Capcom: No online play for Bionic Commando: Rearmed the 'right choice'

by Richard Mitchell { Jan 27th 2009 at 7:30PM }

In a rather exhaustive postmortem of Bionic Commando: Rearmed on Gamasutra, Capcom producer Ben Judd shared his opinion that excluding online play from Rearmed was "the right choice." Said Judd, "After seeing the large amount of headaches, additional production time and cost that comes with adding online, I'm glad we made the choice not to include it." He noted that many digitally distributed games are plagued with online problems and that "additional sales would not have been equivalent to the additional pains" needed to add online play to the game.

While we certainly have to agree that digitally distributed games have their share of online problems -- something any XBLA user can tell you -- we can't help but imagine the glories online play could have brought to Bionic Commando: Rearmed. At least we'll still be able to swing online in the upcoming 3D remake.

Tags: bionic-commando, bionic-commando-rearmed, capcom, pc, psn, xbla

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Latin Trident @ Jan 27th 2009 7:36PM

Thank you for the information...

Lionbacker steamID: detfan1957 @ Jan 27th 2009 7:37PM

I can't really picture BCR online. What would it be like?

offday @ Jan 27th 2009 7:40PM

I'm guessing co-op.

mandrewcaldwell @ Jan 27th 2009 8:31PM

I'm guessing it would be like the offline multiplayer, but online.

RIP R.L. Causton - YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MISSED (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 27th 2009 11:03PM

It would be like a slower version of crash commando I suppose.

Levi @ Jan 27th 2009 11:04PM

Well, the vs multiplayer is a TON of fun... Seriously, get a couple friends together, it's a blast.

All I could think of when I was playing it is that it's a shame it's not online.

ice~ @ Jan 27th 2009 7:38PM

Can't wait until the remake

I played local versus on rearmed and it was really fun and it's pretty disappointing that there was no online, there could have been serious potential...it was so much fun trying to catch the best weapons as they parachuted down

zuburi @ Jan 27th 2009 7:42PM

Did anybody expect him to say "yeah, I made a mistake?" The only self-depreciating designer I know of is Molyneux. I mean, the Burnout Paradise guy kept saying that no race restarts were a good thing up until the latest patch, now they were mysteriously intended to be in all along.

AoE @ Jan 27th 2009 7:49PM

Todd Howard also recently agreed with some of the criticism of Fallout 3... not all devs feel they can do no wrong, and let's face it, we don't really hear from most developers unless they've become media darling personalities.

Nathan @ Jan 27th 2009 7:54PM

You should watch Criterions latest podcast. They still think no restarts was the right thing - but they are not that proud that they're not going to do it just because it was their decision when a lot of people want it.

thecmoneyshow @ Jan 27th 2009 8:34PM

Did the "restart" update land for Burnout (360)?

BigFat @ Jan 27th 2009 8:39PM

if you read the story from the link hes does the top 5 things he faliled at in developing BC:R
So he does look at the critism

Popfrogs @ Jan 27th 2009 10:59PM

@AOE: Did Todd Howard agree that level 20 locking and an abrupt ending were bad ideas too?

Gillfigno @ Jan 27th 2009 7:43PM

Bionic Commando Rearmed is the best download-only game ever. There, I said it.

Nobi Nobi Boy is coming soon, though...

AoE @ Jan 27th 2009 7:50PM

It cannot possibly be the best ever when Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is also a download title.

BigFat @ Jan 27th 2009 8:40PM

there equal

meatee @ Jan 27th 2009 7:47PM

I'm kinda glad there wasn't online co-op. A buddy of mine and I played through the game a few months back, and we both commented that it felt like old times playing an NES game with a friend. In a way, not having online co-op kept it more true to the NES original in my opinion.

Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Jan 27th 2009 7:47PM

Well there is nothing wrong with single player/Co-op games but I have the impression Capcom devs are being lazy nowadays or working in a really tight schedule well at least I hope nothing affects RE:5

Oh yeah and this game is fantastic but very hard.

The_Iceman2288 @ Jan 28th 2009 6:02AM

When the hell is trophy support arriving for this?

WiNG from LifeinaGame.com @ Jan 27th 2009 7:53PM

Capcom: I respectfully disagree.

albedos_shadow @ Jan 27th 2009 7:57PM

Well I disrespectfully disagree. So there.

Nathan @ Jan 27th 2009 7:56PM

"He noted that many digitally distributed games are plagued with online problems"

Does he mean like the PSN version of Street Fighter II HD Remix?

BigFat @ Jan 27th 2009 8:42PM

think more Castle Crashers

AllOrZer0 @ May 26th 2009 6:42PM

No, he means more like Castle Crashers for XBLA.

JAH75157 @ Jan 27th 2009 7:58PM

i freaking love this game.

End User @ Jan 27th 2009 8:00PM

Erm... wasn't this game supposed to be getting a trophy patch?

