F2P | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 07 Sep 2023 08:29:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png F2P | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Final Fantasy 14 director shuts down free-to-play rumours https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/final-fantasy-14-director-shuts-down-free-to-play-rumours/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/final-fantasy-14-director-shuts-down-free-to-play-rumours/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:00:50 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=629427 There have been some massive Final Fantasy 14 announcements recently, including the reveal of the next expansion and the announcement of the game coming to Xbox consoles for the first time. There have been rumours in the past that the game may transition to a free-to-play model, but Square Enix says it has no plans …

The post Final Fantasy 14 director shuts down free-to-play rumours first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
There have been some massive Final Fantasy 14 announcements recently, including the reveal of the next expansion and the announcement of the game coming to Xbox consoles for the first time. There have been rumours in the past that the game may transition to a free-to-play model, but Square Enix says it has no plans to make that change. 

While the Final Fantasy 14 free trial will be expanded to include the base game and the first two expansions, Heavensward and Stormblood, the game will not be going free to play anytime soon. Speaking with Eurogamer, director Naoki Yoshida said: “we have no plans of making the client itself free at the moment”.

While Final Fantasy 14 won't be going free-to-play, Yoshida did explain that the free trial will likely be expanded further in the future: “I believe the free trial will continue to be expanded”, he said. “Since a huge amount of time and money has been invested in the expansion packages, the revenue from sales of the expansion package itself is still very important in order to continue to make expansions on this scale. We would like to constantly aim for the best on the business side as well to continue making a lot of content to be enjoyed.”

Final Fantasy 14 is now ten years old, so there has been a lingering question mark over the possibility of a brand new Final Fantasy MMO. However, for now, Yoshida says the plan is to continue with 14 rather than moving on to a new game.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Final Fantasy 14 has essentially reached WoW status, with millions of hardcore fans that are very willing to pay the monthly subscription free. With that in mind, I'm not surprised there are no plans to transition to a free-to-play model, which would also lead to more microtransactions that could fundamentally change the game and the way future content is produced. 

The post Final Fantasy 14 director shuts down free-to-play rumours first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/final-fantasy-14-director-shuts-down-free-to-play-rumours/feed/ 0
NARAKA: Bladepoint is going free-to-play this month https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/naraka-bladepoint-is-going-free-to-play-this-month/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/naraka-bladepoint-is-going-free-to-play-this-month/#respond Thu, 06 Jul 2023 16:30:23 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=622358 NARAKA: Bladepoint has been a top-selling game on Steam for a while now and the battle royale title has also made waves on console thanks to an Xbox release, as well as the game's inclusion on Xbox Game Pass. Now, NARAKA: Bladepoint is going through a major change, with plans to switch over to a …

The post NARAKA: Bladepoint is going free-to-play this month first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
NARAKA: Bladepoint has been a top-selling game on Steam for a while now and the battle royale title has also made waves on console thanks to an Xbox release, as well as the game's inclusion on Xbox Game Pass. Now, NARAKA: Bladepoint is going through a major change, with plans to switch over to a free to play business model.

Since launch, Naraka: Bladepoint has been a traditional buy-to-play game. However, beginning on the 13th of July, the game will be free to play across all platforms. Speaking of platforms, NetEase is adding a new one to the list, as Naraka: Bladepoint will also be launching on PS5 on the 13th of July.

This update comes in time for Naraka's second anniversary, and in time to celebrate the game's 20 million player milestone. With the move to free-to-play, players can expect a bunch of updates, including a new 12v12 game mode, a new dual-wield weapon, updates to guild functionality, a brand new hero character, new veteran rewards, in-game events and of course, new seasonal cosmetics.

With this move, those who have Naraka: Bladepoint through Xbox Game Pass will be upgraded from the standard edition of the game to the deluxe edition, giving access to a few bonus rewards in-game.

KitGuru Says: I've only played a few hours of Naraka: Bladepoint and while I did enjoy the game quite a bit, I've not gone back to it in months. Perhaps the shift to free-to-play will breathe new life into this game for the years ahead.

