Would NFS Unbound Microtransactions Ruin the Game?

In the meantime, Electronic Arts is giving us information about the gameplay features little by little.

While no detailed official word has been given on the microtransactions front, my gut feeling tells me there will be some. But as of yet, as I see it, there’s no reason to get the ol’ torches and pitchforks out, like people did in the unfortunate case of Star Wars Battlefront II. It’s impossible for EA not to have learned anything from that incident.

This is the first Need for Speed to ever feature anime-style visual effects like the smoke from the tires, exhaust effects, or wings on the sides of the car while you fly off a ramp. Furthermore, EA has confirmed that you will be able to customize your cars, clothes, and even the tire marks your car leaves behind.

My microtransaction theory does have legs, given that if you pre-order Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition for $80 ($10 more than the regular edition), you get four new custom cars (unlockable through gameplay progression), a new gassy driving effect, specially customized decals and license plate, an exclusive character pose, banner artwork, and a clothing pack with 20 items.

It wouldn’t take an insurmountable amount of imagination to think that some of these items could be bought with real-world money post-launch.

If this indeed is the case, these cosmetic items and enhancements will not affect the player's progression through the single-player mode. Mostly because EA has specifically said that the four cars from the special edition are “unlockable through gameplay progression.”

There are similar, perfectly working examples of microtransactions in games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, and Overwatch 2.

This being said, it all hangs on the fact that there won't be any artificial progression limits like with Battlefront II. If all these boxes are checked, then all I’m hearing is good news for us, as players.

However, there is something that could potentially be wicked at its core.

If you pre-order the regular edition, among other things, you also get $150,000 for multiplayer use only. In other words, you're buying in-game currency.

To me, this sounds a bit contradictory to their blog post about the 16-player online mode saying that “Remember, no wins = no money = no car upgrades = you're staying at the back of the pack.”

Now, putting two and two together, wouldn't it mean that if you can’t perform online but have real-life money to spend, the end result would be the same? That’s how I'm seeing things, at least.

At the end of the day, let’s not forget that EA is behind the FIFA Ultimate Team mode, which is full of controversy, to say the least. Although to be completely honest, I don't see how PvP in a Need for Speed game could match the competitive nature of FIFA online.

Now, whether they have decided to implement the same monetary philosophy and mechanics here, where your online experience will be altered by microtransactions, remains to be seen.

I like to give every game the benefit of the doubt unless official proof is revealed. Maybe it will all work out in the end for all of us, as well as for EA.

Now for the great news. While I never wish to be right regarding bad omens in gaming, if my theory comes to fruition and the online experience ends up being ruined by microtransactions, you don’t need to find out the hard way by paying 70 bucks for the game.

EA has a 5-dollar monthly subscription service called EA Play, where you could test out NFS Unbound for 10 hours. And if you subscribe, you even get to play the game on November 29, three days before the official December 2 launch.

Also, if anyone cares, there’s an EA Play Pro higher tier for $15 a month, where you can play the entire game, not just for 10 hours, for as long as your subscription is active.

The farthest thing from my mind is to try and sell you on EA’s subscription service. What I’m trying to say is that you don’t have to buy the full game because there are alternative options.

There's also a way that won't cost you a dime. Just wait for the reviews to come out and decide for yourself if the game is worth $5, $15, $70, or anything at all.