Shock and awe as RS Vegas Black Pack was meant to be free

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 29th 2007 at 8:30PM }

In one of the more joyful miscommunications of our gaming times, turns out that the Rainbow Six Vegas Black Pack, which spontaneously went missing after being on the marketplace for 800 MS points, was supposed to be free. Yup, you read that right. It "was originally intended to be free content for the fans of Rainbow Six Vegas" according to Major Nelson. All players who purchased will be reimbursed automatically in 8 to 10 weeks. That's a bit long, but we keep hearing that word free and all anger just melts away. The Black Pack will be back on June 30, with the Red Pack being offered for free as "appreciation" on July 6. Now that's what we're talkin' about! For those who purchased the pack, please make sure your account info is up to date so Microsoft can reimburse you properly.

Well, that's a pleasant surprise ... and we were just joking when we said we'd "like to think that Ubisoft was so racked with guilt over charging $10 for five maps (when that amount previously got you five maps and two new modes) that they pulled it." Turns out, they were. So much so that they offered the same content that is already available in the PS3 version of the game for free. That word just doesn't get old. Don't forget to download your free Wii browser while you still can. Free, free, freediddy, free.

[Thanks Felixlighter and Stan]

Tags: black pack, rainbow six vegas, RainbowSixVegas, red pack, ubisoft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

DocZoid @ Jun 29th 2007 8:34PM

..I think I just had hard gas and poo'd myself.

That's great news, another victory for the cheap bugger in me!

poster @ Jun 29th 2007 8:37PM

Woo! I own the Red pack but nobody really plays the maps that much, hopefully with these new maps we'll get some more variety in the maps. I love the new killhouse redux over the original!

blindfromthesun @ Jun 29th 2007 8:38PM

I love Xbox Live...damn! :)

qbix @ Jun 29th 2007 8:55PM

Yes please :)

Joe @ Jun 29th 2007 9:05PM

I don't love Xbox Live. Because to get things you normally have to pay Microsoft bags of cash. For example, lets take the Shivering Isles expansion pack for Oblivion. The whole retail game will set you back £17.99 ($36) brand new here in the UK, but Microsoft demands £20.40 ($40) in Market Place Points for the expansion pack Shivering Isles (A DOWNLOAD). WTF!!??

Microsoft are dirty money leeches. That's why I don't "love" Xbox Live. I think anyone who pays 800 points for some maps is a brain dead moron who has way too much cash to ignorantly throw at Microsoft's feet. They don't deserve a refund. They deserve a tattoo across their forehead saying: SUCKER

These maps SHOLD BE FREE. We bought their game!!!

Jake @ Jun 29th 2007 9:11PM

Joe,
If they couldn't charge for downloadable content, they wouldn't make nearly as much of it. Remember, as much as you wish the game industry was a socialist eutopia, it is actually a business where the object is to make straight cash, homey.

I love R6, but never bought the dlc. I rarely buy dlc, with Gears being the only acception so far. It gives me a boner knowing that it is free now. And I have all next week off!

Thanks Ubi!

mccomber @ Jun 29th 2007 9:11PM

That's great news indeed, but the cynic in me can't help but wonder if this would have happened if they weren't included with the ps3 version, which just happened to release at basically the same time...
Either way, that (hopefully) sets a great precedence for future pricing on map packs and other "small" updates, yes?

synce @ Jun 29th 2007 9:12PM

What annoys me is when people whine about having to pay extra for extra content. The developers have to make money somehow. You think it suddenly falls from the sky after working extra hours on stuff like this?

AoE @ Jun 29th 2007 9:19PM

@Joe

You might want to watch the way you throw brain-dead moron about... After all, couldn't such a term also be used to describe someone that doesn't understand they're paying the developers "bags of cash" and not Microsoft? Live Marketplace functions as a storefront and of course, as any retailer is aught to do, they do get a cut; but price point, etc. is set by the developer/publisher of the game, not Microsoft.

Also, this may trip you out, but not everyone's such a luddite that they don't see value in something that is delivered electronically. And perhaps you missed the gist of the article... but you know how you're whining that these maps should be free? They are jackass.