The post NARAKA: Bladepoint is going free-to-play this month first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/naraka-bladepoint-is-going-free-to-play-this-month/feed/ 0
The Sims 5 will seemingly be free-to-play https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/the-sims-5-will-seemingly-be-free-to-play/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/the-sims-5-will-seemingly-be-free-to-play/#respond Fri, 30 Jun 2023 08:15:46 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=621756 The Sims 4 released all the way back in 2014, and in the nearly a decade since, we have seen many trends come and go from the video games industry. One practice which seems to have stuck is that of the free-to-play game. It seems as though EA will be adopting such a monetary method …

The post The Sims 5 will seemingly be free-to-play first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
The Sims 4 released all the way back in 2014, and in the nearly a decade since, we have seen many trends come and go from the video games industry. One practice which seems to have stuck is that of the free-to-play game. It seems as though EA will be adopting such a monetary method for the upcoming The Sims 5.

As discovered by the fansite ‘simscommunity.info’ a new job listing for Head of Monetization & Marketplace at Project Rene (The Sims 5’s codename) heavily suggests that the upcoming management game will be free to play, with some of the listing’s responsibilities reading as follows:

“Own Project Rene's in-game marketplace of content and [user-generated content] (free and paid), and manage a data-informed player-centric player purchase journey – maximizing value to players, optimizing player spend patterns, and minimizing player churn. Own pricing of all content in this free-to-enter game, ensuring we have an optimal pricing and content architecture. Provide guidance to content teams on in-game content needs to meet player demand.”

More than 8 years after its initial release, The Sims 4 went free-to-pay – though of course you would still need to purchase all the expansions separately. It is likely that The Sims 5 will adapt a similar approach, assuming the current Sims 4 model has proven successful.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this possibility? Will you try The Sims 5 on day-one? How should The Sims’ monetisation be structured? Let us know down below.

The post The Sims 5 will seemingly be free-to-play first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/the-sims-5-will-seemingly-be-free-to-play/feed/ 0
Star Citizen is free to play for the rest of the month https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-citizen-is-free-to-play-for-the-rest-of-the-month/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-citizen-is-free-to-play-for-the-rest-of-the-month/#respond Mon, 21 Nov 2022 15:30:52 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=583297 Cloud Imperium Games typically opens up Star Citizen a few times a year, inviting new players to check the game out for free for a few days. We're getting more than a few days this time around, with Star Citizen going free to play for the rest of the month.  Until the end of November, …

The post Star Citizen is free to play for the rest of the month first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Cloud Imperium Games typically opens up Star Citizen a few times a year, inviting new players to check the game out for free for a few days. We're getting more than a few days this time around, with Star Citizen going free to play for the rest of the month. 

Until the end of November, you can play Star Citizen completely for free, allowing you to test out over 120 different ships, including the larger ships with crew quarters, stronger weapons and space for multiple players to travel together.

During the event, you can head to the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo, which is essentially a metaverse convention. You can log into Star Citizen, head to the digital expo in-game, and from there, you can walk through interactive expo halls, take part in activities and more.

The event is good for current fans of the game too, as several new ships are being announced and shown as part of the event.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Star Citizen has generated a ton of money over the years through its crowd funding efforts. We're still some ways off from the game's vision being fully realised. Are you planning on jumping into Star Citizen while its free to check out how far the game has come along? 

The post Star Citizen is free to play for the rest of the month first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-citizen-is-free-to-play-for-the-rest-of-the-month/feed/ 0
The Sims 4 is going free-to-play https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/the-sims-4-is-going-free-to-play/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/the-sims-4-is-going-free-to-play/#respond Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:08:36 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=574605 The Sims series has entertained millions of players for decades with the franchise’s unique gameplay loop and countless DLC packs. After more than 8 years on the market, The Sims 4 is going free-to-play. Making the announcement on their blog, publisher EA said “We’re excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever to …

The post The Sims 4 is going free-to-play first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
The Sims series has entertained millions of players for decades with the franchise’s unique gameplay loop and countless DLC packs. After more than 8 years on the market, The Sims 4 is going free-to-play.

