38 Studios' Curt Schilling has come forward to defend Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning's day-one DLC, available free to those who buy the game new or invest in EA's Online Pass.
As reported on Eurogamer, seven of the game's single player quests are locked off for new buyers and pass-holders. Responding to Amalur fan ire on the game's forums, Schilling declared: "DAY 1 DLC, to be extremely and VIVIDLY clear, is FREE, 100% totally FREE, to anyone that buys a new copy of Reckoning, ANYONE.
"It's clear the intent right? To promote early adopters and MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO ME, REWARD fans and gamers who commit to us with their time and money when it benefits the company."
Incentives to buy new are necessary to ensure 38's future, he wrote. "Every single person on the planet could wait and not buy Reckoning, the game would hit the bargain bin at some point and you could get it cheaper. 38 Studios would likely go away.
"That's just how business works. We MUST make a profit to become what we want to become. THE ONLY way we do that is to make games you CANNOT WAIT TO BUY! If we do that, and you do that, we want to reward you with some cool free stuff as a thank you.
"You can TOTALLY disagree with this and I am sure many do, so we'll agree to disagree. This is not 38 trying to take more of your money, or EA in this case, this is us REWARDING people for HELPING US! If you disagree due to methodology, ok, but that is our intent."
"The industry is in a very odd place," Schilling noted later. "The data coming in on used game sales is not saying the things many thought it should, or would. But companies are still trying to figure out how to receive dollars spent on games they make, when they are bought.
Is that wrong? If so please tell me how."
"Again, you can argue with methods, or process, and you absolutely can bitch and gripe about ANY DAY 1 DLC you are charged for, because I think I agree with many on that, but we are trying to create something here, product and company wise, and it takes dollars to do that," he concluded.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is out in the US on 7th February and in Europe on 10th February. We think Fable fans will like it. Executive designer Ken Rolston thinks the game's combat system is streets ahead of Skyrim's.
6 comments so far...
Sabrewulf on 30 Jan '12 said:
I think they have every right to do this as like he says the company would go bust and great original games will never see the light of day. We'll be stuck with stale sequels of established brands that will just guarantee to turn profit - we don't want that!!
I am pre-ordering now...
bamozzy on 30 Jan '12 said:
Personally I disagree with online pass codes as a way to combat purchasing 2nd hand games!!! I think that the whole game including online features should be enabled for ALL regardless. Sometimes the second hand market offers gamers a way into the games and may well make them become fans for later games in the series. I would be put off from trying a game if I couldn't play it all. I don't buy many 2nd hand games (and generally try to avoid buying them) but some have introduced me to franchise I may not have bothered with and subsequently gone on to purchase NEW sequels. Some people do not have the funds to buy NEW all the time and your game has to be something REALLY special to warrant a day 1 release purchase.
Games like Amalur is NOT on my wishlist having played the demo - however I might be tempted if the price was greatly reduced or 2nd hand (obviously not 2nd hand IF there is a online pass) so I will wait to see if it is in a Bargain Bin for about £10 and maybe then buy it. I can't see the developers benefitting much from that!!
I am not against having DLC though as a reward for purchasing NEW instead of using it as pre-order bonuses. I think they should give you extra for purchasing new and not taking away if you don't. Just think if you got the first DLC FREE because you bought NEW or extra items (such as weaponry, armour or something). then when others see it in game and can't get it, they maybe more tempted to purchase NEW. Reward those for buying NEW!!!!
delmariachi on 30 Jan '12 said:
I agree that first time adoptees should get a reward to an extent but when its single player content, its a little hard to take.
I played the demo and wasn't so impressed but i hope it does well as new IP's are needed tbh, I think the only other issue with this announcement and defence of it, its that Skyrim has somewhere in the region of 200 quests (alot are indeed similar).. If Amalur has "less" content, then it becomes even harder to justify.
If this sells well then I guess EA have found another route to continue their online pass system down, and with Tiger 13's various editions throwing up more bonus problems, different courses, players, clubs, etc this could get worse...As surely dividing your users by what they've purchased is only going to make things more difficult for us in the end.
delpoi on 30 Jan '12 said:
I always pre-order all the new games coming out i dont mind paying full wack if it is something that really captures my attention if it isnt then ill buy a new copy of the game just a couple of weeks after it comes out so the price goes down a bit either way its all good
msbhvn on 31 Jan '12 said:
He sounds like he's trying to convince himself more than anybody else. Online Pass should expire after a certain amount of time and become free (or at least reasonably priced) DLC for everyone, then you're not penalising people who can't find new copies of a two year old game.
Cdr JamesCool on 10 Feb '12 said:
I completely agree with you, I can't stand for these online passes which just take away. I would have thought that this would also be unfair for those without live for whatever reason. They should give free extra DLC with every new purchase as an incentive to reward the loyal player, just as you said.