Turtle Rock Studios’ Evolve is perhaps one of the bigger releases of next month but the game has already been embroiled in controversy for keeping some select characters behind a paywall (for example, the fourth Monster, Behemoth, can only be obtained through DLC).
It’s an interesting response, for sure, especially with all the maps being free. We spoke to producer Chloe Skew about her take on the same and whether it would be a growing trend for developers to focus on free DLC.
“I’m not really aware of the approach of other games but it’s definitely a high priority for us, because we don’t want to split the community. So we want people to be able to play with their friends on whatever map they want, it’s going to be open.”
What about the DLC pricing for characters? Why Turtle Rock keep characters and Monster skins behind a “paywall”, a term which Skew isn’t a fan of.
“I think it’s over simplifying it and I think that alot of people are sort of having a knee-jerk reaction to the phrase DLC at all. So I think it’s like, you say DLC and you put a number with it and it doesn’t really matter what the number is and people just go “Arghh rah rah”. And I understand that as a gamer myself. I do get where they’re coming from and you do need to look at the fact that, you can play against DLC Hunters that you don’t buy. So say you’re doing solo mode and I’m playing Wraith I can play against DLC Hunters even if I don’t own them.
“So you get to experience them, your game is enriched by the fact we’ve put this out. You know, you don’t have to buy it unless you want to play as them. So I think that people are making a big deal out of it and getting upset and I do understand that but you know, we really are trying to make good content and afford to be able to make that good content. But also you know trying to give it as much as we can and keep the community together.”
What are your thoughts on the same? Evolve will be out on February 10th so stay tuned for more details.