Making the announcement on their blog, publisher EA said “We’re excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever to create new stories, and explore without boundaries. The Sims has always been about celebrating new ways to play and offers so many possibilities to discover. Beginning on October 18, 2022, The Sims 4 base game will be available to all new players to download for free on PC via EA app or Origin, Mac via Origin, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One systems.”

Being more than 8 years old, it is safe to assume that all those who wished to purchase the game have done so already, meaning that EA is losing out on little by giving the game away. What’s more, the free-to-play release will unsurprisingly not include any of the game’s DLC packs, meaning that if you wish to play any of the 12 expansion packs and dozen game packs, you’ll have to pay.

Still, for those who have not yet purchased The Sims 4, being able to access the base game for free is a welcome surprise. For more news on the future of The Sims, EA will be hosting a “Behind The Sims Summit” on the 18th of October at 6pm UK time.

KitGuru says: Will you be picking up The Sims 4? Should they have also made the expansions free? What do you want to see from The Sims 5? Let us know down below.

The post The Sims 4 is going free-to-play first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/the-sims-4-is-going-free-to-play/feed/ 0
Overwatch 2 will lock new heroes behind Battle Pass grind https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/overwatch-2-will-lock-new-heroes-behind-battle-pass-grind/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/overwatch-2-will-lock-new-heroes-behind-battle-pass-grind/#respond Wed, 14 Sep 2022 07:05:20 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=574405 Since its original release back in 2016, Overwatch has always been backed by free content updates, giving buyers access to new heroes and maps without the need for additional grinding or expense. That will unfortunately be changing in Overwatch 2 – new heroes will still be free, but you'll have to go through the Battle …

The post Overwatch 2 will lock new heroes behind Battle Pass grind first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Since its original release back in 2016, Overwatch has always been backed by free content updates, giving buyers access to new heroes and maps without the need for additional grinding or expense. That will unfortunately be changing in Overwatch 2 – new heroes will still be free, but you'll have to go through the Battle Pass grind to obtain them. 

Details about Blizzard's battle pass plans leaked recently, with Overwatch commercial leader, Jon Spector, later confirming one of the details on Twitter – new heroes will be unlocked through the battle pass. This has immediately led to concern about the potential grind to unlock new heroes, as well as the amount it would cost to ‘skip tiers' in order to unlock a new hero faster.

Of course, having any kind of friction in the hero unlocking process can be a big deal for Overwatch. This is a competitive shooter where hero selection is as important as knowing your role and being able to aim. If some players are locked out of choosing an important character because they didn't progress the battle pass, or don't have the money to outright unlock the character, then that is going to make the game less fun, especially for matchmade games, as it will be harder for new teams to organise properly.

This follows a lengthy summer of concern for Overwatch 2. The game's initial beta was met with disappointment due to the game's switch to 5v5 gameplay, which took an element of strategy out of the game for many. The lack of secondary tank on each team also brought to light weaknesses in support characters, making the role much harder to play compared to the original Overwatch.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Overwatch 2 is making some good changes, such as moving away from loot boxes, but everything else seems to be in disarray, with a huge disconnect between what fans actually wanted to see, and Blizzard higher-ups. 

The post Overwatch 2 will lock new heroes behind Battle Pass grind first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/overwatch-2-will-lock-new-heroes-behind-battle-pass-grind/feed/ 0
MultiVersus Season 1 launches next week https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/multiversus-season-1-launches-next-week/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/multiversus-season-1-launches-next-week/#respond Fri, 12 Aug 2022 11:50:49 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=570721 MultiVersus has had a great reception since launching its open beta earlier this summer. The game's first season was unfortunately delayed ‘indefinitely' at the start of the month, but the developers have quickly been able to polish things up for launch, which will now be happening next week.  In an update last night, WB confirmed …

The post MultiVersus Season 1 launches next week first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
MultiVersus has had a great reception since launching its open beta earlier this summer. The game's first season was unfortunately delayed ‘indefinitely' at the start of the month, but the developers have quickly been able to polish things up for launch, which will now be happening next week. 

