Yesterday we reported that Electronic Arts was catching a lot of flak for promoting microtransactions on a magazine from Smyths Toys — a toys retailer based in Galway, Ireland — and inadvertently encouraging children to spend money on lootboxes.
The ad itself promoted the purchase of FIFA Ultimate Team packs for the upcoming FIFA 2021 video game. In any other circumstances, the advertisement is harmless, in and of itself, but promoting it in a toys magazine — which is quite problematic, especially when some European countries consider lootboxes gambling.
Amidst the controversy, Electronic Arts has decided to pull the advertisement from Smyth Toys' magazine.
Video Games Chronicle reached out to Electronic Arts, and the spokesperson stated that they are working hard to make sure no more copies of the retailer's catalogue for the year are distributed, and that future marketing campaigns "better reflect the responsibility we take for the experience."
"We take very seriously the responsibilities we have when marketing EA games and experiences in channels seen by children. In spite of this, we're aware that advertising for FIFA Points has appeared in environments it shouldn't have. We have been working diligently with Smyths to ensure this advertisement is not distributed in any remaining copies of their 2020 catalogue," read the statement issued by Electronic Arts.
The spokesperson then adds: "We have also undertaken an immediate review of all future media placements and are working to ensure each of our marketing efforts better reflects the responsibility we take for the experience of our younger players."
It is great to see Electronic Arts owning up to their mistake, but the fact that this happened in the first place is still rather sketchy. While they are making sure that this doesn't happen again, the fact that it did suggests that they only took the advertisement down because they caught flak over it. Hopefully the company keeps its promise, and this doesn't happen again.