Tira is returning in SoulCalibur VI, but only as DLC. You unlock her if you buy the season pass, or you can purchase her individually. Almost immediately after the announcement, there was outrage. Fans aren't happy that a much requested character is stuck behind an additional paywall at launch, and we can't blame them. It's an especially daft move when you consider that the base character roster hasn't even been fully revealed yet.
But at Gamescom 2018, speaking to IGN, Bandai Namco defends its decision to add Tira as DLC. Product manager Pierre Tartaix sheds some light on the issue: "I know it hasn't been the most popular decision, we had people being pretty mad, not understanding what's happening there." he begins.
"So, the idea is Tira has been a huge request from the community since we announced the game, and when we realised how popular Tira was, we decided to integrate her into the game. Unfortunately, it was late into the development process," Tartaix explains.
"The public usually sees a game when it's announced, roughly a year before it's released, but a game's development can take two years, three years -- it's a long, long process. So we started developing Tira -- her model, her abilities, her gameplay -- late into development, so we can make it work to be there on release, but we can't make it work to be in the game when we submit. The end of [the game's] development is way before the release of the game."
So basically, Tartaix is saying that Tira's inclusion was only decided upon after development of the base game had pretty much finished. The developer had no choice but to add her as DLC.
But if Bandai Namco's doing all of this for the fans, then why is she going to cost extra? Why isn't she a freebie for those who buy the game? We suppose the developer would argue that it takes time and resources to add a new character, so she's gonna have to cost something.
What do you make of this reasoning? Watch where you're swinging that giant bladed ring in the comments section below.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 26
BS reason. (sorry for language)
i mean for sure they would have known that she is a very popular character before development even began!
and even if they did not know beforehand they could still add her as a unlock for winning a couple matches or something.
there is no vallid excuse to lock a fan favorite character behind a paywall.
Well that makes a little more sense and I can see the point about the character being a late addition after game development was nearly complete. So I’m sure Tartaix will also be understanding when I now decide not to buy the game.
Fan-requested character of fighting game series is locked behind a pay wall and fans are furious.
I guess my time machine works and I travelled ten years into the past.
Meh whatever, I won’t be surprised if another fan favorite is locked for DLC.
They can use whatever excuse they want, putting characters behind paywalls just isn't a cool thing to do. Stick with the cosmetics if you have to monetise.
It's a stupid move. The money they'll make from the DLC will be nothing compared the sales they will lose from angering the fans.
PR nonsense, season pass and dlc for fighting games has always been about greed. Finish your roster or add it later but if you think the game should cost more then put up the price. I don't want half a game. It should be free or you should just raise the price aand ditch dlc altogether.
I'll buy it later then, when the game heavily discounted on psn.
This is why I hate DLC because it's not really extra content it's content that they cut off from the the base game to sell you later as a Season pass and yes they plan everything in advance, the only time I don't mind dlc it's like the ones they keep releasing on MHW which are FREE that's why I love that game and I will always keep buying MH on day one unlike this kind of games
"Hello. My name is Masahiro Sakurai and I'm here to make evwry other fighting game look like crap".
I dont get this move at all. Just...put her in the game as an update at a later date or at least announce the DLC AFTER launch?
What a bunch of bs, it's all about the money, like it's always been and always will be.
Yeah, that’s resiculous. If it was free DLC, I’d get it, but it’s not and it doesn’t change that not including her was a bad decision in the first place. It’s a dumb move, especially because they’re working on her before the games regular development is over.
So adding her into the game in time for launch is impossible due to time constraints, but having her ready for day 1 DLC is feasible.
Wut?
Is this guy a idiot he makes it even worse yeah its there on release but you still have to pay... 😑
@Bad-MuthaAdebisi Indeed make the game more expensive but give a complete roster. Did you notice the Japanese companies are getting worse then western. 😓
@GKO900 Even the small DLC is nice only changing your character should not have been a payed option.
Game looks great. Im cool with her being a DLC character but for gods sake announce it after the game has been released and we have the full roster
"we had people being pretty mad, not understanding what's happening there."
Essentially they're saying that they've done nothing wrong, it's everyone who disagrees with them who's wrong. These sorts of PR statements get rather irritating.
Don't know why people are so surprised by this. Hilde, Tira and Setsuka were always unlikely additions to the base roster due to the game's time period.
I expect all three of them to be DLC, if we're lucky, otherwise they might just not be in the game at all. If it was Hilde and not Tira available day 1 I'd be really happy.
They should have announced the rest of the base roster first before mentioning DLC I suppose.
I call BS she was late in development they created her well before and decided because of the fan request they sell her as DLC for extra income
I dont even care lol i just hope i can use my created characters online
why don't they take a page out of street fighter 5s book and let you earn the character with ingame fight money
Given the time setting of this game I do understand why Tira wasnt considered until later in development...but I think they could have just done a day one patch...offer other characters down the line as dlc but dont day 1 it. I don't even use or like Tira but I find this off putting.
@Gmork___ I would think you can. I remember 4 did.
I'm gonna buy a Switch and SmaBro instead. Yeah, it will cost more than just one game and a season pass, but the developpement perspective of Smash is so opposite to this kind of thing, it's like "if we want you to buy our game, let's make it the ultimate version possible". So refreshing.
This Soul Cal ? It's DBFighterZ all over again.
But hey, there's always worse. There is DoA 5. I just CAN'T WAIT to see what TN has in stores to milk us with the next one.
Eeww. Not cool. They should’ve done it like netherrealm did it where they added Goro free as a bonus to those who pre-ordered the game. that was cool and good business. You don’t announce DLC with a beloved character BEFORE even the main roster is revealed. that’s just tacky and bad business
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