Turn 10 doesn't want you camping out at the GameStop and waiting for the first trade-in of
Forza 3. Microsoft has
announced launch-day incentives in the form of exclusive DLC, packed in for new purchasers. Those who acquire
Forza 3 new will get access to two extra race tracks, Benchmark High Speed Ring and Sidewinder Proving Grounds, as well as the Legends Car Pack, a bundle of 10 classic automobiles.
- '65 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA
- '64 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage
- '81 BMW M1
- '60 Chevrolet Corvette
- '69 Dodge Charger
- '57 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
- '80 Fiat 131 Abarth
- '67 Lamborghini Miura P400
- '71 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R
- '65 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe
It remains to be seen whether these downloads will eventually become available for purchase on the Xbox Live Marketplace. For now, the content can only be acquired through an in-package token, shipping with new copies of the game on October 27th.
{ Oct 7th 2009 at 2:30PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Abir @ Oct 7th 2009 2:35PM
So say I pick this up used in a couple months from Gamefly, who only ship the game disc on rentals. Since I'd get the full package on a used purchase, I'd get the in-package token from them too. Does it have an expiration date?
Dirty @ Oct 7th 2009 2:53PM
I did this with Gears 2 and got the bonus map packs, only saved a few buck because i "kept it" shortly after I got the game in the mail.
Toop @ Oct 7th 2009 2:37PM
This is an interesting incentive. I guess it could be seen in a hostile light though, since they are purposely withholding content. Someone buying it used is paying less though, so less content for the price... something still feels weird. I guess the only people this will really irritate are they people they wouldn't make any money from in the first place.
If they are being hurt that much by used game sales, then this is a smart way to do it, but I don't know how they are going to measure how well it works.
The Baron @ Oct 7th 2009 3:04PM
They're only witholding content from people who aren't paying them any money, sounds fair to me.
Ghen @ Oct 7th 2009 3:25PM
It's a slippery slope though. What's stopping a game developer from going all the way saying you get a code with a new game that lets you fight the final boss and see the ending, whereas a used purchaser would have to get a $20 DLC pack? Games aren't like cars where the price drops off so steeply after purchase, used games are very similar in price to new for popular titles and are a totally legit form of business.
I think this is just developers getting greedy. If you want people to not buy used then make your game good enough that the original owner wants to keep it!
Prox @ Oct 7th 2009 3:36PM
I'm not opposed to this. It's much better than the "buy at GameStop and get X or buy at Best Buy and get Y" bull they've been pulling lately.
I don't think there's any chance of this NOT appearing as purchasable DLC in a few months.
AUS_JD @ Oct 7th 2009 9:52PM
Ghen said "What's stopping a game developer from going all the way saying you get a code with a new game that lets you fight the final boss and see the ending, whereas a used purchaser would have to get a $20 DLC pack?"
Nothing and the sooner they do the better.
Software is not something you own, you are licensed to use it that is all, so why should you be able to sell something you don't own and profit from someone else's work, and they don't get a cut?
Why is thievery so attractive to you?
AUS_JD @ Oct 7th 2009 10:01PM
Ghen,
Consumer law varies and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of companies and consumers trying to define, through the courts most likely, what it means when you "buy" software.
NOOK @ Oct 8th 2009 1:31AM
@AUS_JD:
And you have the right to resell your license. It's as easy as this.
johnnynumber5 @ Oct 7th 2009 2:38PM
It's smart and it's what publishers and developers need to do so that it gives consumers an incentive to buy the game new when it releases. You just can't sell the content afterwards in the marketplace. Stay strong and make the content available only to those that buy the game new within a certain window.
jarhead906 @ Oct 7th 2009 2:42PM
Yes, but that can get intertwined with the 'DLC' argument on what the consumer actually owns for what they pay for. I'm of course talking about content being on the disc with 'DLC' being available to unlock the content, etc;
See my comment below to see what I'm getting at.
atrimus @ Oct 7th 2009 2:58PM
kudos for the effort Turn 10, though you wouldn't have a problem from me had i been interested in simulators. i openly admit i'm in the minority, because scratch/smudge-free discs in nice, pristine cases are enough of an incentive for me to buy new.
i could see if saving $5 per used game turned to saving $50 by buying in bulks of 10, but i don't think i've ever bought more than 2 games in one retail visit. hence, i buy new unless it's some niche, hard-to-find, 2001 sixth-generation game.
copa @ Oct 7th 2009 3:01PM
But how effective is this? The game offers hundreds of different cars, so who will feel that they absolutely have to have these 10 additional cars?
