Rumours about having to pay for an "Expansion pass"?

[Kernel Kwatz!]

I just heard an ugly rumour about the possible existence of an expansion pass down the line.

Paraphrasing;

You are to buy an expansion pass in order to be able to land on planets, have FPS fights, etz..
The 60 euro you paid for beta gets you the launch game, anything added after that costs extra,
as they will be considered expansions.
​

Just how much of this is true?
If this doesn't turn out to be complete bullpucky, I'll drop the game right now and cut my loss..
I'm having a hard time believing it though, it would be a bad PR move to ask even more money for an already expensive game.

Yes, they are planing future paid expansions such as planetary landing and a first person perspective aspect. This has been well documented from the earliest stages and it has been regularly mentioned by Frontier and by the likes of us, especially in the earlier days when you could buy a lifetime expansion pass for €40. In my gaming experience expansion packs are not required to play the base game - whatever that game might be. (I actually can't think of any exceptions.) You already own the base game and it would be reasonable to assume ED will be no different.

There will be MASSIVE development and marketing costs involved in creating these expansions - I would think many millions - and it seems farcical to me to expect that Frontier, a for profit business, will somehow not pass the cost onto us or seek to make a profit. If you drop the game now - a game that is perfectly playable (bug squishing and optimization outstanding) - because of proposed future expansion packs then I think it is a foolish and reactionary move. You wont get a lot of sympathy.

 

[charognard]

Planetary landing and FPS shouldn't BE an expansion, that all should be part of the core of the game (even if it gets added later).
If the core game is just a bare bones space sim with nothing really special going on, id just stick with egosofts X games.
60 euros is a lot for what it is now. Other space sims cost less and have a ton more going on.
If its going to cost 90 euros to get a game that excels above others, its getting a bit steep.

Beats me, but you can ask Arenanet how they do it.
People seem to keep hammering on subscription being more expensive, but there are plenty games that make due without it.
Guild Wars 2 has been free of subscriptions and expansions since the start over 2 years ago, and its been getting new content monthly.
So a pay-once game without subscriptions or expansion crud certainly belongs in the realm of possibilities.

LOL no, the game don't cost 60€, it s the beta acces, an nobody forced you to come into the Beta...
The core game is the procedural universe, trade, fight, and flight, other stuff are expansions.
20-25€ for good expansion is a good deal for me.

 

[Eirichur]

Seems very reasonable to me. I'd happily pay a monthly subscription fee, as well. Elite might in fact be my favorite game already, and I want it to have proper funding for further development as there's so much untapped potential for further greatness.

 

[Sokonomi]

LOL no, the game don't cost 60€, it s the beta acces, an nobody forced you to come into the Beta...
The core game is the procedural universe, trade, fight, and flight, other stuff are expansions.
20-25€ for good expansion is a good deal for me.

Paying 60 bucks to keep them afloat while helping them patch a game is already pushing it.
In fact, normally these "Early access" games are cheaper than the eventual retail price.
So making early backers pay more than retail and then expecting them to pay for expansions as well is a bit rude imho.

I paid nearly double the retail price to have the honour of being part of their test cattle,
so I'm expecting to get a bit more than people who jump on the wagon after all is already said and done.

 

[Ghost1]

The game was being released in stages:

- Core game first. (Trade / explore / fight / etc)
-- Patches are free to fix bugs & stuff
-- Some patches would be added to include extra small things

As with all major titles there will be add-on DLC, things like:
- Planetary Landing
- EVA (walking about)
- Other TBA items

These would require you to purchase the DLC. (Think a new expansion for WoW, or some new maps & things for CoD)

Not sure if it's still available but you either buy an expansion pass that gives you all future DLC or simply buy the extra DLC when it becomes available if you want. (Guess: every 1-2 years FD will release something major)

- capital ships owned by players
- first person shooter


And if these are true expansion and not teeny tiny DLCS then id say 30$ tops

 

[worldoflard]

How is this "ugly news"? This is great news - I, for one, don't want Frontier to have to struggle to put together additional features post release once the initial sales period has passed. Others have already stated that £35 is not expensive, and if spending an extra £35 from time to time on expansion packs keeps the game, er, expanding, then this is a price well worth paying IMHO.

