All of Evolve's DLC Maps Will be Free

[Steven Bogos]

All of Evolve's DLC Maps Will be Free

In order to avoid segregating the community, all future maps for Evolve will be free downloads for all players.

Speaking to IGN [http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/21/all-dlc-maps-for-evolve-will-be-available-free-of-charge], Turtle Rock Studios' Creative Director Phil Robb confirmed that all future DLC maps for the upcoming monster hunter will be completely free for all players. He says this was done mostly to avoid segregating the community - he didn't want players to have the experience of being kicked off a server because they didn't pay for something.

"First thing we [Evolve's creative leads] said was we can't break the community up, so all of our maps will be free. We never want anyone to get booted off of a server because they haven't bought something," said Robb.

Additionally, Robb discussed the two other forms of DLC the game will receive: hunters and monsters. "We'll have characters and monsters, and even if you don't buy them, if your buddy wants to buy the DLC, that's cool, and your game will be enhanced through his purchase," Robb said. "So, you won't be able to play as those characters, but you will certainly be able to play with those characters."

Certainly a very consumer-friendly solution to a problem that has been plaguing first-person-shooter ever since the likes of Call of Duty and Halo popularized the DLC map pack.

Robb finally added that those who pre-ordered the game would receive the first monster DLC for free.

Do you remember back in the days of Quake, or Counter-strike, or even Team Fortress 2 where it was just... assumed that future maps would be free? Or that the game would ship with the support for the community to make their own maps? We've come a long way since then, but hopefully with some more devs like Turtle Rock Studios, we can get back there.

Source: IGN [http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/21/all-dlc-maps-for-evolve-will-be-available-free-of-charge]

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[PMAvers]

Nice to see that some developers still get it.

 

[Dumb_Joe]

That is good news. From what I've seen in the Big alpha the game looks very promising and I'm willing to give it a shot. If I can save some money I will pre-order it for sure.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

When a dev spoke to me on the forum to confirm that there would be Aus servers as well as good netcode for Aussie lagsters, I was overjoyed.
When they announced the game was being developed with DLC in mind, I recoiled.
Knowing that I won't get kicked for not buying DLC makes me glad again.

However, from what I've seen, the game isn't worth $60 (And definitely not the $80 USD on the steam store you filthy greedy fu-). Especially when I don't know how many DLC monsters/hunters will be released and at what price. It seems as though the reason the price is so exorbitant is because it's releasing on next gen consoles as well, and a lot of cash has been pumped into the graphics. I won't be getting it at launch, it's something to watch develop to if it's worth it.

 

[Grabehn]

Good to hear that they chose to separate maps from characters when it comes to DLC, that would've been pretty awful, and the flack they got for the "Our game comes in parts" comment from a while ago wasn't minor.

Although I gotta say the game looked pretty boring to me, so while I like their new DLC plans, I still doubt I'll get the game.

 

[Jadak]

Although I gotta say the game looked pretty boring to me, so while I like their new DLC plans, I still doubt I'll get the game.

Same here, I thought it sounded like a great idea for a game, but after playing their alpha/beta/whatever it is the other week, it really is quite boring. I mean, you have a a small group forming two tweaks, and on of those team's sole goal is to avoid confronting the other team for as long as possible. Gameplay goals that encourage a lack of gameplay don't make for a lot of fun.

 

[josemlopes]

Reminds me of this
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/241306/dice-well-never-charge-for-battlefield-maps/

Still, not that interested in the game, Left 4 Dead was already rather dull and repetitive and this one seems to take all the worst parts and just be about that.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

I omniloathed it when Bungie would release a new map pack for Halo 2/3 and a couple weeks later, my favorite game types would once again be behind a paywall. I'm already paying for the servers, so just don't put me in a match with a new map. I could have understood why matchmaking would have taken longer. That's one reason why I told Live to buzz off. Making the new maps actually interesting, which they might have done maybe once or twice, might have gotten me to buy the packs on day one, but, nope, MS wanted to wring out more cash the easy way.

Even if this is a ruse to drum up hype for Evolve or a promise from the dev that has little weight with today's "milk, milk, milk" publishers, I just hope they don't pull that kind of dirty move. That was a real punch to the customers.

Reminds me of this
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/241306/dice-well-never-charge-for-battlefield-maps/

Still, not that interested in the game, Left 4 Dead was already rather dull and repetitive and this one seems to take all the worst parts and just be about that.

I also seem to remember that Cliffy B said Gears of War would not have paid map packs. That lasted for maybe two packs. (I could be wrong on what he said after 8 years, though.)

 

[freaper]

Their decision to make the maps free is very elegant, and I most certainly understand that they then want to monetize new hunters and monsters, but I still feel like those should maybe have been free as well. Another possible way of making extra money after launch could be paid customization options; the usual alternative skins or (dare I say it?) hats.

 

[Dominic Crossman]

Wow, this first I've heard people being negative about game (consistently), did the big alpha rub people the wrong way or something?

Their decision to make the maps free is very elegant, and I most certainly understand that they then want to monetize new hunters and monsters, but I still feel like those should maybe have been free as well. Another possible way of making extra money after launch could be paid customization options; the usual alternative skins or (dare I say it?) hats.

They could've made characters free, but then again they could've made maps paid.
At the end of the day when all DLC is paid by default, it's nice to see somone buck the trend, even if it's only partially. Only game that's done something like that recently, to the best of my knowledge, is KZ: Shadow Fall and that may have been solely an to keep the mp scene from dying.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Well that was certainly refreshing to read. I was already interested but now I'm even more willing to give these guys the benefit of the doubt. Might be my first preorder in a long time.

 

[Elfgore]

It's really good they did this. Nothing worse than a community splintered because of maps. I don't have an issue with the DLC hunters or monsters, as long as I can play with or against people who have it when I don't and vice versa.

 

[Steven Bogos]

I've heard new modes will also be free.

 

[tzimize]

Do you remember back in the days of Quake, or Counter-strike, or even Team Fortress 2 where it was just... assumed that future maps would be free? Or that the game would ship with the support for the community to make their own maps? We've come a long way since then, but hopefully with some more devs like Turtle Rock Studios, we can get back there.

Source: IGN [http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/21/all-dlc-maps-for-evolve-will-be-available-free-of-charge]

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Heh. There's a sad thought if I ever saw one. Longing for the past as it was a better time, and actually being right :|

 

[Jeroenr]

I also seem to remember that Cliffy B said Gears of War would not have paid map packs. That lasted for maybe two packs. (I could be wrong on what he said after 8 years, though.)

As i recall Epic wanted to make them free, as they always have done with the Unreal series up to then.
But Microsoft wouldn't have it.

They compromised, at first they made it payed and after a couple of months made it free.
They only did this for GoW1, after that no more free versions.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

GOOD.

That's one thing I really don't like about CoD/Halo at all. The map packs they kept coming out with that you had to pay for which serve to really segregate the online community from those who couldn't or didn't want to buy them.