought to encourage the companies that do things right...

AiA 9th February 2010, 18:31

So now future games will have more stuff left out that should have been included in the first place.

Think I might wait a little longer for Mass effect 2 drop in price before buying

ZERO <ibis> 10th February 2010, 06:34

In the end I do not think pc gaming is every dying but what is are the crappy companies that fail to meet the demand of the market. This is what is great about the market, we keep demanding quality and thus regulate out the crap like EA out of business in favor of new firms that will create products we actually want so they can make money.

PQuiff 10th February 2010, 11:07

Why is it everying Evil in Gaming begins with D....DLC....DRM....

If i buy a game and its rubbish i want to trade it in. All i see nowadays is software companies complaining about piracy, If they didnt take advantage of the end user maybe less folk would do it.

It used to be you would get your game, and it would inevitably get patched and sometimes extra content would get added....FREE. No it seems that they take content out so they can sell it for more profit later, or make you pre order the game to get some unlocks or beta access.

Im the first to admit that i have pirated games in the past, and it makes me angry seeing companies like EA denying me content just because i cant afford or am willing to wait for second hand games.

Seeing DLC spread from the consoles to PC is NOT GOOD, and will only make more people turn to piracy. If a company wants to say were getting rewarded with extra DLC give it to us free. Im not a console player(most of the time) and i dont expect to be treated like one when i buy PC games.

eddtox 10th February 2010, 21:59

Pquiff just reminded me of the other trend that I dislike atm - having to preorder a game in order to beta test it. Beta testing is doing developers a favour, not the other way around. We should not have to pay for the "PRIVILEGE".