Unsurprisingly, Capcom's recently announced "Versus" DLC for Resident Evil 5 is raising quite a stink from players who are convinced they're being nickeled-and-dimed, paying for content that should have been included in the game in the first place. Capcom recently braved the slings and arrows of their incensed fanbase to defend the five-dollar update -- they claim that the price covers development of the new features which go "above and beyond the initial scope" of the game, as well as bandwidth costs associated with implementing additional online multiplayer offerings.
Capcom explained the "Versus" pack, which will bring four-player co-op and competitive online modes to the game within "a few weeks," isn't just an unlock patch for content already included on the RE5 disc -- despite the fact that it's composed entirely of assets from the core game. How about it, gang? Have you come down from your blinding, Majini-esque rage?
Reader Comments (166)
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 6:17PM SoCoolCurt said
DLC is such a rip off in general. especially when it's set to drop this close to the games actual release. "within a few weeks" means to me it should have been included from the gate cause they probably worked on them both at the same time. you can't build an online component from scratch in "a few week".
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 10:22PM (Unverified) said
I hate how goddamn expensive dlc on consoles are and on pc its almost always free or in the form of a gigantic expansion pack. i might have to upgrade and start pc gaming again like the good ol days
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 3:21PM (Unverified) said
How could RE5's co-op be considered silly? Have you played it?
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:37PM (Unverified) said
I don't need four-player co-op, all I need is better controls and a bigger inventory.
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:46PM babysnakes said
It is probably already on the disc and complete, just like the Street Fighter 4 costume packs that we have to pay to "download". Pretty lame.
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:38PM wicko said
No excuses Capcom. You could just as easily release it as a patch, just like every other company. Since it won't contain any new assets, it will be small, and if it is not, then you are inflating it. Also, there are plenty of other developers/publishers that have released stuff for free that are beyond the scope of the project, I mean take a look at what Epic is doing with UT3.
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:39PM Birth Canal said
Typical PR bullshit. Please people don't buy the DLC. Developers will continue to do this if we give them our money. Why should we pay for content that should have been included in the disk? Didn't we just spend $60?! Seriously Capcom, you are slowly becoming the new EA. First it was the Street Fighter 4 ridiculous customer pack and now this? What's next?
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 2:24PM (Unverified) said
I heard you. That costume pack was retarded as hell for $5 bucks when it was all in the disc already.
I don't see anything "NEW" with the versus mode.. maybe there are new maps and such. and WHAT THE HELL IS BANDWIDTH COST ? game companies have to rent bandwith pricing on ps3/xbox360 ?
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I don't see anything "NEW" with the versus mode.. maybe there are new maps and such. and WHAT THE HELL IS BANDWIDTH COST ? game companies have to rent bandwith pricing on ps3/xbox360 ?
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 3:55PM Jack Tretton said
"...above and beyond the initial scope of the game..."
AKA "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda."
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AKA "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda."
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 7:55PM nandokun said
I am not saying that Capcom's actions are justified, but yes, they have to pay for the servers that host the patch on PSN and they have to pay MS to host the patch as well as the match making on Live. But, for most of the part, they wouldn't have to worry about the patch hosting bandwidth had they just included the shit on the disc.
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:39PM iamnotafish said
I'd like to try it out, but I don't know how well the RE experience will translate. I could imagine a 5 player Horde-esque mode being a lot of fun, but PvP would suck. You'd just sit there shooting someone else who's standing still as well O_o
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:59PM (Unverified) said
lol thats funny. I never thought of that. u have to stand still to shoot. man that is stupid. holy crap i forgot about that. havent played a re game for a while that would be a sucky multiplayer.
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 2:56PM (Unverified) said
I know it! lol, imagine Gears of War with RE controls...it'd suck ass!
Capcom, stick with the RE heritage, don't try to make it into a multiplayer shooter unless you plan to bring it's controls up to par with today's online shooters...which you wouldn't...even tho you said "The RE5 development team are big fans of Gears of War"...lol.
They should've just offered the horde mode only for 200 MSpoints/ $2.00 on PSN...
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Capcom, stick with the RE heritage, don't try to make it into a multiplayer shooter unless you plan to bring it's controls up to par with today's online shooters...which you wouldn't...even tho you said "The RE5 development team are big fans of Gears of War"...lol.
They should've just offered the horde mode only for 200 MSpoints/ $2.00 on PSN...
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 6:20PM (Unverified) said
Why should Xbox have to pay more? 200 ms points = $2.50
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:39PM skyzbig said
Like it or not, this is the way games are gonna go.
