Prime World to also offer mixed gender teams special in-game powers
Russian developer Nival is to offer female players discounts on in-game microtransactions for its new PC fantasy MMORPG title Prime World, it has revealed.
Speaking to Penny Arcade, the studio’s creative producer Larisa Nuretdinova said that as well as paying less, teams that blend both male and female players will also receive power bonuses in battle.
She said that developer had made the move to try and entice women who are not usually in the ‘hardcore player’ audience, and to create a more social experience for users.
“The idea is to introduce the multiplayer online battle arena genre not only to hardcore players who already love it, but to their friends who might be more casual, and of course to their sisters and girlfriends who may not be as hardcore,” said Nuretdinova.
“When boys gather around to play games just with each other, it’s not really social. When girls gather around just to chat, it’s not very social. The social starts when they hang out together and play games together.”
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Confirmation of whether a player is in fact male or female will come through authentication of the user’s Facebook account.
If women want to play this game, they should pay the same as everyone else. If they don't want to play it, who cares?
So, depending on what you got dangling between your legs, you will get discounts on products? Game industry, get yourself together, and stop becoming so desperate for female sales and have some pride. Design the game to appeal to both genders, cause a slight financial discount is not gonna do anything to draw woman in.
It’s a bit late for April Fools, isn’t it?
I think this is a horrible, horrible idea. Make the game good. Make it clear in the community rules that sexist, homophobic or racist harassment won’t be tolerated. Don’t make out that being a female player is some sort of massive thing that needs compensating for. And for the love of god, don’t try and promote it with the gaming equivalent of a ladies night like you’re creating some sort of online dating agency.
Incidentally, do only mixed teams get the power boost, or do all female teams get it as well? I find the idea of being given a power boost just because I have ovaries a wee bit condescending.
"HEY, I KNOW IT KIND OF SUCKS PLAYING WITH A GIRL, BUT HAVE THIS EXTRA POWER BOOST! IT'LL MAKE UP FOR HER LACK OF ABILITY BECAUSE SHE'S DISTRACTED BY SHOES OR KITTENS!"
It just seems wrong to charge someone different prices for something based on their gender, and to actually apparantly tout it as a selling point is leaving me feeling uncomfortable. I thought we were supposed to work against discrimination not ok it depending on who it benefits.
I agree with Pot Noodle as well I read the article and thought it sounded like they were promoting some sort of dating agency as well. Also thinking about it, it does feel somewhat condescending to the female players.
And i'm also not sure i'd want to point them in the direction of my Facebook account for any reason even if the claim is that it's purely for gender confirmation purposes.
If this is a game I feel like playing someday, I'm so making me a female facebook account.
Surely this is illegal, sexual discrimination?
Certinly, it disgusts me that a games company would even consider doing this.
Marketing guys, stop and THINK before you wow the world with your ability to offend.
MASSIVE FAIL
I have been really looking forward to playing Prime World. I have been watching videos and reading articles and really getting hyped for it. I am a female who enjoys MOBA games, and this game seemed to have some new twists and add-ons that I would really enjoy.
Knowing now that I am going to get special discounts and rewards based on my gender doesn't make me not want to play. It more so makes me want to make a fake Facebook as a male so I can play the game at "full difficulty"- for lack of a better term.
If you want more hardcore female players, don't make it easier on them! That creates a skill barrier and, if anything, knowing it is "easier" because of gender will make the game less appealing.
Also, think about it this way- girls don't pay less. Guys just pay more. That puts it in better perspective just as to how unfair and messed up it is (since if it were girls paying more, everyone would be in an uproar).
