Downloadable content after a game’s release has become the norm in the video game industry, and unfortunately, the rather hefty prices for that content have followed suit. Need for Speed however, is a game bucking that particular trend. Speaking with Vice after the game’s release last week, Creative Director Craig Sullivan, when asked about microtransactions in the game’s future, stated, “We’re going to give you everything for free.”
“All I can say is, honestly, hand on heart, is there are absolutely no plans to charge for content in this game,” he explained. “I’ve seen the plans for what’s going to happen over the next few weeks and months – there’s nothing in there, by which I mean, we don’t even have the ability to charge you in the game. There’s no store to speak of.”
Sullivan took it a step further however when explaining the reasoning behind the decision. “Everything we’re doing is focusing on listening to what the fans are asking for. They’re certainly not saying to us, ‘Can you build a load of stuff and charge us for it?’ They’re not saying that, so we’re not doing that.
“I know some people when we do press like this, they say, ‘Yeah, but I’m sure it’ll all change in a week or two, or six months.’ It’s not going to. The plan is that there are no transactions in this game. All of the content that we’re going to give you – a pretty substantial amount in the future, starting pretty soon – is going to be free. That’s what players deserve.”
Need for Speed joins games like The Witcher 3 that have begun taking a stand against large amounts of paid DLC. On the other side of the coin however, there are games such as Star Wars Battlefront, set to launch next week with a $50 season pass of still undetailed content.
What do you think of Need for Speed’s ‘no microtransaction’ stance? Let us know in the comments.