Advertising Standards Authority bars EA from advertising Dungeon Keepers as "Free To Play"

TheLizardbones

Apparently EA's take on what F2P means doesn't pass muster, as least as far as the British Advertising Standards Authority is concerned.  The catch is that while the game can be downloaded for free, there is a timed event that counts down and when the timer hits zero, the player cannot play.  The player isn't required to pay, they can just wait it out, but they can't actually play while they're waiting.  Also, the wait time reaches a point where the player cannot make any meaningful progression, so it's not really F2P.

 

Good for the British ASA, I say.  I think they've touched on probably the worst possible monetization method available, and a poor gaming mechanic besides.  Though, I'm sure EA will come up with something equally as evil or lame in the future to get around this.

 

http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/2/5864589/ea-dungeon-keeper-free-to-play-ads

flizzer

Can we all agree to just stop playing EA games?   Of course not.  

Rattenmann

A first step to punish the plentora of rubbish FTP games.

 

Hope this will become a trend and we are only left with the "good" FTP models after that. One can dream, right?

Kyleran

Originally posted by lizardbones

Apparently EA's take on what F2P means doesn't pass muster, as least as far as the British Advertising Standards Authority is concerned.  The catch is that while the game can be downloaded for free, there is a timed event that counts down and when the timer hits zero, the player cannot play.  The player isn't required to pay, they can just wait it out, but they can't actually play while they're waiting.  Also, the wait time reaches a point where the player cannot make any meaningful progression, so it's not really F2P.

 

Good for the British ASA, I say.  I think they've touched on probably the worst possible monetization method available, and a poor gaming mechanic besides.  Though, I'm sure EA will come up with something equally as evil or lame in the future to get around this.

 

http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/2/5864589/ea-dungeon-keeper-free-to-play-ads

Like charging people up front to play the game, instead of letting them try it out first?

 

FelixMajor

Originally posted by flizzer
Can we all agree to just stop playing EA games?   Of course not.  

Haha I agree to.

 

I do not buy/play EA games anymore.  BF3 was the last.

TheLizardbones

Originally posted by Kyleran

Originally posted by lizardbones

Apparently EA's take on what F2P means doesn't pass muster, as least as far as the British Advertising Standards Authority is concerned.  The catch is that while the game can be downloaded for free, there is a timed event that counts down and when the timer hits zero, the player cannot play.  The player isn't required to pay, they can just wait it out, but they can't actually play while they're waiting.  Also, the wait time reaches a point where the player cannot make any meaningful progression, so it's not really F2P.

 

Good for the British ASA, I say.  I think they've touched on probably the worst possible monetization method available, and a poor gaming mechanic besides.  Though, I'm sure EA will come up with something equally as evil or lame in the future to get around this.

 

http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/2/5864589/ea-dungeon-keeper-free-to-play-ads

Like charging people up front to play the game, instead of letting them try it out first?

 

 

Charge them to buy the game and then keep the timers in place.  Yeah, something like that.  But then they can't cash in on the whole "F2P" advertising bit.

 

Foobarx

It would have packed more of a punch if there was an actual punitive damage award given... you know, how Apple had to pay out millions due to in-app purchases by minors.  But since they have no power, this is the best they can come up with.  Leave the game as-is, just change your ad.

TheLizardbones

Originally posted by Rattenmann

A first step to punish the plentora of rubbish FTP games.

 

Hope this will become a trend and we are only left with the "good" FTP models after that. One can dream, right?

 

At the very least there may emerge a definition for what "F2P" is.  Right now everyone is just slapping "F2P" on games with whatever model they think will work, and the only common denominator is that the game can be downloaded and installed.  The British ASA is saying that the game has to at least be playable while the user has the game.  Lockouts prevent a game from being F2P.

 

Somebody has to cross the line to find out where the line is.  Now we know where one line is, at least in Britain.

 

Loke666

Originally posted by flizzer
Can we all agree to just stop playing EA games?   Of course not.  

Nah (they could in theory actually make a good game again after all), but we could agree to not play scams like this.

I have avoided EA the last few years since none of their recent game sounds particularly fun and stuff like this doesn't help either, we should at least show them that we wont take this kind of crap.

"Free" is a word that is pretty watered out by now, and this is a free trial, nothing more. I will reward devs that makes good game with my money while I will avoid bad games and scams. I have a feeling more and more people will vote with their wallets against stuff like this.

It is just sad that the authorities needs to step in like this.

Loke666

Originally posted by Kyleran

Like charging people up front to play the game, instead of letting them try it out first?

That is not the problem at all, if they just said free trial we wouldn't care the least.

Foobarx

Originally posted by lizardbones

Originally posted by Rattenmann

A first step to punish the plentora of rubbish FTP games.

 

Hope this will become a trend and we are only left with the "good" FTP models after that. One can dream, right?

 

At the very least there may emerge a definition for what "F2P" is.  Right now everyone is just slapping "F2P" on games with whatever model they think will work, and the only common denominator is that the game can be downloaded and installed.  The British ASA is saying that the game has to at least be playable while the user has the game.  Lockouts prevent a game from being F2P.

 

Somebody has to cross the line to find out where the line is.  Now we know where one line is, at least in Britain.

 

Britain hasn't drawn any such line... the game can STILL be advertised as Free to Play... it just now has to have a disclaimer added to it... you know, like those tiny .0000001 point font walls of text they put under almost all advertising these days to get around the letter of the law.

 

LOL.  This has done nothing to F2P.  It just added more verbage to advertising.

SpottyGekko

The modern interpretation of "F2P" seems to be: "There's no limit to how much you can spend in the game"... 