The people who were so hardcore that they were going to buy the game at launch anyway, that's who.
I am perfectly fine waiting 45 days after launch, and picking up the game for $1 off of Goozex. I honestly won't miss those 10 cars, even if they are never available for purchase on the marketplace.
johnnynumber5 @ Oct 7th 2009 4:12PM
Thats a good point by all of you and I agree that it's damn near impossible to gauge how successful the initiative has been in persuading consumers to buy it new instead of used. There is no way to calculate it's impact in measurable terms. I just think it's a good incentive to have someone who was maybe on the fence about the game and this is maybe what pushes them to pick it up on release day. I like it when publishers/developers give oncentives or rewards to consumers who bought their game at retail when it was released. That should be a more common practice and there isn't anything wrong with it in my mind.
Jeff @ Oct 8th 2009 6:28PM
copa: I wasn't going to buy this game new. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE Forza. Forza 3 is pretty much my most anticipated game of this whole year. I was still going to buy it used, though, because I don't have a lot of money, and every dollar counts. But...FUCK, I can't pass up a '60 'Vette and the original (and most awesome) GT-R! Now I'm getting it new.
jarhead906 @ Oct 7th 2009 2:38PM
You know, I just thought of something.
If the leading game company's start doing this for more and more games, in order to entice the consumer to pay for the new retail game instead of a used game (in which they make no money whatsoever), do you guys think that eventually they're going to just end up putting pass-codes into every copy that will 'unlock' the game, rendering used games nothing more than a piece of trash? Talk about an incentive to buy new.
The Novemberist @ Oct 7th 2009 2:44PM
That will never happen...However I could see the gaming world going digital download only. That would stop the sales of used games.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 7th 2009 2:49PM
or they could just require ALL games have a serial number like on PC....that'll show em....hell I still remember that rumor years back about PS3 games not being resellable due to them still being property of Sony and you are just paying for a license when you buy them....dunno where that came from but I read it somewhere back in late '05/early '06
Ghen @ Oct 7th 2009 3:28PM
Chris.D : nothing became of that and also more recent software arguments like AutoCAD's current legal battle. The fact is even if a publisher/developer calls the purchase a "lease" or "license" its still a purchase in every other regard because the end user isn't obligated to return the product ever. Because of that they are allowed to resell the product to whomever they wish.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 7th 2009 3:54PM
@Ghen I googled the AutoCAD thing ( http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/10/autocad-resale-ruling-a-messy-win-for-first-sale-doctrine.ars )
and thats crazy. I didn't know you could resale software like that, crazy!! I wonder why no one bothers to do that with PC Games then? other than the DRM shit that locks it to so many installs
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 7th 2009 2:41PM
New AND those who GameFly....lol...unless they have some sort of agreement with Gamefly where they dont give those out when people elected to "Keep it"
Either way thats neither here nor there as I'm sure all those care will be sold later for $2 each....
Chief Oddball @ Oct 7th 2009 2:44PM
This DLC pack might even be available for purchase by anyone on day one, but people who buy the game get it for free. Seems like a good idea, assuming those cars aren't part of the aforementioned "400" that ship with the game.
Chief Oddball @ Oct 7th 2009 2:45PM
My bad:
"...available exclusively by way of a one-time-use token card."
OK, so no general availability at the onset.
psych7111 @ Oct 7th 2009 2:49PM
I think there will be a midnight release for this at Gamestops. It would be nice since me and like 10 of my friends want Forza and one wants all three, with renegade edition for DJ Hero, Tournament stick edition for Tekken, and of course the epic Collectors edition for Forza! The Gamestop I work at is thinking about it since Forza, Tekken, and DJ Hero all come out on the same day. There's even a poster in our marketing kit to use so we'll see!
Misfit Toy @ Oct 7th 2009 2:50PM
With as much content as this game already has what's another track and 10 cars?
uncle jesse @ Oct 7th 2009 2:51PM
More content?
