Poll: Evolve has more than $130 worth of DLC not covered by its season pass.

[Bigggg BRIM77]

Taken from: http://www.polygon.com/2015/2/11/8018591/evolve-dlc-cost-buy-everything

Turtle Rock Studios already revealed plans for Evolve's monstrous amount of downloadable content prior to the game's launch, but even that doesn't include the more than $130 worth of skins and cosmetic items up for sale.

The game's Xbox One DLC hub spans four pages and includes 44 items that can be purchased a la carte. A quick breakdown: 24 are priced at $1.99, nine priced at $2.99, eight priced at $4.99 and three priced at $6.99 for a total of $135.56.

None of that is included in the game's season pass or the DLC associated with it. With the $24.99 Evolve Season Pass, players gain access to three skins exclusive to the pack and four new hunters. Hunters will be available individually upon release for $7.49 each.

The regular edition of Evolve, which includes only the game, rings in at $59.99. Players who purchase the Digital Deluxe edition for $79.99 also get access to the season pass.

Last month, following criticism in the face of copious amounts of DLC, Turtle Rock co-founder Phil Robb said the content amounts to "options, nothing more." Turtle Rock previously said that it will release any future DLC maps and game modes for free to prevent splitting the community.

 

[Frezzato]

To be fair though, all of those items are just skins, except for one item, the season pass--which also contains skins [https://store.xbox.com/en-US/Xbox-One/Dlc/Evolve-Hunting-Season-Pass/399b96af-eff4-475b-b3cf-53550cb2a64b]. None of the individual DLC items seem essential.

Doesn't matter to me though, I'll never buy this game. I got tired of shooting other players after the first Halo. Seems to me that games just haven't evolved since then![footnote] *wink* *wink* *wink* *honk* *nudge* *nudge*[/footnote]

 

[Bigggg BRIM77]

To be fair though, all of those items are just skins, except for one item, the season pass--which also contains skins [https://store.xbox.com/en-US/Xbox-One/Dlc/Evolve-Hunting-Season-Pass/399b96af-eff4-475b-b3cf-53550cb2a64b]. None of the individual DLC items seem essential.

Doesn't matter to me though, I'll never buy this game. I got tired of shooting other players after the first Halo. Seems to me that games just haven't evolved since then![footnote] *wink* *wink* *wink* *honk* *nudge* *nudge*[/footnote]

There's nothing fair about it. They charge you $60 up front, charge another $25 for the season pass (assuming people will still be playing this more than a month is laughable) and then continue to micro transaction you to death like its a free-to-play game. I'm sick of the argument "well its cosmetic and not essential to the game" as a justification for holding out anything in a game that set me back $60.

 

[Frezzato]

There's nothing fair about it. They charge you $60 up front, charge another $25 for the season pass (assuming people will still be playing this more than a month is laughable) and then continue to micro transaction you to death like its a free-to-play game. I'm sick of the argument "well its cosmetic and not essential to the game" as a justification for holding out anything in a game that set me back $60.

Are you interested in playing the game though? You sound as is you already have the game.

Perhaps that's not a fair question. While I'm not interested in Evolve, I guess it's a better thing to ask the question of games overall, but we'd be missing the big picture if we didn't simply ask if the basic game itself is worth the price.

I don't know just how valid or respected Metacritic reviews are, but there are currently 30 positive, 8 mixed, and 33 negative reviews [http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/evolve/user-reviews?dist=negative] of the game. Quite a few of the negatives are regarding a lack of content, which I have to admit, isn't a good sign. Oh wait, those are just the ones considered most helpful. The actual tally for user ratings is 80 positive, 17 mixed, and 86 negative.

I dunno man, I mean, what if the game price went down to less than half? Imagine that in one month, the devs realize nobody is buying their game, and they drop the price (or the publisher drops it for them) to $30, would the price and the DLC be worth it then?

I just want to reiterate my point that I will never buy this game. Titles that rely heavily on internet-connectivity/other players have never interested me.

