Tekken creator against paid DLC – Video Games Update
Katsuhiro Harada, the producer of the Tekken fighting games has stated in an interview that he is strongly against paid downloadable content (DLC).
"I've been saying that, at least for Tekken, regarding techniques, characters and stages, these three things won't be charged for, even if they are DLC. Actually this is something my bosses have been asking me for quite a while now - what are our plans for
DLC? How much money can we make? They are a company, obviously, in it to make money. So it's something I'm continually asked even now," said Harada in an interview with Eurogamer.
This news clearly points out that most developers are not in favour of subtracting material from the game just to sell it to customers again. However, publishers are all for it since they get to make more than twice on a product that they have already sold.
Since they just have to recycle old material in most cases and there are no distribution costs as DLC is usually download only or these days already present in the game but locked.
Harada claims that all the elements that are necessary to enjoy the fighting game should already be on the disc; the fighters being the most important element of all. Having exclusive fighters as DLC breaks the balance of the game as gamers who haven’t purchased
the DLC will be at a disadvantage in the online multiplayer mode against someone who does own it.
Ironically, it was Namco, the publisher for Tekken and Soul Calibur fighting games, which started this trend of DLC characters in fighting games. Soul Calibur V was to feature cameo characters from the Star Wars universe. It was later revealed that Darth
Vader would be exclusive to the Playstation 3 where as Yoda would be only playable on the Xbox 360.
It was discovered soon after launch by hackers that each version of the game had the other missing character already included on the game disc but was locked as Namco planned to charge gamers for the additional character.
Gamers despair as many other developers who were initially against paid DLC have been ‘convinced’ by their publishers to support the game after release by charging for map packs, additional characters and costumes. There is no official statement on whether
or not the upcoming Tekken Tag Tournament 2 will have paid DLC, but since its Namco, going with DLC would be a good bet.
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