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 7th 2009 2:59PM
you say that like it has 800+ cars ot something
Ashitaka @ Oct 7th 2009 2:59PM
A really small step to match GT5's content? xD
Snowblind @ Oct 7th 2009 3:05PM
I'm sure if they included as many variations of the Skyline as GT does, Forza would have just as many cars?
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 7th 2009 3:21PM
you say that like there are more than 10 Skylines in GT...lol
Snowblind @ Oct 7th 2009 3:35PM
Well, the PSP version has *50*.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 7th 2009 3:56PM
SERIOUSLY!?!? well damn....WTF is the purpose of that??
Bubbameister33 (Confused by Fanboyism) @ Oct 7th 2009 5:43PM
More content?
eNrique @ Oct 7th 2009 7:25PM
Yeah snowblind, but for now, I'll stick to GT5 Prologue.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3962248174_6a333aa2e0_o.jpg
WINterfang @ Oct 7th 2009 9:56PM
GT5 prologue looks terrible, look at those mountains for god's sake.
Kevin949 @ Oct 7th 2009 2:53PM
More game companies need to do things like this to stick it to the gamestops of the world.
GewurztraminerX @ Oct 7th 2009 2:58PM
If they wanted to "stick it to the gamestops" why do they have an exclusive special edition with them?
This only sticks it to the consumer.
Kevin949 @ Oct 7th 2009 5:30PM
Damn it, they do? Well nevermind then. :(
AUS_JD @ Oct 7th 2009 10:06PM
Kevin 949, Whilst Gamestop is far from a benevolent entity, the companies you need to "stick it too" are the publishers.
Activision, EA, Ubisoft etc. These are the companies that determine what you pay for games and what retail outlets you will buy it from.
See how it's a twisted take on how capitalism is supposed to work. It's all backwards. All the power is in the companies hands and very little with the consumer.
Kevin949 @ Oct 8th 2009 11:03AM
I've worked in retail, and I've worked for gamestop before. I know a little bit about a little bit.
GewurztraminerX @ Oct 7th 2009 2:54PM
I'm sure by the time I "finish" with Forza 2 in a few years and pick up a discounted copy of Forza 3 I'll have completely forgotten about this content.
Now, if this tactic started in genres other than racing sims I'd start to get concerned...
UnnDunn @ Oct 7th 2009 5:03PM
Gears of War 2 had a free DLC map pack for original purchasers only.
GewurztraminerX @ Oct 7th 2009 5:52PM
Ok, so I guess this isn't a new idea than. Plus, the more I think about it, the Rock Band Track Packs also give exclusive codes to purchasers of new versions.
Personally, I'm OK with exclusive DLC for new games, but what confused me is the mention of launch day incentives. It gives the impression that if you buy the game say, next year, you might be out of luck, even if it were new.
Chibi Chaingun - blackhivemedia.com @ Oct 7th 2009 3:02PM
The demo was pretty impressive and that's generally how I decide if I want to buy at launch (which is always new). I'll buy this new and play and play until GT5 comes out w/ a demo and decide whether or not I want to buy that one as well!
Kevin949 @ Oct 7th 2009 5:31PM
GT5 does have a demo (no this isn't a prologue joke, that's too easy).
sonic the plumber @ Oct 7th 2009 3:09PM
This is good content. The Benchmark Ring is a converted aircraft base with hangers and 4 miles of rough terrain. Something pretty different for Forza.
Deezul @ Oct 7th 2009 3:10PM
It will be for sale. Remember Epic saying the Flashback Map pakc would not be available as DLC, and the ONLY way to get it was via a new copy? Then Epic put it up for sale, which more or less ADMITS that the game was traded in and resold. Wait 5-6 months, or right about the time GT5 is released, and it will be for sale.
LunarAura @ Oct 7th 2009 3:14PM
DLC is just the biggest gamer's trojan horse.
captainprotonx @ Oct 7th 2009 3:21PM
Of course the content will be available for purchase eventually.
$$$ MICROSOFT LIKES MONEY $$$
Chris @ Oct 9th 2009 11:04AM
Don't be a retard. All companies like money. If they didn't then you wouldn't be playing games. You be throwing sticks and rocks around your cave.