Lightbox Interactive's promised that Starhawk will have a surprising DLC model.

In an interview with Respawn Action, senior producer Harvard Bonin told the website that the developer has decided to give a lot of content away, though he added that the expansions will not be throwaway, joking that he'd be "happy to take your money".

"We rethought our DLC strategy and we'll reveal more about it as we get closer to release," Bonin revealed.

Even with a popular name like the 'Hawk franchise, the shooter category remains a tough nut to crack. We wonder if Lightbox Interactive is thinking long-term with its DLC strategy — giving away content to keep its playerbase active. It certainly sounds like a possibility, as the trend for current multiplayer titles tends to see a spike at launch and then a big drop as everyone goes back to Call Of Duty and Battlefield.

Honestly, if there's any game that can tear people away from the tentpole shooters — it's Starhawk. The title's predecessor, Warhawk, was a resounding success in the PlayStation 3's early days, and still commands an active playerbase today.

Stepping away from DLC, Bonin continued that Starhawk's public beta is nearing — though he wouldn't be drawn on an exact date. The producer was keen to stress his appreciation for all those players that participated in the game's recent closed beta though, explaining that testers uncovered a lot of balance and technical issues that will be fixed ahead of the game's public beta launch.

Starhawk might be flying under the radar a touch, but we fully expect the strategy flavoured shooter — alongside Twisted Metal — to dominate the multiplayer awards at the end of the year. It's a good year for fresh competitive online gaming on PS3.

[source respawnaction.com]