Evolve director attempts to defend his $120 game

From Destructoid: "I don't like people thinking we're doing underhanded, dirty shit"

Surprised there isn't a thread about this already. Basically Evolve is a co-op shooter that was unveiled at E3 last year. It's an entirely multiplayer-focused co-op shooter very much in the vein of Left 4 Dead, meaning there's no single-player campaign. From what I understand the game's basically four players fighting against a big player-controlled monster, so it's like vs. in Left 4 Dead except you only get to fight against/play as the tank.

Gameplay aside, this game is notable for its underhanded, dirty, shitty price structure. If you play on consoles, you can't expect to buy the full version of this game at release for $60. Here's the cost breakdown:

Game: $60

Season pass: $30

Fourth monster: $15

Fifth monster: $15

Total: $120

It isn't much better on PC, either; the "PC Monster Race" version on Steam, which includes all of the above, costs $100.

Is this what gaming has become? Being forced to pay $120 if you want the full gameplay experience? $15 to play as a monster, which is basically the equivalent of charging $15 for a single character in a fighting game? There are literal F2P cashgrabs in this $60 online-only game.

No offense to anyone, but you'd have to be one hell of an absolute idiot to spend that much money on this, or any other game.

Already wasnt interested in the game. This is just a huge reason to avoid it all together.

The obvious solution is that no one buys this crap, because there's no way they can even justify the opening price tag, let alone the other shit.

No way I'd invest that kind of money in a multiplayer-only game, let alone any game at all.

This $60 retail game is a platform for DLC. Nothing more.

I started growing less interested in the game as its gameplay showings were happening, but this at least makes me feel better about it:

"All our maps are gonna be free," [creative director Phil Robb of Turtlerock Studios] told me again, and would do so a few more times before our talk was over. "Everyone gets that. Any of the monsters or hunters we put out are going to be paid DLC, but the nice thing about that, and this is something we pushed for really hard, even if you don't buy it you can play against it. So it's still not splitting the community. And not only is it not splitting the community, but it's enriching your game experience even if you're not interested."

Not like I'd play every hunter or every monster. And if I see other people using one that I might like, then I'll purchase it depending on the price. Or I'll just wait for a GotY edition that has a majority or all of the DLC included. :P

Or how about just release all the f*cking characters. Greedy ass. I hope this game tanks.

How they can justify $60 for the piddly amount of content is laughable. To justify $120 for 10% more content... 2K is straight up telling us they think we are a bunch of gullible rubes. Don't reward these chucklenuts for this behavior. I feel bad for TurtleRock because I genuinely enjoyed the L4D games, but I hope this crashes and burns just like Titanfall. A few more high-profile failures of this DLC strategy and the megapublishers might start changing their tune.

These complaints about DLC just feel kinda lame to me. If you end up feeling dissatisfied with the lack of content in the base game, then we can actually talk.

@JangoWuzHere:

The beta is available on Steam to anyone who owns one of the L4D games. All the maps play the same and you have about the same amount of content as Titanfall with an even more ridiculous DLC model. Hopefully that results in a nice sales drop before launch. This behavior should not be rewarded, it is on bar with the Watchdogs DLC/pre-order bulls*** a few months back.

If they are following the vain of L4D2, then they should follow the way L4D2's DLCs worked.

Yeah **** them, I'm not supporting business tactics like this.

Perhaps he should just explain he's what is commonly referred to as a "****", and move on.

$60 for this asking a lot considering the limited amount of content, that's a lot even if all the DLC were free.

At the very least, it's reassuring to know that people won't be shut out of the game for refusing to buy the DLC in the future.

"Everyone gets that. Any of the monsters or hunters we put out are going to be paid DLC, but the nice thing about that, and this is something we pushed for really hard, even if you don't buy it you can play against it. So it's still not splitting the community. And not only is it not splitting the community, but it's enriching your game experience even if you're not interested."

Still, what's to say a new monster won't require new classes of characters to fight?

I mean, who is actually interested in this game?

I think it looks like it could be fun, just not at the price they're asking.

When the pc has cheaper alternatives: that will arguably be better, such as Natural Selection, no one.

The game costs $60. Anything extra costs something extra.

pathetic....

Just don't buy it. I was thinking from the thread title this was a special edition but no, it's just extortion. For a multiplayer only game too. Nah.

But if you got season pass for $30 why do you have to pay $15 for extra monsters...isnt all coming DLC included in the season pass or what is the point with it? So it should be $90 for the game right?

Some people have no problems paying like $150 for collectior editions of games so this is no problem i guess.

It's a shame, I was looking forward to this game and enjoyed the beta for the most part. But im not paying full price for half a game. Dying light has a "be the zombie mode" which seems similar in that it's 4v1. And it's has single player, co-op and other modes. Probably get that instead.

Good thing that I'm not even interested in this game and have no idea why it's being hyped that much.

make me think what will come included on season pass if not the playable monsters

a bunch of maps? whatever it may be i don't think it's worth it lol

the pricing scheme is downright criminal

Hope it flops.

Between not feeling the beta and crap like this, I won't support them!!!

hipster tears everywhere

@lamprey263: "if all the DLC were free..." Before last gen people wouldn't even talk like that but since we've been conned that's a common way to think now.

Back in the day it would have been "the full game" which was the golden standard.

Wait... the monsters are not included in the season pass?

15 dollar monsters?

This game will be a DLC FLAGSHIP. It's their DLC Deathstar.
So if you do not like the idea of DLC, then don't buy this game!
I know I am not spending money on it. DLC can be done well, but only by a handful of companies run by gamers.

The game sucks anyway, I was extremely let down by the beta. While I agree that that pricing structure is ridiculous, most multiplayer games everyone plays does the whole season pass thing like COD and Battlefield. They're not forcing anyone to buy it. I've never purchased a season pass and don't plan to, but have still enjoyed the multiplayer in those games

I really enjoyed my time with it during the Alpha but I don't like when devs have content ready/planned from day 1 that won't be included on the full release :(

No buy from me, for now. Maybe during a Steam sale next year when the full content version is cheap.

evolve looks like it should be dlc for left for dead or something. only so much u can do with this concept. this game is going to suck balls

They can charge what they want. Don't like it, don't buy it.

If you don't sell me a full game, you don't get my $60. I learned my lesson from Destiny as to what blast the publishers and developers are on these days. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

I had fun on the beta but that has filled my urge to play this game. Like some others have said the game is fun at first but probably would get boring quickly.

reminds me of Bungie with Destiny lol

We wont, and it'll fail fantastically. Happy?

theyll see ... a middle finger from me ... nothing else ! Not a single $ ... What bullshits are these ? Extra money for more monsters along the full price ? For this boredom ? Are they crazy ? I prefer to buy 10-15 STEAM games im missing with 120 ( or less ) than buy a game that in the end of the day smells ... boredom!

I would spend $1000 on a huge stunning single player RPG, like FF9 for example. This is a once in a life time experience.

For random multiplayer game like this, they would have to pay me $3000 per month to play it.

I was interested in buying it until I found out about this. Now, there is no way I'm going to buy it and I hope the game flops to send a message to them and any other developer thinking about doing crap like this.

Man, I get publishers and retailers are pushing for reasons to get us paying extra for "extra" content, but this just seems like the developer has no pride in their work.

You can buy my FF9 for $1000 if you want :D