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Hackers Skew FIFA Ultimate Team Numbers?

Is EA's touted revenue success with these online microtransactions a big win for the company or simply an own goal against its customers?

During its third-quarter financial call, Electronic Arts bragged about the success of microtransactions for FIFA 12's Ultimate Team mode, saying that the company expects 25 percent more revenue to be generated by the mode by the end of this fiscal year as compared to FIFA 11.

While the mode is undoubtedly fun to play, EA and gamers have been dogged by widespread reports that hackers are hijacking Xbox Live accounts and then buying FIFA 12 Ultimate Team packs.

Both Microsoft and EA have shrugged off the claims, either saying that it's a small number of the overall transactions, or that they are not ultimate responsible for what's going on.

Either way, it's hard not to view EA's revenue claims with some skepticism.

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Comments
  • I have been stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, hung, electrocuted, and burned ...and every morning I wake up without a scratch on me, not a dent in the fender... I am an immortal.
  • Microtransactions set into a game that is already $60, base purchase. I would never do that, but I guess if people like what they play, more power to 'em. The whole hacker thing is lame, I don't understand why they feel the need to do what they do

  • Ugh, more hacking, dont they have something better to do?

  • This would definitely annoy if I was to be hacked, especially just to buy stupid player packs. Dam EA, keep that micro-transaction crap in Facebook and out of one of my favorite sports franchises!

    Apologies to anyone who like the feature.
  • Yea my live account was hacked back on the 14th of Jan and 2200 of my Microsoft points were used by the hacker to purchase add-ons for FIFA 12. Needless to say after having my account locked out for nearly 2 weeks and multiple calls to Microsoft I'm just now back on live, minus my 2200 points of course. which they told me would be refunded. What BS!

  • Maybe... EA is the one doing the hacking! It's a conspiracy I tells ya!
  • hackers creating revenue for a corporation? you don't see that every day.

  • This happened to me last week! Called Microsoft after I noticed I was missing 3100 MS points, after one day I had my account and points returned to me.

  • hahaha soccer. buying team packs.

  • I just had a friend who lost 1200  points due to hackers and their FIFA shenanigans!Xbox support is investigating the matter,but she has yet to hear if she will get her points back.Sucks!

  • I personally lost 1000ms points [only because by CC is not attached to my profile] and 2 other people on my list were hit as well.

    They need to do an update so they items aren't sellable or transferable like every other XBL transaction.

  • Good thing for EA that they make everyone agree not to sue them, bad for the people that might be getting their information stolen.

  • EA wouldn't be where it's at without FIFA, Dead Space, and Mass Effect

  • thats funny because my xbox account got hacked today and they bought packs from fifa!!!!!!!!

  • I was hacked and it has been a very bad experience. Ive been hit up for 90 bucks and 20 bucks worth of points i already had. They overdrew on one of my accounts and now I owe my bank a extra 60 bucks. Its been a week and Im still not on live yet. I just got my money back yesterday but not my points and i havent got a call from microsoft yet. Im so fed up.I wish I could find one of these hackers in a dark alley.

  • This must be why microsoft forced me to change my password today for my live iD.

    LOL at ea now even charging micro transactions for their *** games that they come out with every single year to milk the *** out of people, they need more milk and now charge micro transactions along with forcing people to buy online passes? lol at all the dumb sits that buy these games every year and ruin gaming for the rest of us by supporting this kind of ***.