In an update last night, WB confirmed that MultiVersus season 1 will begin on the 15th of August and will have a brand new Battle Pass with new cosmetic rewards. This season will also see the first DLC character introduced – Morty, who will join the game on the 23rd of August.

Earlier this week, WB also gave us a sneak peek at what to expect from MultiVersus during its first season. This includes a new arcade mode for casual and party play, a new ranked mode for competitive play, new cosmetics like profile icons, banners and new costumes for characters, as well as new fighters, starting off with Morty, who will be the game's 18th character.

MultiVersus is available now as a free to play game on Xbox and PlayStation consoles, as well as PC. Each week, there is a set selection of free characters you can play with, which rotate out each week. Alternatively, you can pay to unlock characters permanently. The game's first season has been delayed and does not have a new launch date at this time, but the big update is still expected to arrive in August.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: MultiVersus is about to kick off its first season. Hopefully new character updates will be pretty frequent too, as there is already a lengthy list of characters players would like to see. 

The post MultiVersus Season 1 launches next week first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/multiversus-season-1-launches-next-week/feed/ 0
Skate will be free to play with microtransactions https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/skate-will-be-free-to-play-with-microtransactions/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/skate-will-be-free-to-play-with-microtransactions/#respond Sun, 17 Jul 2022 08:23:23 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=568229 July has been an unexpectedly big month for EA’s Skate game. The first public alpha test took place last week, and now EA has revealed further details, including the fact that the game will be free to play.  Officially titled ‘skate.’, the new game in the series will be free to play with “cosmetic and …

The post Skate will be free to play with microtransactions first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
July has been an unexpectedly big month for EA’s Skate game. The first public alpha test took place last week, and now EA has revealed further details, including the fact that the game will be free to play. 

Officially titled ‘skate.’, the new game in the series will be free to play with “cosmetic and convenience items”, which likely equates to some kind of XP boost in addition to different deck designs in the game. The developers claim there would be no ‘pay to win’ items, but, well, it’s not exactly easy to trust EA at its word given its past history with microtransaction systems.

With this new Skate game, EA will be going in a ‘live service’ direction, with this title expected to act as a platform for future content updates for years post-release. With that in mind, there may well be a battle pass system in place too when the game eventually releases.

Skate does not have a release date at this time, but the game is expected to arrive sometime in 2023.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I would have preferred a smaller single-player experience like the recent Tony Hawk Pro Skater remake, but we should have anticipated this kind of direction from EA. The company is always looking to try and hit big revenue targets with multiplayer, open-worlds and baked in monetisation systems. 

The post Skate will be free to play with microtransactions first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/skate-will-be-free-to-play-with-microtransactions/feed/ 0
Fall Guys surpasses 20 million players 2 days after free-to-play launch https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/fall-guys-surpasses-20-million-players-2-days-after-free-to-play-launch/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/fall-guys-surpasses-20-million-players-2-days-after-free-to-play-launch/#respond Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:00:20 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=565859 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout has had an interesting trajectory so far. Initially launched as a premium title (though given away for free on PlayStation Plus), Fall Guys saw rapid success as the latest Battle Royale-inspired multiplayer title. Relaunching as a free-to-play game seems to be paying off however, as more than 20 million players flocked …

The post Fall Guys surpasses 20 million players 2 days after free-to-play launch first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout has had an interesting trajectory so far. Initially launched as a premium title (though given away for free on PlayStation Plus), Fall Guys saw rapid success as the latest Battle Royale-inspired multiplayer title. Relaunching as a free-to-play game seems to be paying off however, as more than 20 million players flocked to the now free-to-play title in just 48 hours.

Making the announcement on Twitter, the official Fall Guys page said “MASSIVE THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE STUMBLED We reached an incredible 20 million players in the first 48 hours of Free For All!”

