Lots of funny April Fools' Day stuff has been flying around, but one of my favorites would have to be Electronic Arts saying they were going to sell weapons for their upcoming Godfather II game that you could also just unlock by playing. Pay or play! Oh, for fun! What a bunch of jokers at EA!

Wait, this was real...?

Two weeks after the game's April 7 release, there will be multiplayer maps, upgraded weapons, and a uniquely powerful henchman available for download. Note that these things are being sold, not simply available as a free download to serve as a disincentive for buying used copies. The two multiplayer maps will cost $7, the five upgraded weapons will cost $4, and the special henchman will cost $4. Or you can buy the whole shebang for $10.

Electronic Arts has been doing this sort of thing for a while, letting players pay for unlockables that they'd otherwise be able to earn by playing the game. You can find this in the Tiger Woods, Need for Speed, and Skate games. It's cheap, yeah, but if people are going to fork over money for this sort of thing, EA is only partly to blame. The fact that they're still doing it implies there are a lots of folks out there with more money than sense.

It's particularly funny to read EA's emailed comments to 1up in which they try to explain themselves.

The guns and stats you can upgrade are mostly for advanced players so by the time you can use some of these uber powerful guns and stats you'll have already have played A LOT of Godfather...We also have an option in our multiplayer matches that limits the crew and skill levels of players so that those that are advanced can have their own separate battles.