 

[charognard]

No, you support the dev plan, you paid cause you can and you want... I like this game, and i ll paid for support and have future DLC/ expansions... Nothing is rude from my point of view.

 

[noodle]

Paying 60 bucks to keep them afloat while helping them patch a game is already pushing it.

Then don't pay it then. Nobody's forcing you.

So making early backers pay more than retail and then expecting them to pay for expansions as well is a bit rude imho.

"Making"? How did they "make" you, exactly? Gun to the head? Kidnapped child? Blackmail?

 

[Darkmatter]

Planetary landing and FPS shouldn't BE an expansion, that all should be part of the core of the game (even if it gets added later).

Why shouldn't it? Games are not welfare, you know. And Frontier are not making this game out of some kind of altruism. Caveat emptor and all that.

 

[Meritz]

Lifetime expansion packs are always a bad idea. I never subscribe to them since you pay a lot upfront and there is no way to be sure you will contiue to play the game for any period of time. By the time the expansion has come out you may well be bored and have moved on to a different game.

I bought Premium Beta (included expansion pass) as a way of giving a little extra to FD for daring to make something different. And of course, big Elite fan.

I doubt I'll get bored with the game and even if I do (sometimes I oscillate between swords and elves and big plasma cannons and aliens), methinks being able to board those ships, take a walk on stations and shoot stuff on planets would entice me to return.

 

[SJT]

Paying 60 bucks to keep them afloat while helping them patch a game is already pushing it.
In fact, normally these "Early access" games are cheaper than the eventual retail price.
So making early backers pay more than retail and then expecting them to pay for expansions as well is a bit rude imho.

I paid nearly double the retail price to have the honour of being part of their test cattle,
so I'm expecting to get a bit more than people who jump on the wagon after all is already said and done.

Nobody MADE you pay anything. The paid expansions have been planned all along from Kickstarter. It might help if you did a little research before spending that amount of money.

 

[Lowie]

I just heard an ugly rumour about the possible existence of an expansion pass down the line.

Paraphrasing;

You are to buy an expansion pass in order to be able to land on planets, have FPS fights, etz..
The 60 euro you paid for beta gets you the launch game, anything added after that costs extra,
as they will be considered expansions.
​

Just how much of this is true?
If this doesn't turn out to be complete bullpucky, I'll drop the game right now and cut my loss..
I'm having a hard time believing it though, it would be a bad PR move to ask even more money for an already expensive game.

duh , i trhow 120 euro to frontier for the game and LIFE long expansian pass

 

[Harbinger]

Planetary landing and FPS shouldn't BE an expansion, that all should be part of the core of the game (even if it gets added later).

Planetary Landings are the only major missing element when compared to previous incarnations of the Elite franchise. None of the other planned Expansions were ever in previous games so can't really be stated as "part of the core of the game".

I believe David Braben has stated several times (paraphrased) that they could do Planetary Landings right now but it would be a very poor experience and they want to do it properly.

If it takes an extra year of development to do it properly then FDEV are perfectly entitled to charge extra to enable this functionality via a DLC.

Choosing not to play a game you've already played €60 for on the basis that you may have to pay extra in order to enable optional features, maybe 1 year down the line is quite frankly ridiculous.

 

[Sokonomi]

How is this "ugly news"? This is great news - I, for one, don't want Frontier to have to struggle to put together additional features post release once the initial sales period has passed. Others have already stated that £35 is not expensive, and if spending an extra £35 from time to time on expansion packs keeps the game, er, expanding, then this is a price well worth paying IMHO.

