Buy The Witcher 3 and Get 16 Pieces of Free DLC

[wAriot]

I really really don't want to like CD Projekt, for the very simple reason that if they fuck up/get too greedy in the future, they'll kill whatever few hopes I have in (AA/AAA) gaming.
But I just can't, they are just too good.

I have never understood this argument; it always seemed arbitrary to me. The only thing that really matters with regards to supplementary add-ons to a game (imo) is A) the quantity and quality of the content and B) the price you are paying for it. I don't care if it was made a year before the game launched; I don't care if it was made a year after; I don't care if half the assets are already downloaded; I don't care if it was made in a Chinese sweatshop with terrible conditions. Those are the only 2.5 aspects that matter (to me).

You don't care if they cut a fundamental part of the main game's plot and hold it "hostage" so that everyone spends some extra money? I'd say it's pretty important.

 

[War_Dyn27]

Hang on, isn't this basically the same as stuff like the Catwoman DLC that came with new copies of Arkham City? And wasn't there a big stink over that. Like that case you could look at it as a reward for customers who buy it new, or you could see it as a way of punishing used game buyers. The fact you could buy the Catwoman DLC too can be interoperated differently too, I mean Its good that you can buy it so your not missing out, or the publishers nickel and diming the used game buyers.

So am I just missing something or does CD Projekt just get a free pass?

 

[KenAri]

What? So they took 16 parts of the disc out and then returned them as 'free dlc'? You can't have DLC for a game that isn't out yet, guys.

EDIT: I'm slow at writing posts.

 

[Dalrien]

So am I just missing something or does CD Projekt just get a free pass?

They get a free pass...until they make an awful game, then everyone will haunt them forever.

Hi, Bioware.

 

[Rellik San]

So am I just missing something or does CD Projekt just get a free pass?

They get a free pass...until they make an awful game, then everyone will haunt them forever.

Hi, Bioware.

They get a free pass, because they don't do things like put DLC vendors ingame (HI Dragon Age: Origins), haven't really put out a bad product so to speak or if they do (i.e. buggy etc.) they soon correct it and usually offer some form of extra free content for the trouble, they run sales on GoG.com almost as regularly as Steam, offer better customer service and in general, just don't really have the same reputation for scumming customers other dev/pubs do.

 

[Abomination]

Looks like a "piracy prevention" system to me - and it's a nifty one. There are next to no downsides and nothing but upsides. Pirates will be forced to re-download an upgraded version of the game every time a new DLC is released in order to access otherwise free content. This way the people who actually bought the game get a better experience than those who pirated it.

As opposed to some of the opposite scenarios with games in the past.

Was it cut from the game at the start? Maybe, I guess? But I'm certain people will be able to survive without Sword #23 until it's released a little time after the game. It's supposed to be a 100 hour game as well, so if you manage to clock the thing before the DLC is released your boss probably wants you back in the office by now.

 

[Abomination]

People in this thread are incredibly dense. Probably no wonder because they don't have a clue how games development work and will just shout "omg DLC"

Looks like a "piracy prevention" system to me - and it's a nifty one. There are next to no downsides and nothing but upsides. Pirates will be forced to re-download an upgraded version of the game every time a new DLC is released in order to access otherwise free content. This way the people who actually bought the game get a better experience than those who pirated it.

As opposed to some of the opposite scenarios with games in the past.

Was it cut from the game at the start? Maybe, I guess? But I'm certain people will be able to survive without Sword #23 until it's released a little time after the game. It's supposed to be a 100 hour game as well, so if you manage to clock the thing before the DLC is released your boss probably wants you back in the office by now.

As a game gets closer to completion, assets and completed and the game moves into optimisation, bug testing and QA. What will the programmers, the content creators, the artists etc. do then? Sit around watching TV? No, if the company doesn't want to lay off these people and instead employs them to make DLC until a new project is started, whilst optimisation and bug testing and physical production of the game is completed. Thus it becomes Day 1 DLC, and since it is free there's no point in complaining about it.

Do your research before making wild and stupid assumptions.

There's this game called Cyberpunk 2077, you might have heard it's in development as well.

But then again I wasn't talking about how the company is allocating its resources, I was discussing the implications of releasing "DLC", not patches, at planned intervals with planned content after core game release with no intention of monetizing them - especially in the current market culture.

But by all means, just toss out insults at people who don't discuss a particular aspect of a topic. I'll be certain to have my full thesis on your desk next Thursday.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Meh. Look at the first to bits of DLC, outfits, beards and one mission. They could have put that on the disc instead of adding it as DLC. To me, just feels like they cut a few bits of pieces to give away at a later date. Atleast they are not charging.

 

[babinro]

Great news for the consumer.

Though..just like season passes, this news really kills any incentive I'd have towards every buying the game new. I don't want to buy an RPG and play through it just to find out that I've missed out on like 13 side quests and a few items. I'd rather wait until the game is truly complete and get the full experience then.

Why buy the unfinished game at full price when I could get it at 1/3rd or less when all the content is ready?

It's hard to complain about getting added value for free...but they've lost any chance at getting a new game sale from me as a result of their actions.

 

[erbkaiser]

CD Projekt Red get "it". Rather than bogging down the game with DRM and other unsavoury practices that hurt their customers more than stopping the thieves these methods are ostensibly designed for, CD PR instead rewards any paying customers with free extras.

I'm still not sure about getting The Witcher 3, but I am happy that if I do, this will be a nice extra.

 

[Sanunes]

I am surprised people are going all the way back to Dragon Age: Origins to complain about EA, when Ubisoft keeps doing more and more things that are worse. In Assassin's Creed 4, they charged players for "cheats", Uplay has never worked right, made statements about 30fps/60fps, yesterday announced they are no longer using Steam in the EU and proceeded to talk about how the game will be 20% more there.

