Ellie Gibson
09:24 (BST)
30/07/2008
Riccitiello considers charging for Spore micro transactions
The launch of Will Wright's Spore is still over a month away, but EA's John Riccitiello is already considering whether consumers could be charged for extra content in the future.
Speaking in an investors' conference call, the CEO said he'd be keen to "monetise, if you will, body parts, plant parts, car parts and planets as a way to generate incremental revenue on an installed base of several million active users".
"But it's a little bit like pool," he continued. "I'm afraid if we spend too much time setting up the second shot, we'll miss the first shot."
Spore is launching in Europe on September 5 and in the US two days later. Riccitiello said that if the game proves to be the success he's hoping, it may lead to a dedicated division at Electronic Arts, similar to the current The Sims label.
"I would love to imagine that two years from now or a year from now the debate is whether or not we need a 'Spore' label inside of EA," he said.
But at the moment, "It's all hands on deck to make September 7 the event that matters."
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