CD Projek vs Pretty much everybody else!

RedStarRiot

RedStarRiot

RedStarRiot

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http://ie.ign.com/articles/2015/01/26/the-witcher-3-dev-on-making-a-stand-against-paid-dlc

CD Projekt co-founder and joint CEO Marcin Iwiński tells IGN that the developer is releasing 16 free The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt downloadable post-launch content packs to make a statement against the “steeply priced” paid DLC economy.

“Because people just paid full price for our game,” Iwiński responded when we asked why the developer is releasing its next 16 DLC packs for free. “We owe them.”

“Yeah, we are making a statement,” he added. “We, as gamers, would like to be treated this way, 'Hey, give me free DLC.' It doesn't have to be something huge. And I'm saying we aren't giving out huge stuff, we aren't giving tens of hours of storyline here, we are giving small bits of pieces that don't cost a lot. And I think people would feel better about our game, and, so, they will enjoy the adventure even more.

“And maybe the ones who thought about pirating would not pirate it,” Iwiński added. “Maybe the ones who wanted to trade it back and get something else will keep it on the shelf. That'd be great, I would like this to happen and if not that's fine as well. I hope they'll have fun.”

CD Projekt Red revealed in November that The Witcher 3 will be receiving 16 DLC packages, free of charge across all platforms without pre-order or special edition purchase requirements.

Iwiński stated at the time that the developer believes consumers should't have to spend "steep" amounts for “lots of tiny pieces of tempting content” post-launch. "Haven’t we just paid a lot of cash for a brand new game? As CD Projekt Red, we strongly believe this is not the way it should work and, with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, we have decided to do it differently,” said Iwiński.

The Witcher 3's Second Playable Character is Revealed - IGN News
00:59

Launching February 24 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, players will be able to download the first two pieces of DLC on February 25: the horse armour 'Temerian Armour Set' and a 'Beard and Hairstyle Set' for Geralt. A DLC bundle containing two components will be released every week for free after this date.

"DLC, it’s small content," said head of marketing and PR Michal Platkow-Gilewski last September. "Like one-thousandth of the whole game. Why should you charge for that? If it’s small, give it for free. I know it’s not always possible or easy but this is what we want to give gamers; a little bit of love, which we’d like to get from other developers as gamers ourselves."

"DLC, it’s small content," said head of marketing and PR Michal Platkow-Gilewski last September. "Like one-thousandth of the whole game. Why should you charge for that? If it’s small, give it for free. I know it’s not always possible or easy but this is what we want to give gamers; a little bit of love, which we’d like to get from other developers as gamers ourselves."

This is a great move from them and one of the few developers out there who appear to be actual gamers. As they are not a large dev it likely won't create a wave or other devs following suit but the DLC revolution needs to start somewhere right? :)
 
Easiest marketing ploy ever; release menial crap like reskins for free. Genuinely surprised none of the big developers have used this before as a way to make themselves look good. I'll be happy to eat my words if they do end up releasing sizable DLC but what they've revealed so far doesn't justify the whole "DLC for free OMG they're so good!11!". Valve implementing the L4D1 maps in L4D2 was an example of praise worthy free DLC. Besides, if the DLC is actually good, such as with Dark Souls 2, I'm more than happy to pay. The likes of Evolve is the real cancer in the industry.
 
Yeah, Valve are one of my favorite devs. Genuinely come across like they care for their customers. A little harsh on CD Projekt though considering they have gave away free games via GOG in the past so they are not just about free skins. They have also released their games DRM free for years on PC as well.
 
RedStarRiot said:
This is a great move from them and one of the few developers out there who appear to be actual gamers. As they are not a large dev it likely won't create a wave or other devs following suit but the DLC revolution needs to start somewhere right? :)
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They need to be careful how they market this because how it's perceived could bite them further down the line.

DLC has two major problems:
1) Was it cut from the game and packaged as DLC to bump revenues?
2) Is this DLC worth the price on the tin?

By offering tiny components for free I don't see what problem they are really tackling. Beards and armour should be free, but making press releases like it's a revolution is a short term gain strategy. The masses will only remember that Projekt are the ones who said they'd give DLC away for free. So if in 6-12 months they release a premium DLC package people are going to scrutinise it.

That said, fair play to them for promoting free DLC.
 
players will be able to download the first two pieces of DLC on February 25: the horse armour 'Temerian Armour Set' and a 'Beard and Hairstyle Set' for Geralt.


Oh jesus hold me back.
 
There's plenty of examples of such menial DLC being charged for. As I read it, they're not standing against developers charging for what we used to call 'expansion packs'. They're expressing a dislike for the trend of charging for cosmetic changes, weapons packs etc. Say, the Blood and Gore pack in recent Total War games, Horse Armor in Elder Scrolls or a few extra weapons in Sunset Overdrive. It's nickel and dimeing customers for stuff which, in their view, should be free.
 
A moderately sized company taking the **** in such a way is hardly going to make them change their ways, is it? It's either pointless social commentary that states the obvious or a marketing ploy. Probably both.
 
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