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Electronic Arts has been making interesting moves to encourage users to avoid selling their video games to retailers and creating incentives for gamers to buy new versions of games. The Saboteur had the much-discussed breasts downloadable content and Mass Effect 2 shipped with a much more ambitious "Cerberus Network," which costs someone with a used copy $15 to gain access to.
During a conference call this afternoon discussing EA's latest financial results, EA's leadership said there would be more things like Cerberus Network in upcoming games from the company.
"In every case," said EA CEO John Riccitiello, "what we've seen is a very positive response from the consumer and each case, particularly starting with Dragon Age, a strong pick-up in revenue per user. By and large, they like the extra content and we think it's a strong positive move."
Cerberus Network is a in-game store for Mass Effect 2. BioWare has launched free content -- both missions and characters -- only available through Cerberus Network. Bigger downloadable content (think: Dragon Age: Awakening) will be available outside of the Cerberus Network.
"We've got similar strong PDLC [paid downloadable content] with each and every one of our titles this year," continued Riccitiello.
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Comments
Displaying 1–15 of 15
EvilJo
wow...well, since 15 is a fourth of the purchase price, shouldnt the content be equilivant to a fourth of the game?
DrowNoble
At this early point in the life of ME2, the Cerberus Network is NOT worth the $15. The Normandy Crash Site is rather simple for a supposedly "premium" content via the Network. They want to give this to new players free for buying a new game, that's fine. However, they better followup with more content that would be worth someone buying used for $15.
If EA is going to make this their new standard, then they need to drop the initial cost of the game. After all, I'm basically buying an incomplete game that EA will "complete" over several months.
Memu
So far there isn't $15 worth of stuff on the cerebus network. Another character (with a mission) plus a long involving mission might get it there.
cryfordawn
This is the wrong step in the wrong direction. Lower the price to $20.00 for games since you are robbing us blind with DLC and only giving us 25% of the game anways for 60.00. If it has E.A's name on it I just stop buying it. Tired of the BS they are trying to pull. I only buy new games but I am tired of the hoops we have to jump through to pay for a game
Tim_1138
I would be fine with it, if it hadn't been such a big hassle to register for this, link that, register again, and if you don't do it in the right order, you have to call support.
Warden626
Honestly I feel this is a step in the right direction. With the escalation and rising quality of DLC encouraging gamers to buy new so that the developers are the ones benefiting from the sales and not a cooperate middle-man then so much the better. I have never personally purchased used games, part because I've been fortunate enough in my life to not need to but largely because I would rather see my hard earned dollars go to the people that worked hard to provide me with one of my preferred mediums of entertainment.
If buying New means I'll have access to free DLC that enhances my experience then why wouldn't I want to support the actual makers of the game? I understand the underlying worry of some seems to be that this sort of in-game store would encourage developers to ship incomplete products but has that been the case thus far? ME2 is an amazing game by all accounts and the extras provided are surprising and welcomed perks. Now some might bring up AC2 but even in that case it wasn't as though the narrative of the game was incomplete and the new DLC enhances the experience.
After all if gamer dollars start shifting away from big name resellers and move back to the devs that actually deserve them do you really think there is going to be a decline in quality in the final products? And even if your worst fears come to reality don't you think the backlash of such an action would be great enough to prevent such a mistake again? Ultimately it comes down to a matter of trust and as vile as EA has been in the past it's the far lesser evil in this situation.
Warden626
Honestly I feel this is a step in the right direction. With the escalation and rising quality of DLC encouraging gamers to buy new so that the developers are the ones benefiting from the sales and not a cooperate middle-man then so much the better. I have never personally purchased used games, part because I've been fortunate enough in my life to not need to but largely because I would rather see my hard earned dollars go to the people that worked hard to provide me with one of my preferred mediums of entertainment.
If buying New means I'll have access to free DLC that enhances my experience then why wouldn't I want to support the actual makers of the game? I understand the underlying worry of some seems to be that this sort of in-game store would encourage developers to ship incomplete products but has that been the case thus far? ME2 is an amazing game by all accounts and the extras provided are surprising and welcomed perks. Now some might bring up AC2 but even in that case it wasn't as though the narrative of the game was incomplete and the new DLC enhances the experience.
After all if gamer dollars start shifting away from big name resellers and move back to the devs that actually deserve them do you really think there is going to be a decline in quality in the final products? And even if your worst fears come to reality don't you think the backlash of such an action would be great enough to prevent such a mistake again? Ultimately it comes down to a matter of trust and as vile as EA has been in the past it's the far lesser evil in this situation.
RickAstin
I figure that with the Cerb Network idea...they'll eventually just put all DLC through their own games....thus cutting MS and Sony out of that part of their profits...
course I like to speculate about all sorts of things that never come to pass...
-shrugs-
Canid117
First uplay now cerberus network.
A new trend in the gaming industry?
NUKEMANN1995
I just want some DLC... NOW!!!
IcemanMX
@TheSledBaron; I feel the same way.
I actually would compare it to trying to sell your used car without the passenger seat, spare tire or rear-view mirror only to have Toyota sell those things separately to the guy/girl you are trying to sell the car to. It's great for the car manufacturer, but it sucks for you since there are other used cars out there to buy that are complete.
-M
TheSledBaron
What if you bought a used book or got a book out of the library that was missing pages and you had to pay for the missing pages?
TheSledBaron
CREAM
DarkDoc23
BTW, anyone interested, new DLC just announced for Cerberus Network subscribers due tomorrow. New armor and shotgun upgrade. Yay!
TOYBOXX
EA/Bioware will need to maintain a consistent flow of DLC for people to really care about this Cerberus Network. If they don't, and they treat Mass Effect 2 like they've done with the first game with the lack of content, then this network is a failed concept already. As it is now I'm not comfortable spending $15 to unlock the in-game store if I bought a used copy of Mass Effect 2. Now, if a mandatory registration of the disc is possible then that route would be a better choice - in my opinion.
Displaying 1–15 of 15
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