People will still buy it, and it's only a matter of time before those that don't get swept along.
Look at PlayStation Home. It's a rip off......yet still made $1 million in a month on a bare bones service because of people buying stupid things like jeans....
DLC like this is the future unfortunately.
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People will still buy it, and it's only a matter of time before those that don't get swept along.
Look at PlayStation Home. It's a rip off......yet still made $1 million in a month on a bare bones service because of people buying stupid things like jeans....
DLC like this is the future unfortunately.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:47PM Michelobius said
Home is completely different. It's true that it doesn't have a ton of functionality or use, but it is still expensive to make and free to use. It's not a ripoff unless you want the extra clothes and crap... and that's only if you use it a lot. It's not like you're paying for extra DLC on top of an initial cost.
And I don't subscribe to the notion that we can't change what's going to happen. I will only ever pay for DLC that is worth the money, like Lost and the Damned and the LBP MGS level pack. We are gamers, and we will not stand for this, especially when our hobby is already expensive enough.
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And I don't subscribe to the notion that we can't change what's going to happen. I will only ever pay for DLC that is worth the money, like Lost and the Damned and the LBP MGS level pack. We are gamers, and we will not stand for this, especially when our hobby is already expensive enough.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:51PM (Unverified) said
I don't think it's as simple as that. Businesses have been taking advantage of customers for, well, thousands of years in all honesty, but there will always be businesses that treat their customers well in the hopes that those customers will continue to purchase their stuff. For every EA there will be a Valve.
As far as saying that DLC including game features is the future, yeah, that trend will continue, but let's be honest here and admit that what we consider to be standard features has expanded greatly in the last 3-4 years. It wasn't that long ago when it was hard to find a game with multiplayer at all. Now we expect every game to have a full single player campaign, co-op campaign, online versus mode and if it has online and co-op but no online co-op, we bitch about it.
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As far as saying that DLC including game features is the future, yeah, that trend will continue, but let's be honest here and admit that what we consider to be standard features has expanded greatly in the last 3-4 years. It wasn't that long ago when it was hard to find a game with multiplayer at all. Now we expect every game to have a full single player campaign, co-op campaign, online versus mode and if it has online and co-op but no online co-op, we bitch about it.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:55PM Michelobius said
Good points Anam. I love the companies which treat their customers well like Valve. I just can't imagine how anyone else makes money any other way. Or for that matter, why they would want to.
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:59PM MarkHawk said
Your argument sucks. Listen to this weeks Rebel FM podcast on this topic.
Anyway better example.
I do see some franchises doing this such as Dice's Battlefield series. They can and have split this into 2 games. 1 Single player experience and 1 Multiplayer experience. Marketing is the same but price points and appeal are different.
Sure Dice is one of the few that could get away with a 60 dollar price point for both but just imagine if Killzone 2 sold it's Multiplayer experience for 30 bucks and Single Player for 40? What if Metal Gear Online was 20 dollars! More appealing sometimes to buy a chunk of a game rather then the whole thing.
Im looking at you Far Cry 2. I didn't need a Multiplayer.
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Anyway better example.
I do see some franchises doing this such as Dice's Battlefield series. They can and have split this into 2 games. 1 Single player experience and 1 Multiplayer experience. Marketing is the same but price points and appeal are different.
Sure Dice is one of the few that could get away with a 60 dollar price point for both but just imagine if Killzone 2 sold it's Multiplayer experience for 30 bucks and Single Player for 40? What if Metal Gear Online was 20 dollars! More appealing sometimes to buy a chunk of a game rather then the whole thing.
Im looking at you Far Cry 2. I didn't need a Multiplayer.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 3:37PM Michelobius said
I wroted an article about it.
http://www.examiner.com/x-3414-Minneapolis-Video-Game-Examiner~y2009m3d13-DLC-addons
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http://www.examiner.com/x-3414-Minneapolis-Video-Game-Examiner~y2009m3d13-DLC-addons
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 5:38PM (Unverified) said
"People will still buy it, and it's only a matter of time before those that don't get swept along."
I lol'ed.
You aren't being "swept along" by the inexorable tide of human history. You're being bullshitted into buying something you don't need and only think you want.
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I lol'ed.
You aren't being "swept along" by the inexorable tide of human history. You're being bullshitted into buying something you don't need and only think you want.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:41PM (Unverified) said
Considering that I don't care about a versus mode to begin with, it doesn't really make any difference to me if they charge for it or not. However, this is a fundamentally bad idea. Sure, you'll make a quick buck, but if you offered it free more people will experience the (hopefully good) multiplayer and that means a broader fanbase and increased sales for Resident Evil 6.
