Sorry, The Last Boss Fight Costs Extra — Some Devs Willing to Ship Incomplete Games
by Chad Lakkis on November 10, 2008 at 9:31 pm
A few days ago I published an article talking about the impact of used game sales and rentals on developers. The piece revolved around comments made by Frontier Developments’ founder, David Braben and his idea to create two price points/versions of a game — a model he compares to the film industry.
I really disagreed with the idea as well as the notion that the used game market is the root of the problem. Instead, I discussed an alternative solution which involved DLC content or “additional incentive” to buy a game new. That said, never in a million years did I think devs would be willing to consider making a vital part of a game — such as a final boss fight — accessible only via DLC.
Well, if you believe the comment made by Epic Games president, Dr Michael Capps, it seems that this concept has its share of supporters:
“I’ve talked to some developers who are saying ‘If you want to fight the final boss you go online and pay USD 20, but if you bought the retail version you got it for free‘. We don’t make any money when someone rents it, and we don’t make any money when someone buys it used – way more than twice as many people played Gears than bought it…”
Are you shitting me? A game that ships with no accessible ending? That is the best solution these assholes can come up with? Screw over the gamer? When I said that I supported DLC content as added value — I meant it. Added value doesn’t mean you strip away a game’s ending.
What a shame. If it ever comes to the point where large corporations start utilizing these types of tactics to improve their bottom line — I have one wish. I hope the greedy SOBs at the top all find themselves sick in a hospital bed at some point. Desperately in need of an organ transplant to live, they are greeted by a good doctor who walks in and utters the following words:
Sorry, organ donors are impossible to come by these days. Dr. Phil had a show on it. It seems that the lack of used products available to consumers has made people bitter. The overwhelming feeling is, if we can’t benefit from another person’s used stuff, then they won’t benefit from ours either. It’s a shame really — I wish there was more I could do.
Call me a sick fuck, but it would serve them right, and I sure as hell wouldn’t feel sorry for them. The moral o the story, be careful what you wish for.
Source: GI.biz
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4 Comments » |
on November 10, 2008 10:43 pm
Fuck that noise.
I know Ratchet and Clank for ps3 you have to pay $20 for the ending. That’s just people being greedy. I have nothing at all against DLC for example; Dead Space you pay 2 bucks for the bad ass Obsidian suit or however many points for 360’s Elite suit. now THAT’S cool and fair and cheap, but 20 for an ending? No thank you.
on November 11, 2008 5:44 am
I have commented on this before, it is just greed, Imagine buying a dvd and having to pay to watch the ending because the publishers didn’t like the idea that you lent/gave it to someone? or a cd and all the songs were missing 20 sec in the middle because of fear that someone other than yourself might enjoy it without paying for the disc again?
the problem is they see all the profit being made from used game sales and their collective greedy mouths started watering. you want to get some of that money, devs and publishers. after a month drop the price of the game 20.00 after a year drop the price to 20.00. that would essentially kill the used game market but, you will probably make less in the long run. also, last time I checked, people don’t like being overcharged or charged twice for things. for example, if an exorbitant tax was imposed on cigarettes in NY there would be a jump in people purchasing bulk amounts from NJ and selling them to friends and family for profit to circumvent the tax. that is human nature and also how a free market works.(even though this is an example of government greed)
there will allways be a used game market. they will have to get used to it. draconian tactics against gamers will result in a unfavorable backlash, starting with Bad PR and leading to loss of profit when games are pirated rather than purchased. the games will be cracked the content will be distributed. the gaming market will collapse. hell, I might as well build another Cobra kit car. at least it is mine to do what I want with it after I am done building it.
on November 11, 2008 5:45 am
the Whaler, the obsidian suit is free, the scorpion suit costs 2.00.
on November 11, 2008 10:16 pm
Oh yeah you’re right, my bad. But you know what I mean…