Content Reserved for Pre-Orders
lolfighter
Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Army of Two Sequel</div><a href="http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/army-of-two-2/1038047p1.html" target="_blank">Full Article</a>
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Responding to popular demand for four-player co-op in Army of Two: The 40th Day, executive producer Reid Schneider devised a new multiplayer mode called Extraction, similar to Uncharted 2's cooperative mode. But the mode, according to <a href="http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/700148/Army-of-Two-Multiplayer-Mode-Restricted-To-Pre-Order-Players-For-One-Month.html" target="_blank">G4</a>, won't be available to everyone on day one, as it's currently meant to be a one-month exclusive bonus for pre-orders.
According to The 40th Day's lead designer, Eric Chartrand, "The first multiplayer mode, and in my opinion the most exciting, is Extraction. Extraction is a new game mode that was devised as a bonus for pre-orders, giving gamers who pre-order a month of exclusive access."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Now this is Army of Two, so there maybe several if not tens of people who care about this, but imagine if this would become common practice. Is this acceptable or suspect? Are they offering an incentive to people who pre-order, or are they withholding content from regular buyers - are they thumbing their noses at "less worthy" customers? Is the glass half full or half empty?
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Responding to popular demand for four-player co-op in Army of Two: The 40th Day, executive producer Reid Schneider devised a new multiplayer mode called Extraction, similar to Uncharted 2's cooperative mode. But the mode, according to <a href="http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/700148/Army-of-Two-Multiplayer-Mode-Restricted-To-Pre-Order-Players-For-One-Month.html" target="_blank">G4</a>, won't be available to everyone on day one, as it's currently meant to be a one-month exclusive bonus for pre-orders.
According to The 40th Day's lead designer, Eric Chartrand, "The first multiplayer mode, and in my opinion the most exciting, is Extraction. Extraction is a new game mode that was devised as a bonus for pre-orders, giving gamers who pre-order a month of exclusive access."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Now this is Army of Two, so there maybe several if not tens of people who care about this, but imagine if this would become common practice. Is this acceptable or suspect? Are they offering an incentive to people who pre-order, or are they withholding content from regular buyers - are they thumbing their noses at "less worthy" customers? Is the glass half full or half empty?
Comments
Now this is Army of Two, so there maybe several if not tens of people who care about this, but imagine if this would become common practice. Is this acceptable or suspect? Are they offering an incentive to people who pre-order, or are they withholding content from regular buyers - are they thumbing their noses at "less worthy" customers? Is the glass half full or half empty?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't have a moral objection do it, but I think it is a dumb idea. If it is the "best" multiplayer mode then you're telling potential customers "don't buy my game in the first month of release" which is when most money is made anyway. Also you'll have a much smaller player base for that mode so it may be starved out.
I thought the orig Army of Two sold well? Doesn't matter, I wasn't planning on getting it anyway. My care-meter is just an overall "Low" for this.
I kinda wish preordering would go back to what it was before: a way to make sure you get the game on release date. That should be enough.
I kinda wish preordering would go back to what it was before: a way to make sure you get the game on release date. That should be enough.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Lots of games give preorder bonuses.
This is the first "order preorder or we withhold game content from you for a month".
I don't think it is morally bad or anything, though I do think it is kinda silly. If I cared about the game, it would convince me to wait a month to buy it.
It will be pirated, probably even by people who legit bought it, in order for them to have access to this content. It is a fail sandwich with possible malicious intent, or at least willful ignorance, bread.
I kinda wish preordering would go back to what it was before: a way to make sure you get the game on release date. That should be enough.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah I also heard about a company called Unknown Worlds Entertainment, only giving black marine armor to people who pre-ordered their WiP game Natural-Selection 2 :P
<!--coloro:grey--><span style="color:grey"><!--/coloro-->Maybe you should've used a better part of your head.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
~~Sickle~~
The problem is now that studios and publishers are restricting real content from those of us who don't feel right throwing down cash on something thats still 4 months out.
The Left4Dead2 Baseball bat for example, a unique melee weapon you'll only find in games with pre-order customers. Sure, there are other melee weapons, a cricket bat is a nice substitute, but you're still missing something.
Even worse is that some studios are starting to offer different sets of unique content depending on where you pre-order. Now one pre-order isn't enough, if you want everything you'll have to go to every chain you can find. The latest Ratchet & Clank game is a big offender here, offering either a new weapon, a new vehicle skin or a new level. You can't have all three without pre-ordering from 3 different stores.
Restricting a game mode for a short period isn't too bad, its essentially comes down to what SR2 and Stalker did, but compensating for the fact GameFAQs has been around for the last 10 years, but its still sort of sleezy, and probably not the best business move.
I'd say just give pre-orders gold plated guns, but thats just a standard feature in Army of Two games, so I guess they would have to go further.
Army of Two Two
</juvenile>
I would preorder if it was a game I actually wanted so I could get it... I.E. mass effect 2... That's getting a bunch of pre-order perks that actually make me want to NOT preorder the game, because it looks like it could make the game easier...
Email spam is a good marketing strategy too.
Unless I missed it, the article didn't specify if it was with all preorders or preorders through a certain store. If it's with all preorders then this is something entirely new. Singling out the advertised "best feature" of a game and giving it to only those who preorder is a very aggressive tactic to try to increase sales. The other tactic would be to make every feature available from the start and hope gamers are happy enough to not sell their games back to the stores. I'm surprised EA went with the aggressive tactic on such a "who cares" title like Army of Two but maybe they're just testing the effect this announcement will have toward their expected amount of pre-orders.