Horusra

I play this game...from the article you can tell they never played it. There are 3 play modes: pvp, survival raid, pve. Only the survival raid is limited by a timer. The others are limited by the time it takes to respwn your minions. Survival raid is the only one that gives you gems, that are used to by boosts, but the other two give you stone and gold to build your dungeon. Gems can also be gained through achievements (gain so much gold, build to level x, win so many battles, etc.)

Vrika

Great news.

I think anything that will lead to microtransaction games having to give us better info about the game's costs is a good news.

bcbully

Can we bar the term f2p in general?

bcbully

Originally posted by SpottyGekko
The modern interpretation of "F2P" seems to be: "There's no limit to how much you can spend in the game"... 

exactly..

Superman0X

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Originally posted by lizardbones Apparently EA's take on what F2P means doesn't pass muster, as least as far as the British Advertising Standards Authority is concerned.  The catch is that while the game can be downloaded for free, there is a timed event that counts down and when the timer hits zero, the player cannot play.  The player isn't required to pay, they can just wait it out, but they can't actually play while they're waiting.  Also, the wait time reaches a point where the player cannot make any meaningful progression, so it's not really F2P.   Good for the British ASA, I say.  I think they've touched on probably the worst possible monetization method available, and a poor gaming mechanic besides.  Though, I'm sure EA will come up with something equally as evil or lame in the future to get around this.   http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/2/5864589/ea-dungeon-keeper-free-to-play-ads

---

 

The ruling from the ASA clearly states that the advertised gameplay is behind a payment wall (energy timer) and that as such it can not be considered 'Free'. This might indicate that other games that block access the advertised gameplay in this manner would also be considered P2P. This could include facebook games (which are classic for this type of monetization), many browser games, as well as other mobile games with the same style of monetization.

So, the next time someone complains about all of these terrible F2P games with an energy style monetization... just let them know that they are not F2P games, but are actually P2P games.

Horusra

Along those lines would be any mmo with raid timers.

Stammerer

Originally posted by Horusra
Along those lines would be any mmo with raid timers.

Only if you could pay to remove the timers.  The issue here was that there was effectively a paywall that prevented advancement in a 'F2P' game.  

Well done ASA; about time that they started cracking down on misleading advertising within games.  It is a shame that websites like this one do not form more of a lobby for their members to highlight poor practice like this within the industry.  

doodphace

Originally posted by Horusra
Along those lines would be any mmo with raid timers.

If you wanna luge down that slippery slope with rocket packs on your sled, super mario brothers with the time limits on their levels would fit it too, no?

But I see what you did there, you just wanted to take a stab at raids....its all good.

Joejc7135

I hope the people are grateful that the government has an agency to help them think better. God knows people are really dumb and incapable of making their own decisions on what is or isn't f2P. Who needs to speak with your wallet when you can get the government to make them add a clause to the tos

Stammerer

Originally posted by Joejc7135
I hope the people are grateful that the government has an agency to help them think better. God knows people are really dumb and incapable of making their own decisions on what is or isn't f2P. Who needs to speak with your wallet when you can get the government to make them add a clause to the tos

What?  Of course you want to live in a world where there are laws to prevent false advertising, or unfair trade practices, or someone shooting you in the face and stealing your wallet.  

What exactly would you want instead??? 

Joejc7135

Theft and murder are not the same as being a sucker. You should the right to file a law suit if a company has shady practices.

doodphace

Originally posted by Joejc7135
Theft and murder are not the same as being a sucker. You should the right to file a law suit if a company has shady practices.

I am going to start up a company called "Red Ponies"....my buisness? I will sell red ponies........the thing is, my ponies are white, you have to buy the red paint and paint them red yourself.

Still totally cool for me to advertise selling red ponies? If you buy a pony form me and expect it to be red, that just means you are a sucker?

 

 

doodphace

Originally posted by Torvaldr

Originally posted by bcbully

Originally posted by SpottyGekko
The modern interpretation of "F2P" seems to be: "There's no limit to how much you can spend in the game"... 

exactly..

I'm pretty sure it's only the cheapskate gamers that whine about this. The rest of the adult world with real hobbies that cost real money don't blink twice at spending a little for digital entertainment. Because compared to most every other hobby this one is cheap. Try hunting, fishing, serious hiking, mountain climbing, martial arts, music, art, or even reading and those can get expensive. You can do most of them very casually for free or cheaply, just like gaming, but if you want to engage in them seriously you will pay and a lot.

Those of us who are willing to spend money for our hobby, would rather spend a set monthly fee, rather than be nickle and dimed for game features. Well, at least I would...

doodphace

Originally posted by Torvaldr

Originally posted by doodphace

Originally posted by Joejc7135
Theft and murder are not the same as being a sucker. You should the right to file a law suit if a company has shady practices.

I am going to start up a company called "Red Ponies"....my buisness? I will sell red ponies........the thing is, my ponies are white, you have to buy the red paint and paint them red yourself.

Still totally cool for me to advertise selling red ponies? If you buy a pony form me and expect it to be red, that just means you are a sucker?

Critical thinking isn't your friend is it? Instead of ridiculous invented analogies try actually addressing where they said one thing and did another? Can you play for free?

The funny thing is, my analogy is pretty much perfectly accurate.......you dont get whats advratised (continous free play), unless you pay. Same thing in my analogy, you dont get whats advratised (red ponies) unless you pay. Now, you can argue that "play free" implies only timed play....but to most people the term "play" on its own does not imply timed paywall. You can hurle all the insults you would like, it doesnt change the fact that labling a highly restrictive timed pay wall as "F2P" is false advertising...