Deus Ex Mankind Divided Pre-Order System Canceled Following Negative Response

[Conrad Zimmerman]

Deus Ex Mankind Divided Pre-Order System Canceled Following Negative Response

Tiered system of pre-order bonuses met with backlash.

The "Augment Your Pre-Order" program [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142199-Deus-Ex-Mankind-Divided-Release-Date-Announcement#&gid=gallery_4623&pid=1] created to drive early sales of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has been canceled. The program offered choices of rewards to customers, arranged in tiers which would become available as pre-order sales reached pre-determined (and undivulged) targets.

Positioned as an attempt to please consumers by providing a choice of digital rewards rather than the publisher make that choice for them (by dividing them among retailers or having multiple, inflexible packages), Augment Your Pre-Order has had the opposite effect. In a statement on the game's official website, it was acknowledged that the plan had resulted in, "a resounding amount of negative feedback."

With the closing of the program, Square Enix has decided to make all of the content it had offered available to any who pre-order Mankind Divided or purchase a day one copy. Furthermore, the game's release date has been changed to February 23, reflecting the program's final tier offering an early release.

Source: Official Site [https://www.deusex.com/news/aypo-cancelled]

Permalink

 

[thewatergamer]

Nope still pissed off, yeah cancelling it was a good move and I'm not as angry, but the fact that the content is STILL only available to pre-orderers or day one buyers is not ok with me, put the content in the game for everyone and then you'll have my forgiveness, at the very least get rid of the "exclusive mission" bullshit, until then, call me when you've released the "Ultimate Edition"

 

[gigastar]

Huh. Thats actually a pretty solid backpedal.

Nope still pissed off, yeah cancelling it was a good move, but the fact that the content is STILL only available to pre-orderers or day zero buyers is not ok with me, put the content in the game for everyone and then you'll have my forgiveness

At this point i would only be seriously concerned if there were no pre-release reviews available.

 

[Andy Shandy]

It was a daft idea to begin with, but fair play to them I suppose for cancelling it in light of the feedback, instead of bashing on ahead stubbornly.

 

[Jaggededge11]

I'm glad to hear people taking a stand against that stupid pre-order bullshit. As for me, their pre-order tactics had a negative effect on me, one which makes me not want to purchase the product at launch but instead wait a year or 2

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Nope still pissed off, yeah cancelling it was a good move and I'm not as angry, but the fact that the content is STILL only available to pre-orderers or day one buyers is not ok with me, put the content in the game for everyone and then you'll have my forgiveness, at the very least get rid of the "exclusive mission" bullshit, until then, call me when you've released the "Ultimate Edition"

Just a note, from multiple past experiences, I've got pre-order and day 1 bonuses up to 2 weeks after a game has been released. The idea that one cannot get these digital items past the first day is a fallacy. I can understand waiting for an Ultimate or GOTY edition (depending on what they call it), but people really do blow the pre-order bonus thing out of proportion, though I dislike the hell out of companies that split bonuses up between various retailers.
I do agree though that the idea of pre-order bonuses is a bit disingenuous and publishers would be better off doing away with the idea of gated pre-order content. I'd suggest to publishers that offering maybe a discount for the DLC pass for preorders would be a better "bonus" for people who wish to go that route. That way people aren't gated from content and still get some form of reward.

 

[thewatergamer]

Nope still pissed off, yeah cancelling it was a good move and I'm not as angry, but the fact that the content is STILL only available to pre-orderers or day one buyers is not ok with me, put the content in the game for everyone and then you'll have my forgiveness, at the very least get rid of the "exclusive mission" bullshit, until then, call me when you've released the "Ultimate Edition"

Just a note, from multiple past experiences, I've got pre-order and day 1 bonuses up to 2 weeks after a game has been released. The idea that one cannot get these digital items past the first day is a fallacy. I can understand waiting for an Ultimate or GOTY edition (depending on what they call it), but people really do blow the pre-order bonus thing out of proportion, though I dislike the hell out of companies that split bonuses up between various retailers.
I do agree though that the idea of pre-order bonuses is a bit disingenuous and publishers would be better off doing away with the idea of gated pre-order content. I'd suggest to publishers that offering maybe a discount for the DLC pass for preorders would be a better "bonus" for people who wish to go that route. That way people aren't gated from content and still get some form of reward.

Even so, I still hate any type of content that is not available to people because they had the audacity to not have 60$ US lying around on day-one, personally I have never had that expierience, pre-order or day one exclusives have always stayed exclusives until they release them as DLC for 5$ or give them in the ultimate edition, at least in my expierience, the back-peddling is a good thing absolutely but I would much rather see pre-order bonuses just die out completely, at least when it comes to sections of the game, offer a discount on the game if you pre-order or maybe a discount on DLC as opposed to removing missions or skins in order to incentivize it, if they just did away with the exclusive mission I would be fine with it, skins aren't a massive deal but a mission cut out of the game that will only be available to those who pre-ordered or bought it on day one? I am not ok with that

 

[Zacharious-khan]

Can someone please explain to me why everyone was so pissed off about this?

