Saints Row IV Dev Offers Free DLC To Aussie Customers

[Steven Bogos]

Saints Row IV Dev Offers Free DLC To Aussie Customers

Saints Row IV has been delayed and censored in Australia, and as an apology, AIE has offered up some free DLC.

Saints Row IV has had a bit of trouble releasing in the land down under. First, the game was refused classification [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125362-Update-Saints-Row-IV-Refused-Classification-in-Australia] despite the recent introduction of an R 18+ rating for videogames, then, when they finally got the censored version approved, it was revealed the game would be delayed until September 12. As an apology, the team behind the Australian localization, All Interactive Entertainment, has offered some free DLC as a peace offering.

"Australian fans of Saints Row IV will obviously be disappointed with this delay. We have used every means at our disposal to minimise the delay, but unfortunately it just was not possible to keep the same street date as the rest of the world."

A free download of the "Presidential Pack [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126925-Saints-Row-IV-Adds-Obama-Avatar-in-Pre-Order-Bonus]" DLC will be made available for all those who purchase the game within 48 hours of its launch.

Robert Kingston, Director at All Interactive Entertainment, expressed his apologies in an official statement, claiming that According to the statement, "every effort" was made to keep the release process in line with the rest of the world, but the "production process meant that a delay was unavoidable".

The Presidential Pack contains three separate avatars for three of the most famous US presidents: Lincoln, Bush and Obama. Previously, it would have only been available as a pre-order bonus for US GameStop or EB Games customers.

If AIE really wanted to apologize to Aussies though, it should have made a "P.M Pack" containing avatars for John Howard, Kevin Rudd, and Tony Abbott (I know he hasn't been PM, but his wingnut ears would just be perfect as a caricature).

Source: Kotaku Australia [http://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/08/aie-apologises-for-saints-row-iv-delay-offer-free-dlc-in-return/]

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[icemasteryeti]

They don't need to make a Tony Abbott mask, I'm sure there's already a monkey mask in the game.

 

[The Great JT]

Now that's good on 'em. Though really, knowing how sensitive the Australian PMs are on censoring them, do you really want to make them mad and potentially have them censor/ban future games because you decided to flip them off?

Oh wait, I forgot what series this is.

 

[RicoADF]

I don't blame them for the delay, it wasn't their fault they had to change stuff. Still the apology and gift are appreciated, glad I pre-ordered this months ago

Will also be buying it for PS3 (UK edition)

 

[sb666]

Tony Abbott

please don't. I don't want him haunting me Saints Row.

 

[LazyAza]

I hope the delay means rather than simply cut that shaundi drug mission which definitely would make anyone who played the game want to go get drugs like they originally intended has instead resulted in them merely editing it, changing names or words or something so the context is "ok" for our oh-so-super-paranoid ratings board.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

I though AIE was for the Academy of Interactive Entertainment here in Melbourne, although I'm not sure if the other AIE existed. Regardless it's a nice gesture, but unnecessary because I'm getting mine from the UK, unedited as Volition intended.

 

[SSJBlastoise]

If AIE really wanted to apologize to Aussies though, it should have made a "P.M Pack" containing avatars for John Howard, Kevin Rudd, and Tony Abbott (I know he hasn't been PM, but his wingnut ears would just be perfect as a caricature).

Spoiler: Why no mention of Bob Hawke?

If only this is all a plan to sneak in the stuff that was cut from our version. Now, that would be great.

 

[RicoADF]

I just beat Saints Row IV, and honestly I feel sorry for Australian gamers if Deep Silver or Volition dont use the delay to fix some of the game breaking bugs it has.


It's like their QA testers didn't know what they were doing, an example is getting the Loud Locust pistol, shooting it twice then doing a combines super sprint and super jump. Twice it made the game go to a black screen with only sounds, not even the dashboard would come back up.


Or even the fact half of the 'instanced' areas in mission have spots where you can get knocked into the geometry with no way of getting out.


Or the fact that it's frozen eight times with seemingly no cause.