Additionally, Fall Guys is currently rated as the 3rd most played game on Xbox, only behind the Juggernauts that are Fortnite and Call of Duty Warzone. Of course, how Microsoft calculates these rankings is unknown, but what is clear is that Fall Guys has managed to make lightning strike twice.

As mentioned, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout first launched on the PlayStation 4 and PC on the 4th of August 2020 and was given away for free as part of PlayStation Plus that month. The game quickly rose in ranks to become the most downloaded PlayStation Plus game of all time while selling over 10 million copies on PC alone. Epic Games later announced in 2021 that they would be acquiring Mediatonic, the studio behind Fall Guys.

Finally, after multiple seasons of success, Fall Guys has been released on all modern platforms (Switch, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series, PC) as a free-to-play title to explosive success. It will be interesting to see where Fall Guys will be one month from now, as well as one year from now.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Have you been playing Fall Guys Free For All? Was going free-to-play a smart move? What do you want to see next from the game? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Fall Guys surpasses 20 million players 2 days after free-to-play launch first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/fall-guys-surpasses-20-million-players-2-days-after-free-to-play-launch/feed/ 0
Overwatch 2 is launching in ‘Early Access’ for PC and Xbox this October https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/overwatch-2-is-launching-in-early-access-for-pc-and-xbox-this-october/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/overwatch-2-is-launching-in-early-access-for-pc-and-xbox-this-october/#respond Sun, 12 Jun 2022 19:15:32 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=564057 As expected, Blizzard had a fairly major presence at the Xbox and Bethesda showcase. Not only did we get a good dose of Diablo IV gameplay, but a major Overwatch 2 reveal also took place. The game will now be free to play, and it'll be launching in Early Access for Xbox and PC in …

The post Overwatch 2 is launching in ‘Early Access’ for PC and Xbox this October first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
As expected, Blizzard had a fairly major presence at the Xbox and Bethesda showcase. Not only did we get a good dose of Diablo IV gameplay, but a major Overwatch 2 reveal also took place. The game will now be free to play, and it'll be launching in Early Access for Xbox and PC in just a few months time. 

A new Overwatch 2 trailer released at the showcase and we also got a quick cinematic teaser for Junker Queen, a new hero coming to Overwatch 2:

Blizzard will be revealing more about its next major hero, as well as other gameplay updates coming to Overwatch 2 ahead of launch, during its own stream next week, on the 16th of June.

Overwatch 2 will release as a free to play ‘Early Access' title on PC and Xbox Series X/S consoles later this year. So far, no early access plans have been announced for other platforms.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Many Overwatch players have questioned the need for Overwatch 2 and have lamented the idea of re-purchasing the game. Fortunately, the free to play model will make the transition a lot smoother and should sway a larger number of people to give the game a shot. 

The post Overwatch 2 is launching in ‘Early Access’ for PC and Xbox this October first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/overwatch-2-is-launching-in-early-access-for-pc-and-xbox-this-october/feed/ 0
Microsoft wants to include ads in their free-to-play games https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/microsoft-wants-to-include-ads-in-their-free-to-play-games/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/microsoft-wants-to-include-ads-in-their-free-to-play-games/#respond Wed, 20 Apr 2022 18:30:23 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=557792 As much as video games are considered to be an art form, they also serve as a revenue stream for video game publishers. As such, in the pursuit of more influence, Microsoft is reportedly preparing to include ads in their free-to-play games. As reported by Business Insider, Microsoft is currently in the development stages for …

The post Microsoft wants to include ads in their free-to-play games first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
As much as video games are considered to be an art form, they also serve as a revenue stream for video game publishers. As such, in the pursuit of more influence, Microsoft is reportedly preparing to include ads in their free-to-play games.

As reported by Business Insider, Microsoft is currently in the development stages for a new program which will allow advertisers to place ads inside free-to-play games.

According to the report, these ads will show up in multiple forms, including but not limited to digitally rendered billboards in car racing games.