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

I'm always pleased to hear when customers refuse to sit back and let companies pull stunts like this (and see it actually get results), which seems to be a thing happening more often lately? So are the companies trying to find new ways to screw the customers over or are the customers finally tired of being screwed, or is it a little bit of both, or am I just imagining things?

Good on Square for back pedaling and making it all available rather than taking the ball and going home (making nothing available, except the lowest tiers), perhaps maybe we're one step closer to them reconsidering trying to do things like this again in the future?

-------------------------

Can someone please explain to me why everyone was so pissed off about this?

Spoiler: Jim Sterling explains it pretty well

 

[LordLundar]

Can someone please explain to me why everyone was so pissed off about this?

SE was seeing it as choosing what perks you can get while customers were seeing it as what perks will be blocked off to them instead. Considering some of the higher stuff was story based content it was pissing people off. Basically it boils down to "you will lose a limb in a fight, you just get to choose what limb you lose.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Good Squeenix. Good. More of this reasonable behaviour from you, and maybe you'll be let back in from the cold, wet, rainy yard.
Hehe, I see they did originally intend to release the game four days late for non-preorders. Tail firmly between the legs, squeenix.

 

[martyrdrebel27]

Nope still pissed off, yeah cancelling it was a good move and I'm not as angry, but the fact that the content is STILL only available to pre-orderers or day one buyers is not ok with me, put the content in the game for everyone and then you'll have my forgiveness, at the very least get rid of the "exclusive mission" bullshit, until then, call me when you've released the "Ultimate Edition"

Just a note, from multiple past experiences, I've got pre-order and day 1 bonuses up to 2 weeks after a game has been released. The idea that one cannot get these digital items past the first day is a fallacy. I can understand waiting for an Ultimate or GOTY edition (depending on what they call it), but people really do blow the pre-order bonus thing out of proportion, though I dislike the hell out of companies that split bonuses up between various retailers.
I do agree though that the idea of pre-order bonuses is a bit disingenuous and publishers would be better off doing away with the idea of gated pre-order content. I'd suggest to publishers that offering maybe a discount for the DLC pass for preorders would be a better "bonus" for people who wish to go that route. That way people aren't gated from content and still get some form of reward.

this was about 5 years back, so maybe policy has changed since then, but I can attest to the fact that I was able to get a pre-order code from a gamestop employee a week after release with no pre-order.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

It's funny how people are willing to get up in arms over things like this, but if exclusive content is offered for, say, the Playstation, like an extra mission or something, then not as many seem to care. It's only when you attach the word 'pre-order' that mobs start reaching for their pitchforks in such a massive quantity such that a company like Square-Enix backs down.

 

[Devin Barker]

This kind of thing isnt even what drove me away from preorder... I have just been burnt by too many games like Evolve... shelled out $60 on a preorder and got less than 4 hrs of fun out of the game before I had just done everything. nowadays with AAA I wait to hear that the game is actually worth a shit before I spend my $

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Even so, I still hate any type of content that is not available to people because they had the audacity to not have 60$ US lying around on day-one, personally I have never had that expierience, pre-order or day one exclusives have always stayed exclusives until they release them as DLC for 5$ or give them in the ultimate edition, at least in my expierience, the back-peddling is a good thing absolutely but I would much rather see pre-order bonuses just die out completely, at least when it comes to sections of the game, offer a discount on the game if you pre-order or maybe a discount on DLC as opposed to removing missions or skins in order to incentivize it, if they just did away with the exclusive mission I would be fine with it, skins aren't a massive deal but a mission cut out of the game that will only be available to those who pre-ordered or bought it on day one? I am not ok with that

I totally agree with the gating of content by pre-order (skins notwithstanding) is very anti-consumer. I'm just saying that its been my experience that the content has been available post-day 1. But yeah as I said removing the non-cosmetic content gating would behoove publishers and gain a lot more customer goodwill.

this was about 5 years back, so maybe policy has changed since then, but I can attest to the fact that I was able to get a pre-order code from a gamestop employee a week after release with no pre-order.

I have had it quite recently with Arkham Knight for PS4, got it about a week post-release and still received the Harley Quinn missions which really wouldn't have bothered me if I didn't get it considering the quality was REALLY lacking in that content. I forget where I bought it but it wasn't Gamestop... probably Best Buy or Target.