Until I actually see all 16 pieces of content they plan on releasing I am going to hold back my praise for if it was at the same level as a mod for Bethesda game, for fans have released "hair packs" or gear for Bethesda games as well without any praise. If they release something on the level of what I buy from BioWare for their games then I would be happy and then consider not waiting as long to buy the game.

 

[deathbydeath]

I have never understood this argument; it always seemed arbitrary to me. The only thing that really matters with regards to supplementary add-ons to a game (imo) is A) the quantity and quality of the content and B) the price you are paying for it. I don't care if it was made a year before the game launched; I don't care if it was made a year after; I don't care if half the assets are already downloaded; I don't care if it was made in a Chinese sweatshop with terrible conditions. Those are the only 2.5 aspects that matter (to me).

You don't care if they cut a fundamental part of the main game's plot and hold it "hostage" so that everyone spends some extra money? I'd say it's pretty important.

Not only are you twisting my words (the cohesion of narrative components affects the quality of game and I apply the same rules to actual games), but it seems like your principles are either arbitrary or you won't think outside the box.

-If the first ~50 levels of Thomas Was Alone were priced at $5 USD or equivalent and the second set of 50 levels were sold at the same price, then yes because the quality/quantity to price ratio is fine (FYI each level progresses the narrative).

-If I could pick up a game like Max Payne 3 for 50% off in exchange for removing the dull, banal, broken, and offensive story then yes I'd love that because the quality/quantity to price ratio is fine.

-If I paid $15 USD/equivalent for Shank 1 and once I arrived the final fight with Cesar (the final boss) the game stopped and politely asked for another $5 USD/equivalent in order to play through the fight and finish the game then no, I wouldn't be fine with that because the game isn't properly adjusting the quality/quantity to price ratio; plus making it all the way through the game only to be abruptly halted at the last 20th and separated from the climax and high point of the narrative would drastically reduce its quality and by extension what I think the price should be.

It sounds like you are bringing up the Mass Effect D1DLC bullshit, and that's irrelevant to the conversation because A) withholding "vital" aspects of a game's story clearly has an impact on its quality and B) that story wasn't worth paying for in the first place. If you aren't, sorry for being a presumptive ponce.

 

[bumbledog]

More carrot and less stick sounds like a good practice.
Still I wonder about the blurring definitions of what counts as DLC, Expansions and updates.
These seem to sound like the small kind of thing Ubi would throw in to sweeten a pre-order or qualify as a "Special edition".

Until I actually see all 16 pieces of content they plan on releasing I am going to hold back my praise for if it was at the same level as a mod for Bethesda game, for fans have released "hair packs" or gear for Bethesda games as well without any praise. If they release something on the level of what I buy from BioWare for their games then I would be happy and then consider not waiting as long to buy the game.

Good point here, I've seen countless mods worth way more than the average DLC. Hell I'd pay money for a carefully arranged Skyrim modpack.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

I don't particularly enjoy the Witcher games (the mechanics drive me off), but CD Projekt Red is definitely one of the best companies out there, in terms of customer relations.

I'm eagerly awaiting more news on Cyberpunk 2077 though.

Why don't they just put it in the game in the first place instead of making it dlc?

A plethora of reasons?

They may not be done with it at the time of release? The dlc may not fit on the disks? And...ok, that's about it for reasons.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

They may not be done with it at the time of release? The dlc may not fit on the disks? And...ok, that's about it for reasons.

How about giving their content creators something to do after product is finalised to go to the presses instead of sacking them?

 

[briankoontz]

Why don't they just put it in the game in the first place instead of making it dlc?

There are two major reasons for the existence of DLC - to keep a development team working continuously, instead of the start/stop cycle of traditional game development. Whether continuous work is better or worse is debatable.

The other reason is marketing/advertising. Continuously producing DLC encourages the games media to continuously market a game, and keeps the game's name in player awareness. This is also one of the key reasons for public early access games, public alpha games, and public beta games.

Notice that neither of these reasons actually benefits gamers - DLC is not intended to benefit gamers. The first reason arguably benefits developer job security and the second primarily benefits publishers.

It would be best if CD Projekt Red stayed traditional and forewent DLC altogether, but at least this is the second best result for gamers. Many game pirates will reward them by buying a game they otherwise would have pirated.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

They may not be done with it at the time of release? The dlc may not fit on the disks? And...ok, that's about it for reasons.

How about giving their content creators something to do after product is finalised to go to the presses instead of sacking them?

Well, yes, that too. I stand corrected.

 

[Dandark]

Now I like CD Projekt Red as much as the next guy because they seem like really cool guys who make good games and have a great consumer friendly attitude.

But isn't this pretty much just the same as "Buy our game new and get free DLC!". Is this going to be a free download anyone can access or do you get a code when you buy a new copy of the game?

 

[tzimize]

While msot people might think it's purely out of the goodness of their hearts, this is mainly to reduce used game sales and to give an incentive to buy the game fresh.

Anyway, don't care about that. Absolutely love the witcher 2, but since I'm not a complete total retarded dipshit I will actually wait and see what the general reception is before I buy it, if it's like the second one, i'll happily spend my money, but publicity stunts like these, while nice to see, won't ever convince me of preordering a game.

Me neither. But since their track-record with me is flawless (both witcher games were FANTASTIC imo) and I generally love their company policies...I have it pre-ordered.

It must be so nice for them though, the rest of the industry generally behaving like swindling douches, milking everyone for their last penny...and CDP can just swagger in and appear like absolute saints. Not that their policies are not nice of course, it SHOULD be industry standard...but the greed and recklessness of the industry in general just makes it too easy for them.