Well played, Sony.
While there are a number of troublesome trends in the video game industry (as many of you have noted in the Mass Effect 3 DLC discussion), every now and then someone just gets it right. I think because of the anti-consumer nature of the industry at times, it becomes that much more potent when a company does something on our behalf, or something that goes against the grain.
Today, Sony launched a totally free version of Killzone 3’s multiplayer mode for download on PSN. Yes, Killzone, one of their staple franchises. You can play the game with friends, kill random strangers, and even rank up – although past a certain point you’ll need to pay money for continued experience and trophies. Again, that’s hours of entertainment for the grand total of free ninety-nine.
To me, this is a bold and brilliant move by the company that just a few years back tried to tell us their Heavenly Sword player was worth a staggering fee of $599 with a straight face. This is basically the equivalent of Microsoft announcing that Halo: Reach’s multiplayer was going free to play. Obviously, the business side of this is that Sony hopes that it will encourage gamers to buy DLC packs, maps and so forth, but I think the results will be interesting to watch. A number of MMOs didn’t become profitable until they went free-to-play, so I can only guess that this will have a positive effect for Killzone 3 as well.
What do you guys think of this decision? Would you like to see other companies pull something similar with their big franchises? Go!
Source – CVG
*Applauds*
This is actually a pretty damn good idea. By now KZ3’s multiplayer has gotten a tad stale as everyone has a maxed out Sniper or Engineer. I’m guilty of the former, lol.
I think more publishers should have this taken into serious consideration. With games like Battlefield or Call of Duty there’s never any want for fresh meat (or n00bs as the interwebs calls them) just because those games have better legs in the online gaming marathon. I think to rejuvinate a stagnating online game THIS is the way to go. I’m actually tempted to play KZ3 again for the first time in a couple of months!
The proof is in the pudding! This model has been successful elsewhere, no shame in giving it a try. I’ll see if my newly-accustomed-to-Black-Ops “non-gamer” roomates want to give it a try.