OT: I said it in a previous post and I'll reiterate - Gating content that is not cosmetic is a poor choice by publishers, even if the content is less than stellar, no one should be cut out of getting it for the same price (free) as someone who put money up for the game before it was released. However, offering discounts on DLC or DLC Passes for preorders is less anti-consumer and a bonus that doesn't harm consumers and is much more wallet friendly to those who have the disposable income to pre-order games/buy them on day 1.

I'd like to propose to game enthusiasts who dislike the current pre-order practices to offer consumer friendly solutions that would benefit people who preorder without gating non-day 1 adopters from non-cosmetic content. Aside from my discounted DLC/Season Pass idea, what would you folks consider a decent pre-order bonus?

 

[flying_whimsy]

In other words, they were going to make all of this to begin with and were just trying the tiered thing to drive more pre-orders? Color me surprised. This is the first I heard about it (why yes, I have been living under a rock), but it sounds like the usual square error of trying to copy something else that's had success at making money but ultimately failing to understand why (in this case, kickstarter goals).

What is going on with the Japanese game companies? First square shoves its head up its own ass and starts eating its shoes, then Konami basically gives everyone the middle finger before going off and making Pachinko machines. Nintendo's transgressions of not having splitscreen multiplayer in Splatoon and the whole amiibo thing look pretty tame by comparison.

captcha: mumbo jumbo. Sort of speaks for itself, doesn't it?

 

[jurnag12]

Nope still pissed off, yeah cancelling it was a good move and I'm not as angry, but the fact that the content is STILL only available to pre-orderers or day one buyers is not ok with me, put the content in the game for everyone and then you'll have my forgiveness, at the very least get rid of the "exclusive mission" bullshit, until then, call me when you've released the "Ultimate Edition"

Just a note, from multiple past experiences, I've got pre-order and day 1 bonuses up to 2 weeks after a game has been released. The idea that one cannot get these digital items past the first day is a fallacy. I can understand waiting for an Ultimate or GOTY edition (depending on what they call it), but people really do blow the pre-order bonus thing out of proportion, though I dislike the hell out of companies that split bonuses up between various retailers.
I do agree though that the idea of pre-order bonuses is a bit disingenuous and publishers would be better off doing away with the idea of gated pre-order content. I'd suggest to publishers that offering maybe a discount for the DLC pass for preorders would be a better "bonus" for people who wish to go that route. That way people aren't gated from content and still get some form of reward.

this was about 5 years back, so maybe policy has changed since then, but I can attest to the fact that I was able to get a pre-order code from a gamestop employee a week after release with no pre-order.

I was able to pick up Metal Gear Solid 5's Day One edition about a week ago and could grab the bonus stuff for that with zero issue.

 

[RandV80]

I'd think a lot of the extra backlash is not just because it's the usual pre-order bullshit, but rather from the way they advertised it. Like it was some cool hip thing they were giving us.

 

[EternallyBored]

Can someone please explain to me why everyone was so pissed off about this?

SE was seeing it as choosing what perks you can get while customers were seeing it as what perks will be blocked off to them instead. Considering some of the higher stuff was story based content it was pissing people off. Basically it boils down to "you will lose a limb in a fight, you just get to choose what limb you lose.

No one who preordered was going to be locked out of the exclusive game mission they were advertising, that's why SE had a generic green bar without any actual hard numbers or milestones to reach the next level. The mission wasn't part of the "augment system" so everyone got it as long as they preordered.

This whole thing was just the standard preorder bonus nonsense with the illusion of an unlock system stacked on top, there is no way in hell they are going to advertise exclusive content and then not give it to anyone because, "oops you guys didn't preorder enough copies, so we are just going to take this content we already spent time and money creating and just never release it." Even SE isn't that stupid, it would be a PR nightmare.

Even the augmenting stuff was just pointless nonsense hiding the fact that this was just 99% standard pre-order bonus content. The only actual choices that locked you out of other options was picking one of three bonus skins, and choosing whether you wanted an art book or a soundtrack bonus.

The stupidest part in this whole thing is just how bad it looked at first glance, sure, the tier stuff was an obvious ruse, and the only I game content you actually locked yourself out of by "augmenting" your preorder was which of 3 bonus skins you wanted, but the first impression made the whole thing look terrible.

While hyperbole and misinformation was rampant among critics, the actual core of this promotion was still stupid, and kind of deceptive, so I'm glad to see Square-Enix pulled their head out of their ass and killed this thing way before launch.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Good.

That 'augment your pre-order' thing was bullshit and kept me from even buying the game on release, let alone pre-order.

Good to see not every company is tone deaf and just keeps doing things because they can.

I'm looking at you Ubisoft and Konami.