Hey Judd, less yappy, more patchy.

linebeginstoblur @ Jan 27th 2009 9:11PM

I'm really, really hoping that we don't have to read an article titled, "Capcom: Giving up on and lying about trophy patch for BCR the 'right choice'," though it wouldn't surprise me because Capcom feels the same about games like DMC4...

But anyway, they said to expect trophies around the time of release of the 3D one, but then again, they said this very soon after BCR first came out, and they haven't said a thing since, so I'm starting to worry a bit.

Levi @ Jan 27th 2009 11:09PM

I have been waiting to play the challenge rooms for the trophy patch. I only read the comments here to see if someone had any info on the trophies patch. At least I'm not the only one :/

doug @ Jan 27th 2009 8:07PM

I just want to say that Bionic Commando rearmed's multiplayer is the most fun I have ever had on my xbox360. Every time my friend comes over we look at all the games that I have and we always end up playing BCR multiplayer till the sun comes up. Its non stop insanity and hilarity. No other game comes close to providing this much entertainment. Sometimes things get so intense we have to take breaks from playing. That being said, I am very sad that I can not play this online and I will die a sad a unfulfilled man.

ice~ @ Jan 27th 2009 8:17PM

I'm gonna have to agree with you on everything ya just said....well except for the dying sad and unhappy part...

Professor Lario @ Jan 27th 2009 8:37PM

If by 'right choice' you mean me and many others not buying it due to lack of online co-op

BigFat @ Jan 27th 2009 8:43PM

but its a single player game

Professor Lario @ Jan 27th 2009 9:32PM

It had local co-op.

thecmoneyshow @ Jan 27th 2009 8:39PM

Richard! What is one of your posts doing on the PS3 site? X3F Fanboys are crying a little on the inside.

You just lost 25 achievement points!

; )

PS This post was a joke. I know how the new "Push" system works with blog entries. No need to point out the new changes.

Double J @ Jan 27th 2009 9:26PM

They actually went into pretty good depth about what went into the
decision in not including online multiplay on one of the IGN podcasts
shortly have BC came out.

Shut up, I can listen to IGN if I feel like it! >:(

VeHeMeNcE @ Jan 27th 2009 9:35PM

I disagree. If there was online coop, I would have considered buying it....

rohan @ Jan 27th 2009 9:35PM

i though this had online play or was that local play....

Professor Lario @ Jan 27th 2009 9:36PM

Just local...

Rob Accomando @ Jan 27th 2009 10:35PM

not all games NEED online play to be fun. lol

Tez @ Jan 27th 2009 10:41PM

Too bad, the offline deathmatch is a lot of fun, but not nearly enough my friends enjoy it.

Jonathan @ Jan 27th 2009 10:42PM

Man, who cares? Just give us the trophy patch already. There is NO reason to wait until the new Bionic Commando comes out and EB Games has a release date of June 2, 2009. Do we really need to wait another 4 months for a trophy patch?

RIP R.L. Causton - YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MISSED (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 27th 2009 10:54PM

Crash Commando comes to mind as something sort of similar with a PERFECT online component. I can see where Capcom is coming from on this but it sounds more like a cop out to me. Step your game up and make it happen.

Levi @ Jan 27th 2009 11:16PM

I was just going to suggest the same. Crash Commando isn't exactly the same, but it's pretty similar, and the online is stellar. Fantastic game. Should be Sony's flagship title!

I second the trophies patch. I want it.

I can totally understand the decision if it didn't make sense financially, but I kept hope up until now that they might add it someday :/ Don't discount a paid DLC Capcom! I'd pay another five or ten bucks to play the game online for sure.

SooksVI @ Jan 27th 2009 11:39PM

Mehn this game is real fun...im gonna buy it when I put more money on my account.

Ontoglory @ Jan 28th 2009 12:20AM

Lame and lazy. I loved the demo and haved played it local at a friends place but did not buy it die to the lack of online co-op. I play w/people waaaay more online than I do locally and the lazy/cheap omission cost them a sale.

>rasberry at Capcom

Ontoglory @ Jan 28th 2009 12:23AM

*off topic:

Sony fans, there is a very good and very fair 'report card' on the PSN over at IGN - very much echoed my sentiments about their online success so far.

Silent @ Jan 28th 2009 12:28AM

Bionic Commando Rearmed's soundtrack is the business.

Simon Viklund needs more props.

Hojken @ Jan 28th 2009 4:07AM

Capcom can't do online!!!

Look at Street Figher 2 - online sucks!
Look at Age of Booty - online sucks (if it even works at all)!

Magallanes @ Jan 28th 2009 7:29AM

FYC :Bionic Commando is a real frustrating game where you must play some level several times until you can pass it, in fact even the tutorial is so damn hard.

IMHO is over over hyped, its worth only for hardcore gamers (those kids that can play a entire weekend) but for the rest