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Ryse: Son of Rome to feature microtransactions

Xbox One-exclusive game to include real-money purchases for multiplayer mode; producer compares option to Mass Effect and FIFA Ultimate Team.

987 Comments

Crytek-developed Xbox One-exclusive Ryse: Son of Rome will feature microtransactions in its multiplayer mode to help speed up player progression, VideoGamer.com has reported.

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Compared to the experience in EA's FIFA Ultimate Team, or Mass Effect 3's multiplayer mode, the system will allow users to progress organically by playing; fast-track upgrades by making in-game, real-world purchases; or combine the two to offset the shortfall of in-game currency.

"When we talk about the progression system for multiplayer, it's armour based," the game’s producer told the website during a Gamescom demonstration.

"The way that you get armour is very similar to how you get it in like Mass Effect or FIFA. You only earn gold while playing multiplayer [and] you use that gold to buy booster packs. Those booster packs contain random sets of loot. The different tiers of loot that you get--whether you buy bronze, silver, or gold packs--determine whether you get rare or common items.

"One of the things that we did a little different is that you can buy them with in-game currency and real-world currency. The difference is that if you're close, we also have small microtransactions."

"Say, for instance, a gold pack costs 15,000 gold, [and] you've only got 12,500, you can actually buy the difference and only spend a little bit to make it go to a gold pack. So we offer some variety there."

The gameworld is reportedly being created to allow players to prioritise their upgrade path, be it for more gold, or experience.

"We were very good about designing stages as you play multiplayer, so the stats can change whether you're focusing on grinding for money, grinding for experience, or whether you're playing with a new player or an old player. There's a lot of ways to change and customise your gear," they said.

Published by Microsoft, third-person action game Ryse: Son of Rome has been confirmed as a launch title for the system. The Xbox One goes on sale this November.

UPDATE: Some additional details on how the player progression system will work in tandem with microtransactions, courtesy of Xbox PR:

"The progression system in 'Ryse: Son of Rome’s' cooperative multiplayer experience offers players the freedom to customize their gladiator with a wide range of armor customization options and upgrades which are accessible across five tiers. Players must advance through each tier by earning experience through gameplay before being eligible to acquire ‘booster packs,’ which contain in-game upgrades. Once players have reached a new tier, they may either purchase ‘booster packs’ using in-game Gold earned through battle, real-world currency or a mix of both, and then must continue to play to advance to the next tier (there is no way to ‘buy’ your way to the next tier). Players who purchase ‘booster packs’ with real-world currency will only receive a minor boost in how quickly they acquire the items they’ve earned compared to those who only use in-game Gold."

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FarginIcehole

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ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!??!

**insert coins/credit card info**

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Wargram

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Edited By Wargram

I just dont understand why people worry about paying for an extra option of buying ingame equipment. Its not like you have to do this! Only if you wish to speed up the progress.. I never bought one in Mass Effect or Defiance, it just took me a little bit longer. Its not something new as well. Looking forward to this game :-)

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m4a5

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If I remember correctly, we were warned that if the used games market became too big, this would start popping up more and more...

However, I don't care. It isn't a big thing and it is unnecessary for people who have time to play the MP...

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jrabbit99

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Edited By jrabbit99

I'm sick of games that charge full price and still have the audacity to use microtrasactions. One or the other, or else I won't buy it.

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deactivated-6446beea14a1c

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micro-transaction like in mass effect 3 mp? so you pay for random loot boxes... whatever... if someone is stupid enough to pay for something like this they deserve it, the best thing in mass effect multiplayer is getting the in-game cash, so i never saw any point to spend money on stuff like this.

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GrillePainMAN

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Arrrh! I HATE today's gaming industry..or just M$ maybe! micro-transaction is ruining the game experience for me...poor kids these days! They never will experience TRUE gaming, like NES, SNES, SATURN or PS1..those were the days!!!

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telaros

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Jimquisition wasn't joking. It's truly going to be far more micro-transaction heavy in the next gen systems.