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:43PM (Unverified) said
...unless of course they know it's shitty and are just grabbing for what cash they can get.
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Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:43PM (Unverified) said
I really don't mind paying $5 for this. There's a standard, single player Mercs mini-game on the disc, and then this will be a multiplayer version. Sounds good to me. I love Capcom, I love Resident Evil. $5 isn't much to spend to support a company that's given me so much wonderful entertainment all these years. Day one purchase, no complaints. Besides, I spent $97 on the Collector's Edition (after tax) and another $35 for the hardcover LE guide (not that I need it now, but when I'm trying to 100%, I'll bust it out), so really, what's a few more bucks?
RE5 is amazing, BTW. Played about 3 hours of co-op with a friend after the launch event last night. So much fun!!! :D
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RE5 is amazing, BTW. Played about 3 hours of co-op with a friend after the launch event last night. So much fun!!! :D
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:59PM HighFiveJesus said
dayum, sounds like you just got cash to throw down on what you love.
poking around, i could have saved about 30 dollars on what you bought + 5 dollars to not buy this dlc. And another dollar for going playstation!
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poking around, i could have saved about 30 dollars on what you bought + 5 dollars to not buy this dlc. And another dollar for going playstation!
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 3:02PM Duke said
You don't mind paying $5 more because you already paid that much to play the game as it is - how odd. You see, with all that you paid for the game you really should mind. Your apathy isn't really catchy to me.
If I pay $60 for a game, I think that's enough for it to contain all the game modes.
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If I pay $60 for a game, I think that's enough for it to contain all the game modes.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 3:13PM (Unverified) said
LOL- The guide was a last minute impulse buy. I won't use it the first time through, only on my next several to see and unlock everything I possible. I know I can find the same thing online for free, but it's really pretty. I'm a sucker for artwork (being an artist myself) and it has an extensive art section exclusive to the LE guide. I bought it last night more as a collector's piece than a gaming tool.
And "dayum" right I have money to spend on the things I love! :) I work hard and this isn't exactly a neccesary expense, but it's one that I've been eagerly waiting a long time for. I'm prepared...
Plus, I'm loving DLC right now. The awesome experiences in games like LittleBigPlanet and Skate 2 have been extended far beyond the retail package and I love that I'm still actively playing so many titles, in large part thanks to content like this. What's a few bucks matter when you're spending so much on a retail game? Support your deserving developers and publishers and enjoy your games that much more.
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And "dayum" right I have money to spend on the things I love! :) I work hard and this isn't exactly a neccesary expense, but it's one that I've been eagerly waiting a long time for. I'm prepared...
Plus, I'm loving DLC right now. The awesome experiences in games like LittleBigPlanet and Skate 2 have been extended far beyond the retail package and I love that I'm still actively playing so many titles, in large part thanks to content like this. What's a few bucks matter when you're spending so much on a retail game? Support your deserving developers and publishers and enjoy your games that much more.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 3:20PM (Unverified) said
Gawd. End of the day-
It's... FIVE... dollars.
If you don't like the game enough to spend five measly bucks to extend it, then this isn't going to be your thing anyway. It cost more than that for a crappy fast food lunch. Get over it already.
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It's... FIVE... dollars.
If you don't like the game enough to spend five measly bucks to extend it, then this isn't going to be your thing anyway. It cost more than that for a crappy fast food lunch. Get over it already.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 3:42PM HighFiveJesus said
5 dollars bought me world of goo. :)
I spend most of my money on groceries, not eating out so i share your sentiment on fast food. But more importantly, i'm just a frugal guy. Not a cheap ass, but i always try to save money where i can.
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I spend most of my money on groceries, not eating out so i share your sentiment on fast food. But more importantly, i'm just a frugal guy. Not a cheap ass, but i always try to save money where i can.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:43PM osirus824 said
I will buy this if it's worth the money, plain and simple. (And it sounds like it may just be.)
I have no reason to believe, based on all the reviews I have read, that the main game is in any way shallow or short, so I find the accusations of Capcom shortchanging the customer baseless. Please people. pick your battles. Horse armor this is not.
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I have no reason to believe, based on all the reviews I have read, that the main game is in any way shallow or short, so I find the accusations of Capcom shortchanging the customer baseless. Please people. pick your battles. Horse armor this is not.
Posted: Mar 13th 2009 1:43PM (Unverified) said
Yeah, this is BS. Take an example from Valve and L4D. It's a similar situation where people thought it should have been in the original game, so they are giving the 2 more maps for free and a new game feature. F-U Capcom.
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