 

[EternallyBored]

The Polygon article is wrong, or at least they didn't do their math right. The cost listed in the article fails to account that all of the 1.99 skins are included in the other cosmetic packs, paying the listed $135 price would involve buying redundant purchases of the same item more than once. The actual cost of all the DLC comes out to less than $60, the majority of that being the season pass.

I don't give 2 shits about the cosmetic stuff, as long as the default characters are fine and there are in-game unlocks for customization that doesn't really bother me, especially since none of it effects gameplay, and looking at it, the alternate skins aren't exactly super awesome to begin with.

The only thing about Evolve's DLC that does kind of irk me is that they have the gall to charge 5-8 bucks for new hunters, and a whopping 10-15 for new monsters, I can get all of Farcry: blood dragon for that price, being able to pick and choose would be good if you liked to super specialize, but people who like character diversity are screwed, I would be fine with that if this were a free to play MOBA or something, but after already paying $60, it seems a bit steep to be asking $15 bucks just for a new monster type, the game already kind of has Titanfall's issue of being a solid core, but not having enough additional content to justify a new $60 purchase to me, and charging 5-15 dollars for some new abilities and models seems to be asking a bit much for a game I don't see myself playing for more than a couple months if I did buy it. I suppose it might be mitigated by the developer saying that new maps and game modes would be free.

The only other thing is that the season pass apparently only gets you the first new monster and set of hunters and some skins, anything after that initial release is not included in the season pass.

Polygon article was wrong, but Evolve still has a wonky DRM scheme that turns me off the game.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

What's the point of the season pass if it doesn't get you every piece of DLC? These companies are getting ridiculously greedy. They want to use every fuckin' way possible to milk people.

To be fair though, all of those items are just skins, except for one item, the season pass--which also contains skins [https://store.xbox.com/en-US/Xbox-One/Dlc/Evolve-Hunting-Season-Pass/399b96af-eff4-475b-b3cf-53550cb2a64b]. None of the individual DLC items seem essential.

It's not about what's essential. Skins and things like that used to be a part of the $60 game.

 

[DarkBlood626]

I love how people say it?s OK because they are ?just skins?, I?m sorry but in the magical land I hail from called ?five years ago? paying full price for a game entitles you to such things.

 

[Flammablezeus]

This stuff has really gotten ridiculously out of hand. It's because of practices like that that I find myself hardly spending money on games at all anymore. I actually find that I'm becoming more turned away from gaming in general because of money-grubbing publishers that don't actually understand what it takes to make a good game.

 

[Bigggg BRIM77]

Are you interested in playing the game though? You sound as is you already have the game.

Perhaps that's not a fair question. While I'm not interested in Evolve, I guess it's a better thing to ask the question of games overall, but we'd be missing the big picture if we didn't simply ask if the basic game itself is worth the price.

I don't know just how valid or respected Metacritic reviews are, but there are currently 30 positive, 8 mixed, and 33 negative reviews [http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/evolve/user-reviews?dist=negative] of the game. Quite a few of the negatives are regarding a lack of content, which I have to admit, isn't a good sign. Oh wait, those are just the ones considered most helpful. The actual tally for user ratings is 80 positive, 17 mixed, and 86 negative.

I dunno man, I mean, what if the game price went down to less than half? Imagine that in one month, the devs realize nobody is buying their game, and they drop the price (or the publisher drops it for them) to $30, would the price and the DLC be worth it then?

I just want to reiterate my point that I will never buy this game. Titles that rely heavily on internet-connectivity/other players have never interested me.

I'm interested in playing the game, but I won't be buying it at any price. Paying for games from companies that abuse the trust of their customers is not something I'm willing to reward.

 

[Olrod]

Evolve is basically just a DLC shop with a shooting game added on to it.

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

I've had my eye on Evolve for some time and more or less have been ignoring all the controversy surrounding Turtle Rock's DLC mentality, on account of how much I enjoyed both Left 4 Dead titles more than anything else. That being said, I can understand how this DLC news that keeps coming out of the new studio's first independent title might hurt the company's reputation.

Is the fact that these DLC options are just cosmetic skins than anything else really that large of a problem though? It doesn't seem to me like that large of an issue. Sure, the fact that none of that DLC is included in the season pass is an eyebrow-raising move, but...they're skins. Cosmetics. Fancy coats of paint for a few bucks.