Oh well, complacent nobodies keep buying this shit up anyways which make them include more pay to win garbage like this. At least it makes sense being on a Microsoft system.

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jefferson1964

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I guess folks here just do not see its whats is and has been going on...do anyone here play on a PC, well World of Tanks does the same thing...for the sony boys, did u forget about the Uncharted Series and the use of Microtransactions or did u forget about that or just fail to mention...and if you think the PS4 publishers will not use microtransactions ur sadly mistaken, more likely just a msft basher...so go enjoy ur PS4 and dont get a sad frowny face when microtransactions happen on your favorite release...its coming, but at least MSFT is upfront about it while sony and its fanboys just hides the facts that are easily found out.....

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straightcur

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haha. pay to win. have fun with that....

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jefferson1964

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@straightcur it can work, World of Tanks has been very successful using that path.

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straightcur

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@jefferson1964 @straightcur well you have fun. I wont support any game where money is a factor in the game.

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Martyr77

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Well not buying this game now.

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jefferson1964

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@Martyr77 why, cuz someone wants to pay up, big deal, just keep playing and get the required gold....not a big deal the game will be amazing, your loss....

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toshineon

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Whatever. If I get this game, I probably won't play it online anyways. I never play online unless I absolutely have to, in an MMO for example.

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biggnol908

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Did people complain when Uncharted 3 got microtransactions?

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jefferson1964

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Edited By jefferson1964

@biggnol908 u must be talking to the sony fanboys, lol....I play uncharted and never used their microtransactions one time and still had a great experience as I will with Ryse....

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Hurvl

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Ryse: SoB more like it, if I know the internet right. Microtransactions, QTE, it being exclusive to Xbox One - that's a whole lot of things to not like, some would say.

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jefferson1964

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@Hurvl and others would say who gives a rats behind...play and have fun, do not use the microtransactions, its the players call, no one is forcing your CC number out of you just to play the game......

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Hurvl

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@jefferson1964 @Hurvl Yeah, I know right. All that matters is how good you think the game is, if it's fun nothing else matters. It's not what I would play, but then it's not on PC either. I don't like microtransactions in games, so I simply don't play those games, unless they have other stuff to compensate for that.

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ssdd_again

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People saying the game is just a bunch of QTE - It isn't, they're not QTE, they're optional combat moves/finishing moves to get bonuses during fighting. You don't have to use them.

Not buying the game won't teach them a lesson either, that will just tell them that people don't like the I.P. all together.

If you really want to make a point just ignore the micro-transactions in every game (not the game itself), that's what I've always done.

Of course it probably won't work as Fifa UT has made EA well over $100m just from selling glorified JPEG files and other Devs no doubt want a piece of that. . .but we can hope.

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Snakepond1

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I hate micro transactions, but this game is actually starting to appeal to me. The Gladiator multiplayer mode looks cool and I love the arena setting.

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hadlee73

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They didn't mention that you have to pay for the micro transactions in sestertiis :P

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sladakrobot

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Ok,I am a future X1 dude and I am excited about the games line-up but this game died for instantly when i read "microtransactions".

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jefferson1964

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Edited By jefferson1964

@sladakrobot u skeeerreeeddd someone that payed up with a microtransaction to get that extra armor gunna kick ur buttox, lol....all the more reason i want to play....just to whoop up on the micorboys.......

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Fabian85

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Gamers should not have to pay for the game and in game content. Guess its okay if its just customizable appearance features even xp if multiplayer is designed so that different levels wont fight eachother. Bad idea. Even so it looks better than any of the PS4 announcements.

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zintarr

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PS4

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jefferson1964

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@zintarr u left out PS4 blows chunks.........

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Taffy872

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This game keeps on looking worse and worse, which is sad because the overall visual design and look of the game looks great. Just give us some real combat without quicktime events and take out the microtransactions and I will be fine.