I didnt pay £35 though. I paid 60 euros. So yes, that is expensive.

Then don't pay it then. Nobody's forcing you.
"Making"? How did they "make" you, exactly? Gun to the head? Kidnapped child? Blackmail?

I paid it expecting to be treated like a VIP because I backed them before seeing the results.
Instead, It turns out I can just get in line like everybody else who comes in after the release,
just to get in on all those fancy promises that have been made. That is a bum deal.

 

[Unfluffydave]

I just heard an ugly rumour about the possible existence of an expansion pass down the line.

Paraphrasing;

You are to buy an expansion pass in order to be able to land on planets, have FPS fights, etz..
The 60 euro you paid for beta gets you the launch game, anything added after that costs extra,
as they will be considered expansions.
​

Just how much of this is true?
If this doesn't turn out to be complete bullpucky, I'll drop the game right now and cut my loss..
I'm having a hard time believing it though, it would be a bad PR move to ask even more money for an already expensive game.

Actually having to PAY for expansions to a game?

This is ludicrous and will never catch on...

Just in case you were wondering, that was intended to be sarcastic.

 

[Tyr07]

As long as they manage to deliver what they advertise to the core game and faithfully communicate what is happening it's all good. Paid for expansion are important, to improve the game and further development. If they can deliver what they said, then it's important to purchase their products so they can continue to provide you with updates and improvement.

These things aren't about if we should or should not have to pay, it's about employee's who require payment to pay their bills, have a place to live, and if you want them to spend their time creating additional content and features for the game, they need to be paid to do it. Or they have to go elsewhere to get money to pay their bills.

All that really matters is that what they offer in exchange for money / more money is as described.

 

[Sitasan]

Planetary Landings are the only major missing element when compared to previous incarnations of the Elite franchise. None of the other planned Expansions were ever in previous games so can't really be stated as "part of the core of the game".

I believe David Braben has stated several times (paraphrased) that they could do Planetary Landings right now but it would be a very poor experience and they want to do it properly.

If it takes an extra year of development to do it properly then FDEV are perfectly entitled to charge extra to enable this functionality via a DLC.

Choosing not to play a game you've already played €60 for on the basis that you may have to pay extra in order to enable optional features, maybe 1 year down the line is quite frankly ridiculous.

+1


And think about this, Star citizen will sell you ships, goodies, etc that let them goes live with all features inlcuded already at the release(end 2015 or 2016 wh oknows)... at a fare more price than the update for the planetary landing/fps module for ED. So in this regards, i personaly think that Frontier is right to charge us for that.

PS: my english is no good, so in case of doubt, i like SC too ;-) didn't mean they are thief or something.

 

[Joe Spivey]

I didnt pay £35 though. I paid 60 euros. So yes, that is expensive.


I paid it expecting to be treated like a VIP because I backed them before seeing the results.
Instead, It turns out I can just get in line like everybody else who comes in after the release,
just to get in on all those fancy promises that have been made. That is a bum deal.

Oh well. I guess this is it then. I didn't exactly get to meet you in game but it was nice talking to you on the forums. Hey, who knows, maybe will eventually get to meet in some other game. I'm following The Repopulation at the moment so maybe that will be the one. Sorry ED didn't work out for you. Good luck with whatever new game you decide on.

 

[charognard]

I didnt pay £35 though. I paid 60 euros. So yes, that is expensive.


I paid it expecting to be treated like a VIP because I backed them before seeing the results.
Instead, It turns out I can just get in line like everybody else who comes in after the release,
just to get in on all those fancy promises that have been made. That is a bum deal.

LOL you want be VIP ?? Why not Galaxy Emperor cause you support the game you like !! LOL

 

[DaHunn]

Actually having to PAY for expansions to a game?

This is ludicrous and will never catch on...

Just in case you were wondering, that was intended to be sarcastic.

really a lot of games does this as a DLC. and they are quite successful.