Seriously disapponted with the overall product, just hoping the actual DLC is decent, or I'm going to have to say it's the worst $60 I spent on a game.

Have you reported the issues or are they ones that are being heavily reported? I haven't looked at the forums (would rather not risk spoilers) so I have no idea how bad the issues could be.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

How about a free mission pack to make up for the one we lost?

 

[SnowyGamester]

So we get the same thing that people who bought from GameStop or EB Games got (minus the censored content, obviously) and all we have to do is wait a month longer and pay 40% more than them? Call me a cynic but that sounds like a bum deal.

 

[Tombsite]

So we get the same thing that people who bought from GameStop or EB Games got (minus the censored content, obviously) and all we have to do is wait a month longer and pay 40% more than them? Call me a cynic but that sounds like a bum deal.

I would rather call you whiny if you are completely serious. All of the problems (well ok the price thing is kinda on them) are caused by the government. So even though it is not their fault, they still throw in a freebie as a nice gesture. Apparently that can still cause complaints but they do sound a little whiny

 

[SnowyGamester]

snip

As much as I abhor the classification policies in this country it doesn't absolve all other parties of any responsibility...I mean it's not the governments fault even the Steam release is delayed. Nevertheless it still sucks regardless of the blame holder.

 

[NEDM]

snip

As much as I abhor the classification policies in this country it doesn't absolve all other parties of any responsibility...I mean it's not the governments fault even the Steam release is delayed. Nevertheless it still sucks regardless of the blame holder.

We'll never stop hearing about the woes of Australian gamers, as long as they keep electing the idiots that make the policies. As for the delay for saints row 4, it directly relates to the ban the aussies gave it at first. They have to go through and pull every thing offensive, fill the hole in. Plus the mission they took down has to be replaced because it links to the story/achievements. So the blame really does lie with the aussies and their elected officials. Luckily for gift a game to an Australian day, I got a friend of mine got the North American version.

 

[Not Matt]

Isn't it lovely to see publishers and developers in this toxic industry giving Australia a break. They'll probably piss off the people incharge of censorship but who say they don't need a slap in the face themselves once in a while.

 

[Prof.Beany]

God damn Id love a PM pack.
And Now I cant help but think of this again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4tZRZSGxcE

-snip-

I would rather call you whiny if you are completely serious. All of the problems (well ok the price thing is kinda on them) are caused by the government. So even though it is not their fault, they still throw in a freebie as a nice gesture. Apparently that can still cause complaints but they do sound a little whiny

I... what?
You did READ the article right?
Theyre giving us the early adopter dlc (read: Free anyway dlc if you buy on launch) for free... BUT only if you buy it on launch.
So essentially theyre telling EB to distribute the codes between a different date in Aus (which they kind of have to obviously) and trying to spin it as free dlc.

Seriously their statement could have just as easily read "Yes, the game was in fact delayed. Just reconfirming that for the umpteenth time, please continue on with your day".

 

[SSJBlastoise]

We'll never stop hearing about the woes of Australian gamers, as long as they keep electing the idiots that make the policies. As for the delay for saints row 4, it directly relates to the ban the aussies gave it at first. They have to go through and pull every thing offensive, fill the hole in. Plus the mission they took down has to be replaced because it links to the story/achievements. So the blame really does lie with the aussies and their elected officials. Luckily for gift a game to an Australian day, I got a friend of mine got the North American version.

That would be all well and good if we could actually change the people on the board. They are independent from the Government so who we vote for means absolutely nothing. It took us 10 years of campaigning and petitions to even get an R18 rating so so changing it isn't as simple as vote for someone else.

 

[antigodoflife]

How's about Robert Menzies, the longest running Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, the most beloved Prime Minister and Kevin Rudd the current Prime Minister, I reckon that would make a lot more sense. Then on top of that you can have John Howard because he was essentially Australia's Richard Nixon, funny face and less-than-funny stunts included.

 

[Nosirrah]

I want one for England.

Volition, if you let me run around as Winston Churchill in a bright pink suit, slapping people with an octopus tentacle I will give you my money. All of it.