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jon2435

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Edited By jon2435

@Taffy872 The setting is nice, but that armor... Wearing mail underneath the tunic, on the skin, must be painful. Not that Roman soldiers wore both mail and platemail at the same time. The shields are micro sized compared to the shields they are 'modeled' from. Just search 'roman legionary armor' and look at the differences.

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Haeravon

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Edited By Haeravon

@jon2435 @Taffy872 Lorica Segmentata (banded armor) and Lorica Hamata (chainmail) were the two legionary armors used... at least, iconically. I don't think gladiators fought in such a style, though-gladiators fought in exaggerated different styles, usually matched pairs. The armor and weaponry in such bouts were mis-matched to make a more entertaining show. After Spartacus, I highly doubt the Romans would have been comfortable arming their slaves and training them to fight in the style of legionnaires.

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pip3dream

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"Crytek-developed Xbox One-exclusive Ryse: Son of Rome will feature microtransactions in its multiplayer mode to help make more bank off its players, VideoGamer.com has reported."


There, fixed it for you.

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jefferson1964

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Edited By jefferson1964

@pip3dream just like they fixed the Uncharted series, there fixed that for you too.......

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pycho22solid

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I want to like this game, I really do. I enjoy Roman history, and it's a new IP on a new console....and yet, more news comes out that disappoints me. Shame.

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jon2435

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@pycho22solid If your looking for a better vision of the time period, take a look at Total War: Rome 2. It's set to release in just over two weeks and will run on a single cord processor.

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Haeravon

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@jon2435 @pycho22solid ...and you have to buy the Greek Cities (or preorder to get them). Rome 2: Total War isn't worth it if they're going to nickel-and-dime you for core factions. Just as well, after entering a master's program in ancient history, I find myself having very low tolerance for 'historical' games. The inaccuracies wear on me.

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emperiox

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Edited By emperiox

This coming from the company that made that garbage called Crysis 3, why am I not surprised???

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Pupchu

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Whats next..? You need to purchase a digital roadtax before being allowed out on the tracks in Forza 5..?

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Zloth2

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My god Crytek, what happened to you??

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mkeezay22

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Edited By mkeezay22

microtransactions = no buy.

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blue_shift_91

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if you people want microtransactions to go away, stop fucking buying them. they're only doing this because it's proven to be profitable.

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gino_pachino

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nice

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tomservo51

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http://www.penny-arcade.com/report/article/xbox-one-vs.-indies-microsoft-bullies-developers-into-signing-with-publishe

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epicgameresearc

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@tomservo51 Thanks for the article!

Yeah, MS has pushed themselves into a corner of console irrelevance. XBOX ONE is tanking in pre-sales. Mattrick ran. Ballmer is running. With no games experience, the woman behind W8 (not a positive) now finds herself heading the console division. MS spent billions (yep, billions) on new IP's only to still have a mediocre release lineup. Now XBOX ONE is pay-wall city, micro-transaction rampant, and anti-indie.

This is a prison shower cluster____.


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jefferson1964

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@epicgameresearc @tomservo51 ole epic dude, come out from under your rock....many things have changed...and u think PS4 wont have microtransactions, LOL...sure they will, just like the Uncharted series had them or did u forget...ur a sony fanboy, thats ok we forgive you, but dont come on here bashing unless u have all the facts which u are clearly lacking.....

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hateyourface

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@epicgameresearc @tomservo51 "This is a prison shower cluster ****."


Fixed.

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mkeezay22

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@epicgameresearc @tomservo51 indeed, MS has shot them selves in the foot at E3 and are still bleeding out, more with each bad move they make.

All they care about is profit and it's gonna bite them on the ass.

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sanchango

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@epicgameresearc @tomservo51 -____- this is an old article, they have since changed their policies.

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tomservo51

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It charges you 25c every time you miss a QTE

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ScreamDream

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It's not the game, It's the M$ plan. Be prepared to see this in all their games. Don't forget, on top of this M$ also wanted to take a cut in used game sales with DRM.

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hateyourface

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@ScreamDream For the most part I agree but don't go giving Crytek too much credit. They've always been a bit too arrogant for their own good.

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