Home Gaming Killer Instinct is the world’s most generous demo

Killer Instinct is the world’s most generous demo

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Killer-Instinct-1

For a next-gen game, Killer Instinct certainly is taking a different route in getting interest pumped up for that console. While all the other games are going to cost you plenty of Rands, Killer Instinct will be a F2P launch title. Actually, no, scratch that. It’s a demo.

Speaking to Eurogamer, Microsft’s Ken Lobb described Killer Instinct as the world’s most generous demo. “I just want to get as many people playing as I can”, Lobb said.

Some people are like, ‘oh, free-to-play.’ No. It’s not free-to-play. What is free-to-play? It’s a thing you really can’t ever own at all. Day one, if you want to buy our game, buy it. You own it. There’s no grind for little coins that unlock things later. None of that.

So how exactly does this “demo” work then? Take it away Lobb, I’m too drunk right now to be comprehensibleuthg:

The free part is, day one, you can download Jago for free and you get the whole game with Jago. The story mode comes later, but you get his full tutorial, full practice mode and you can go online and play against everybody. So you have the full game with just Jago.

Then if you decide you like Thunder for example, you can buy Thunder for five bucks or equivalent. Maybe that’s all you want, so why should you have to pay forty bucks? Just pay five and then you have Thunder. If you buy the $40 pack, there are a couple of other little things you’ll be able to buy, but you’re done. It’s not like there’s some buy coins to unlock thing. That’s why I’ve always said this is not a free-to-play game.

“I like to call it, we’ve just made the world’s most generous demo. And if you want to buy the game as a bunch of little premium DLCs, go ahead. It’s not free-to-play.

Microsoft also plans to release the game in “seasons” adding eight characters to the mix each year. As weird as an idea it is, I actually like it. The real hang-up here though, is how will a gamer know which character they want? If there’s an option to playtest them before committing some cash, then this could work.

Still considering how much of a mark-up next-gen games are probably going to have next year, this could be the cheaper alternative. Provided that our dear president doesn’t make anymore speeches.

Last Updated: August 27, 2013

18 Comments

  1. I actually like the idea too. I mean, I only ever play one or two characters in SF, usually Ryu if I want to humiliate OVG trololo! So the idea of a ‘pic’n’mix’ makes some sense. Unlike the way Lobb informed us about it though 0-O

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      August 27, 2013 at 15:00

      How do you humiliate OTHER people by playing Ryu? trollol

      Reply

      • RinceThisandbeAbsurd

        August 27, 2013 at 15:06

        Ha du SHUT THE HELL UP!

        Reply

      • Admiral Chief Raider of Tombs

        August 27, 2013 at 15:49

        HAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

        Reply

  2. Umar Kiiroi Senk?

    August 27, 2013 at 14:50

    I wonder all the DLC exceeds a regular priced game

    Reply

    • RinceThisandbeAbsurd

      August 27, 2013 at 14:51

      My thoughts too. If they don’t, you know, rather they get the game and divide it by the number of characters, and then some other features, it could work…

      Reply

      • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

        August 27, 2013 at 14:53

        Yup, it’s not a bad idea for a fighting game or Racing game too. but it would probably be more expensive though, if it costs 5 dollars per characters, I am sure there are more than 12 characters

        Reply

        • DarthofZA

          August 27, 2013 at 14:57

          Or you could just buy the full game and get everything. I have no problem with all the different things you can buy coming up to R2000, as long as I can get everything for a normal price. Then, if you want to add a single character, the option is there, or if you want the full game at a normal price, the option is there.

          Reply

          • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

            August 27, 2013 at 15:00

            Indeed, it’s a cool model I must admit. is there going to be a retail version of this game?

          • DarthofZA

            August 27, 2013 at 15:34

            According to Walmart there is, and it will be the normal $59 game. Also, the explanation about how it is going to work from gamescom kinda hints at a retail version existing, so I think there will be.

          • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

            August 27, 2013 at 15:44

            they’ve said numerous times it’ll be available as a full retail game as well.

          • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

            August 27, 2013 at 15:48

            Oh okay, cool, never really took note of it though.thanx

  3. Todd

    August 27, 2013 at 15:53

    ULLLLLLLLLLLLLLTRA COMBO!!!!!!

    Reply

  4. Pieter Kruger

    August 27, 2013 at 16:29

    Ken’s just confusing me! I’ll just get the full retail version and done! Good times!

    Reply

  5. Johan Fourie

    August 27, 2013 at 16:58

    Dafuq is that tiger doing to that pillar?

    Reply

  6. Brian Murphy

    August 28, 2013 at 06:14

    Yeah…because everyone who plays Killer Instinct is 100% about the single player…and Jago vs Jago fights. Sounds like a brilliant strategy. Though, I’m sure gamer’s will suck it up like the bottom feeding mollusks they are, with zero concern as to the long term ramifications on the gaming industry. Hasn’t happened before, I highly doubt it’ll change now.

    Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      August 28, 2013 at 07:18

      I’m with you. I played it too, and it’s…just not great. The button-mashing masses might love it, but it doesn’t have the depth of games like SFIV, KOF13 or…y’know, just about any decent fighting game.

      Reply

      • Brian Murphy

        August 28, 2013 at 17:47

        I really really like Killer Instinct, I really do, but I hope this fails miserably. I mean, I hope they end up seriously losing money on this pile of garbage. Nobody out there should support this bullshit. And I would hope the very same for any Street Fighter, King of Fighters, Tekken, etc… game that tried the same tactic.

        Anyone who buys into this, is an enemy of gaming, in my opinion.

        Reply

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