Matthew Mac @ Jun 29th 2007 9:21PM

People whine about MS, what about Insomniac charging $8 for just two maps? No hate for Sony, just big, bad MS?

For the record, I think they can charge whatever they want, I just won't buy what I don't want.

BNinjaC @ Jun 29th 2007 9:31PM

@ synce

I don't "whine" about companies charging for downloadable content BUT I will "whine" about pricing. Charging 800 points for a few MAPS is a joke, now 800 points for CSotN? Thats a steal. Use your head before you stick up for big business. It's people like you that are costing the rest of us money.

It's great that this is free BUT ubi are still the new EA!

wackyban @ Jun 29th 2007 9:49PM

I didn't mind paying for the extra maps on Gears. They were made by professionals and they are great maps. On the other hand I wont be getting these maps because I dont have a broadband connection and there isnt splitscreen on system link. System link is how I roll!!1!!

In case your wondering, I got the maps from a friends house on his cable connection.

kingofwale @ Jun 29th 2007 10:09PM

in 8-10 WEEKS?? What? are they going to MAIL you the points? Give me a break!

how about return it and return the interest in those points? 8-10 weeks for an electronic transaction would be like sending an email and expect to get it in 4-5 days.

Internet is a series of TUBES,

quazi @ Jun 29th 2007 10:14PM

im so happy i didnt buy them now i can rub it in my buddies face!

quazi @ Jun 29th 2007 10:15PM

aww damnit i bought the fucking first pack and now theyre free?!?! i could have waited wtf!
this was bad/good news =(

G1T ER DONE @ Jun 29th 2007 10:21PM

I download the maps when they first came out but just today i was forced to do an update that no longer allows me to play the new maps anymore. Something else must have happened to.

Jim Perry @ Jun 29th 2007 10:39PM

Maybe I'm wrong, but all praise should be to Ubisoft, not MS. Ubisoft is showing it how its done, they are still making money, selling to the hardcore audience the first few months with their DLC, then they swoop in, drop some free DLC (despite screwup) then offer the once pay DLC for free after it has gathered a bit of digital dust. Way to be a leader UBI! This is should be an example to all developers how to handle DLC. Kudos. EA is a joke and I hope they never get their hands on ubisoft.

Diskoboy @ Jun 29th 2007 11:19PM

Hey Joe,

It's called capitalism. Get the hell over it. If you think you can do it any better why don't YOU go up against MS?

I'm sure we'd all get a few shits and giggles out of that.

Tony @ Jun 30th 2007 12:04AM

Honestly, the WORST reasoning you could use for DLC and Live sucking is a freaking huge expansion that costs the same price on a PC. Do you want every expansion of that size for free? At least leech on to something that actually makes sense to bitch about.

Ryan @ Jun 30th 2007 12:50AM

Bah, I should have waited for the Red Pack to be free. Oh well, this is great news!

Dickie @ Jun 30th 2007 12:52AM

Great news. Just went to download the pack but had a slight problem. Turned 360 on for first time in 4 -5 days and it's now sporting a RED FLASHING RING.

I only have three friends who own 360's and now all of us have had one die.

- Bought at launch in March 2006 in Sydney Australia
- Always been in horizontal position
- Always placed with massive amounts of ventilation

...got flu this w/e and was really looking fwd to playing my 360 to take my mind off feeling like crap.

Awesome machine with a stunningly bad failure rate.

Urza @ Jun 30th 2007 1:11AM

Too long to wait for a free update and waaay too long to get a reimbursement.

Ross Wagner @ Jun 30th 2007 2:04AM

Yes! well i wonder if we get $ or points back?

ill trooper @ Jun 30th 2007 2:22AM

Joe, don't post anymore.

Ska Oreo @ Jun 30th 2007 3:09AM

You know what's funny? It's the fact that everyone is saying that Microsoft is evil and greedy, yet everyone ignores the fact that you have to pay money to play online for Tekken, a feature that should have been included in the game since the beginning. But you know since it's sony, it's completely allright for them to screw their fans over.