Sorry, but I'm more on Turtle Rock's side. I've spent a lot of money under similar circumstances in Team Fortress 2, and this kind of DLC doesn't appear to be any different. The average customer playing Evolve doesn't have to buy all of that DLC, it's completely optional.

Unless you lot are all bent out of shape because it "sends the wrong message that this is okay." If you don't like it, don't buy it.

Vote with your wallets, people. That's all there is to it.

 

[sXeth]

The only thing about Evolve's DLC that does kind of irk me is that they have the gall to charge 5-8 bucks for new hunters, and a whopping 10-15 for new monsters, I can get all of Farcry: blood dragon for that price, being able to pick and choose would be good if you liked to super specialize, but people who like character diversity are screwed, I would be fine with that if this were a free to play MOBA or something, but after already paying $60, it seems a bit steep to be asking $15 bucks just for a new monster type, the game already kind of has Titanfall's issue of being a solid core, but not having enough additional content to justify a new $60 purchase to me, and charging 5-15 dollars for some new abilities and models seems to be asking a bit much for a game I don't see myself playing for more than a couple months if I did buy it. I suppose it might be mitigated by the developer saying that new maps and game modes would be free.

The only other thing is that the season pass apparently only gets you the first new monster and set of hunters and some skins, anything after that initial release is not included in the season pass.

Polygon article was wrong, but Evolve still has a wonky DRM scheme that turns me off the game.

Yeah, I can buy whole games for the cost of Evolve's one monster DLC. I'm doubting it adds that much to the gameplay considering that you'll only spend 20% of your time as the monster anyways statistically (its one available slot in a 5 player format). The Season Pass (but not really) just further highlights how wonky their marketing is.

 

[Rozalia1]

It's not about what's essential. Skins and things like that used to be a part of the $60 game.

If these skins are made afterwards than they'd have to delay the game to fit them in, and instead of doing that they'd just not make them.

Additionally there is no "used to be a part of the $60 game" business going on whatever anyone says. Some games did it in the past and others didn't...today some do it and others don't.

 

[shintakie10]

Planning on buying it eventually. Honestly tempted to right now since GMG has it for 40 bucks.

I do think 15 bucks for a monster is a bit much, but I don't think 8 bucks for a hunter is. Really microtransactions stop feeling very micro at 10 dollars for myself, unless you can supplement the cost with in game cash (god I love STO for doing that).

Then again, I have bought no less than 3 mounts from the Blizzard store so my opinion probably isn't valid to a lot of you.

 

[Rayce Archer]

Getting an honest review on Evolve from players is proving to be next to impossible. All of them are more or less "Evolve could be a great game but man motherfuck a DLC."

I think I gotta go with Z though- if you buy the base game no maps or gametypes will ever be cut off to you, the DLC is only for a handful of character classes and e-peen waggling vanity items. If that bothers you then think of it like this. Do you play TF2? Do you have every hat? Do you play LoL or DoTA2? Do you have every hero? This is the sales model the devs chose because its a proven moneymaker, they haven't gone F2P because they feel the effort in their core game justifies a new-game pricetag. And that should be the only criteria for whether Evolve is worth it: is the base game that you get right out of the box (on Steam) worth sixty bucks?

If it is then buy it, if it isn't then don't. Same as always.

Capcha: easy as cake. Yes it is.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

It's not about what's essential. Skins and things like that used to be a part of the $60 game.

But you know what Developers would say to that.

"It used to be that a game company could survive on just selling a 60 dollar game alone. But with all the Triple A costs..."

I'm going to be a Electric Engineer by trade, so I don't know if that's all Bollocks (it does feel like it, though). But we've all seen Triple A games selling a good amount, like three million or so, and STILL not making enough money to re-coup or justify sequels in the minds of Publishers. Enough that a few million can actually damage a company's earning, like Square Enix [http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/09/09/square-enix-reiterates-commercial-failure-of-top-titles.aspx].

I've literally lost count on how many companies who made good games closed because sales don't meet their needs, or the publisher's wishes.

