BioWare Announces Cerberus Network for Mass Effect DLC

[Greg Tito]

BioWare Announces Cerberus Network for Mass Effect DLC

The Cerberus Network is an in-game portal for purchasers of Mass Effect 2 to download content and read news.

Mass Effect 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97545-Rumor-Mass-Effect-2-DLC-Details-Leak-BioWare-Responds] launches in North America on January 26th. You will be able to access the Network in the game by entering a single-use code that will be given to all retail and digital purchasers of the game. Doing so will allow you download free content at launch such as new missions, items and a new character, a gritty bounty hunter called Zaeed. After launch, more downloadable content will be available on the Cerberus Network, but there is no word on how much it will cost.

"The Cerberus Network augments and extends the rich universe of Mass Effect 2," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder of BioWare. "We're thrilled to be able to reward loyal BioWare and Mass Effect fans with ongoing, high quality content and provide a direct channel for our players to dive deeper into the intriguing lore of Mass Effect."

BioWare is certainly experimenting with DLC for its recent titles. When Dragon Age launched in November, there was a large amount of DLC available if you were inclined to purchase it, a gamble which appears to have been successful. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/96121-Dragon-Age-DLC-Makes-a-Million] With the Cerberus Network, BioWare also might be trying to limit piracy, as well as the used game market. People who are playing a cracked or used copy won't be able to experience the "complete" game.

Permalink

 

[ma55ter_fett]

So if you buy this game used you get screwed?

Can you get any updates and DLC on xbox marketplace or only this "Cerberus Network" because if you can't there will be next to no market for used copies of this game.

I suppose it is only fitting that a network named after the three headed dog of hell would be instramental in takeing gamers up the ass.

 

[Jared]

There is a thought, if buy used means gotta buy new if you wanna experience whole thing...its got its pro and cons I suppose...

Intrested to see how this will pan out

 

[ae86gamer]

Eeeeeeeeee!! I'm so excited for this game to come out.

[sup]Woo! Sorry, but anytime someone mentions ME2 I have to do that.[/sup]

 

[Plinglebob]

Hopefully it'll be similar to what they did in Dragon Age where the content will be free if you buy it used, but available for purchase of you don't.

 

[Byers]

This whole business that Bioware is advocating with withholding game content that's finished and ready on release, just to squeeze extra money out of your customers on DLC, needs to stop. This is the kind of schemes that encourages piracy.

 

[The Kangaroo]

Is this on 360 as well?

If so ugh

 

[KSarty]

This is EA's new business model for combating piracy and the used game's market. While it isn't exactly ideal, it is vastly superior to their previous method, DRM, so I for one will say go EA.

This whole business that Bioware is advocating with withholding game content that's finished and ready on release, just to squeeze extra money out of your customers on DLC, needs to stop. This is the kind of schemes that encourages piracy.

You don't get it, if you buy the game new, you get the code that can only be used once. That code, which is free with the game, gives you this dlc for free. It only costs extra to those who buy the game used, or those who pirate the game.

 

[Azhrarn-101]

Have a CE pre-ordered for the PC version, I loved ME1 and the CE was the same price as the normal retail version where I ordered it. That way I get a nice cover, rather than the ugly one.
The extra goodies are just a nice bonus.

 

[Zac_Dai]

PC version it is then!

Was torn between buying the 360 version and the PC one.

Lives DLC system is annoying enough as it is without adding in EA's.

 

[achilleas.k]

With the Cerberus Network, BioWare also might be trying to limit piracy. People who are playing a cracked copy won't be able to experience the "complete" game.

How does this stop piracy? If you can pirate the game what stops you from pirating the DLC as well?

 

[Baby Tea]

Can you get any updates and DLC on xbox marketplace or only this "Cerberus Network" because if you can't there will be next to no market for used copies of this game.

That's the point, actually.
You can get access to everything for a fee, but the idea is to avoid used game sales (Which developers don't get any money for) and to avoid piracy. If you buy it brand new, you get your access code and day-one DLC for free.

Not a bad deal to me!
I know I'm buying it day-one, so I don't mind.
I think it's a good idea, actually.

 

[Irridium]

Well, as long as the day 1 content is free, I see no reason to complain.

At least it seems they will take DLC for this game seriously, unlike what they did with ME1...

Hopefully it'll be similar to what they did in Dragon Age where the content will be free if you buy it used, but available for purchase of you don't.

I think you mixed up your words there.

The DA:O content was free to people who bought the game new, but cost money to people who bought it used.

 

[Greg Tito]

With the Cerberus Network, BioWare also might be trying to limit piracy. People who are playing a cracked copy won't be able to experience the "complete" game.

How does this stop piracy? If you can pirate the game what stops you from pirating the DLC as well?

I said limit. Limit. limit limit limit limit. That's another one of those words.

/obscure Farley quote

 

[Plinglebob]

Well, as long as the day 1 content is free, I see no reason to complain.

At least it seems they will take DLC for this game seriously, unlike what they did with ME1...

Hopefully it'll be similar to what they did in Dragon Age where the content will be free if you buy it used, but available for purchase of you don't.

I think you mixed up your words there.

The DA:O content was free to people who bought the game new, but cost money to people who bought it used.

DOH! I will perform the necessary punishment myself. *bangs head on the desk*

 

[ddq5]

Sayid? Like from Lost? Yaaaaa-
Wait... Zaeed. With a "Z." Dangit.

 

[Therumancer]

I pre-ordered and paid off my copy of ME-2.

I'm wondering what will carry over, and when you will get the items from the pre-order and Dragon Age Origins. I'm also wondering how the Blood Dragon armor will stack up to the Terminus suit, and if the DLC/Preorder/DO content is going to pigeon hole me into playing certain types of characters to use my benefits.

 

[Chicago Ted]

So if you buy this game used you get screwed?

Can you get any updates and DLC on xbox marketplace or only this "Cerberus Network" because if you can't there will be next to no market for used copies of this game.

I suppose it is only fitting that a network named after the three headed dog of hell would be instramental in takeing gamers up the ass.

Consider this, developers make no money from games bought used. They don't see a cent of it. So a good way to make it so a lot more people look at buying new is to get these extra benifits. Sure you can pay less and get it used, but if you pay less you get less. I see this as a fine way for them to increase sales and combat piracy.

 

[Doug]

So if you buy this game used you get screwed?

Can you get any updates and DLC on xbox marketplace or only this "Cerberus Network" because if you can't there will be next to no market for used copies of this game.

I suppose it is only fitting that a network named after the three headed dog of hell would be instramental in takeing gamers up the ass.

You could purchase it over the network if you buy used - and its a way for the dev team to actually get some money off of the used game market, so I don't begrude them that.

 

[JeppeH]

When I bought Dragon Age it pissed me off no end that there from day one was content that I needed to pay even more money to get.
Not to mention the idiotic task of registrering and unclick their stupid spam-mails in the process to get my socalled "free" DLC to enjoy the whole game.
And yes, I opted to not buy their extra castle-thingie and no I don't regret it. DA:O was a great game and at a 100 hours of gameplay I'w had my share of the fun.
But this forced registration is really really annoying. Not even fake blue-pill suppliers goes to such trouble to get my email as these guys. They can stick their "newsletter" advertising spam in their own personal high density collapsed stars.