UK Ad Standards Authority Says EA Must Be Clear with the term Free to Play

The term “free to play” has often been parodied as “free to pay” by gamers that feel this new system of timers and locks is something that is just not a good business model. Fortunately it is not a model that has managed to spread through the entire market, but is one that is certainly entrenched in the mobile one. A recent ruling in the UK over EA’s advertisement of the Dungeon Keeper game for iOS and Android might be the start of a new look at this often misleading label.

The UK Advertising Standards Authority seems to think that a recent email campaign run by EA for the mobile game Dungeon Keeper too the concept of free to play a little too far. They have decided that EA must change the ad to ensure that the draw backs of this game and its type are clear to anyone that might be interested in the game.

EA, for their part, claim that the game really is free and that there are no excessive restrictions on players that do not buy Gems to skip timers. They presented evidence that was intended to show that non-paying players have made great progress in the game. They also tried to claim that the timers in place would be there even if the game were a regular paid game. This latter one we really doubt as it would quickly get around and people would no longer buy it.

The designer of the original Dungeon Keeper, Peter Molyneux has also commented on the situation. He appears to have tank issue to the new style of game that has the name of his creation on it. He puts it very succinctly: “I just want to make a dungeon. I don't want to schedule it on my alarm clock for six days to come back for a block to be chipped,”

Maybe with this new finding agencies might take a closer look at this type of game and the way it is marketed to the public If the right information gets out people will stop buying into them and the publishers will be forced to change things.

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