I'm not partially bleeding for Turtle Rock. Everyone in the world has a copy of Left4dead. They are ok financially.

But I do get the undercurrent of fear that might be running in these developers' minds. Hell, Not even the almighty Sony is immune to these layoffs [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/139803-everquest-developer-daybreak-game-company-layoffs-sony-online-entertainment]. And I also know some people are just freaking greedy. We'll never know which it truly is.

 

[gigastar]

Now if it was $130 of actual content, i would be a little miffed.

But its not actual content. Its cosmetics.

Dont tell us to hate a game just because its keeping some silly bauble behind a paywall.

Though frankly, i would have bought Evolve if MH4U wasnt also coming out this week. I know which game im going to be spending many, many hours on.

Maybe ill pick it up on a Steam sale. That PC Monster Race edition would look lovely with a 50% off tag applied.

 

[Darknacht]

People are always crying about DLC, if you don't like the pricing model don't support it.
Besides video gaming has it easy, ask any one who is really in to pen and paper RPGs how much they have spent on additional books(many games launch with a core book and at least 2 others and will continue pumping more books out as fast as they can), same with board games(Arkham Horror is a $60 game with $300 of content expansions, and around $620 in cosmetic expansions, and Kingdom Death: Monsters launched at $225 with iirc well over a thousand dollars of expansions and god knows how much in collectibles), and if you really want an expensive type of game look at tabletop miniature wargames(time to go mortgage your house to start your 40K army).

The pricing of most types of games has continued to become more and more flexible and video game pricing is going do the same as time goes on, and this is not a bad thing, it allows developers to decide what pricing model fits their needs and that of their communities. And if you think something with worth the money then buy it if not then don't, game companies will quickly figure out how much or how little their community an afford and what pricing models they will accept.
The current ideas that a AAA game has to launch complete at $50-$60 and that indie games have to launch at cheaper is silly and restrictive, not all games cost the same amount to make and have the same audience size. If a game needs to launch at $5 or $100 and sell $1000 dollars of DLC to make it worth developing thats fine, if its worth the money to you then buy it if not then don't. Will this mean that there are games you would like to play, or content for your games that you would like to have, that you can't afford? Of course, there are always thing you will want that you can't afford, that is life.

 

[JCAll]

I have no idea why anyone would buy costumes for a first-person shooter. You can't even see them. There is literally 0 reason to do this.

 

[EternallyBored]

Well I would of blown a fuse over Evolve charging us $7.99 per character and having DLCs costing up to $135 ... but then I realized something interesting. Doesn't Team Fortress 2 have this feature? If you go to their online shop, all cosmetics for any class are at least $4.99 or more. Granted, the game is free to play plus you get all the classes + item drops and such, but to get the really nice stuff you got to pay. Heck to open a crate, you must buy a crate key.

I never heard anyone rant over that operation. I guess it's because TF2 is such an amazing game with such a friendly-approach to consumers that people do not mind blowing their money. Plus TF2 allows people to run their own trades + websites to manage trades. Scrap metals for stuff, and refined metals for 'better' stuff, then so on.

In the end, I can't get to upset over Evolve. I dislike how they're holding Hunters from us and charging such outrageous prices for skins + characters + stuff ... buuuutttt ... they're not the first to do this. I'll simply not get the game, mainly because the demo didn't impress me all to much.

I think people mostly give TF2 a pass because you can get pretty much all that cosmetic stuff without paying, you can trade or craft almost anything in the game. That the game is free to play on top of that would be another bonus, meaning that if you wanted to spend just the initial $60 asking price of Evolve, you could get TF2 and quite a lot of customization items right away rather than paying $60 for just the game and piling more money on top of that to get more customization options.

I definitely agree on the demo, like I said in my first post on this topic, this game reminds me a lot of the situation that Titanfall was in, its got a good core that a lot of people like, but it lacks content and modes at launch to give it staying power. Unfortunately, like Titanfall, this means the game will probably lose a large chunk of its playerbase in a couple of months, which is murder on a game where multiplayer is pretty much your only option (matches against bots do not count as a fleshed out single player experience).