According to Business Insider, this new initiative is being created in order to offer new ways for free-to-play games to make money, with Microsoft themselves reportedly not taking a cut from this ad revenue – with all of it being shared between the game developer and the adtech company that places the ad.

Microsoft’s reason for this program is reportedly being done in an effort to expand their Xbox ad network. Companies such as Google have built entire Trillion Dollar companies on the back of ads, and so it makes sense that Microsoft would chase similar success in the long run.

While it is nice that Microsoft is not planning to take a cut, nothing is free in this world, and so we will have to wait and see what the exact details of this program end up being.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this new initiative? Is it good or bad for the industry? What do you think is Xbox’s end game with this? Let us know down below.

The post Microsoft wants to include ads in their free-to-play games first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/microsoft-wants-to-include-ads-in-their-free-to-play-games/feed/ 0
Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer going free to play for two weeks https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/call-of-duty-vanguard-multiplayer-going-free-to-play-for-two-weeks/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/call-of-duty-vanguard-multiplayer-going-free-to-play-for-two-weeks/#respond Tue, 29 Mar 2022 10:58:21 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=555362 It is no secret that Call of Duty is currently at a low point, with franchise fatigue setting in once again. In an effort to boost player counts and sales, Activision will be offering a two-week free trial for Vanguard, the longest free trial period for any Call of Duty game ever.  Call of Duty …

The post Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer going free to play for two weeks first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
It is no secret that Call of Duty is currently at a low point, with franchise fatigue setting in once again. In an effort to boost player counts and sales, Activision will be offering a two-week free trial for Vanguard, the longest free trial period for any Call of Duty game ever. 

Call of Duty is no stranger to free weekends, and each game in the series usually gets at least a couple of free weekends over its lifecycle. However, with Vanguard continuing to struggle, Activision is going to offer a much longer free trial period to encourage sales and bring in new players. The two week free trial period begins on the 30th of March and ends on the 13th of April.

During those two weeks, free players will have access to several popular multiplayer modes, as well as the most popular maps the game has to offer – including Casablanca and Gondola, two maps that launched with Season Two recently. You will also get to play the new base capture mode, set on a large map with vehicles and objective-based gameplay.

Currently, Call of Duty Vanguard is also up to 35% off on PC, but discounts for the digital console versions have not been announced.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Did any of you skip over Vanguard at launch? Will you be playing the multiplayer at all during the free trial period? 

The post Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer going free to play for two weeks first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/call-of-duty-vanguard-multiplayer-going-free-to-play-for-two-weeks/feed/ 0
Ubisoft F2P shooter ‘XDefiant’ drops Tom Clancy branding https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-f2p-shooter-xdefiant-drops-tom-clancy-branding/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-f2p-shooter-xdefiant-drops-tom-clancy-branding/#respond Thu, 17 Mar 2022 15:08:35 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=553922 Earlier this month, Ubisoft announced an insider program for Skull & Bones to help gather feedback on the game. Now, one of Ubisoft’s other multiplayer-first titles, XDefiant, is also opening up for insider program sign-ups. Tom Clancy’s XDefiant was first announced last year as a free-to-play Tom Clancy-themed shooter. However, dedicated Tom Clancy fans took …

The post Ubisoft F2P shooter ‘XDefiant’ drops Tom Clancy branding first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Earlier this month, Ubisoft announced an insider program for Skull & Bones to help gather feedback on the game. Now, one of Ubisoft’s other multiplayer-first titles, XDefiant, is also opening up for insider program sign-ups.

Tom Clancy’s XDefiant was first announced last year as a free-to-play Tom Clancy-themed shooter. However, dedicated Tom Clancy fans took issue with the game due to its step away from the more serious tone and setting of traditional Tom Clancy titles. As a result, Ubisoft has made the decision to drop Tom Clancy from the branding. Moving forward, this game will simply be known as XDefiant. The game will still feature some Tom Clancy themed factions, but moving forward, the developers will be introducing original factions instead.

That change was revealed this week alongside the Insider Program. You only need an Ubisoft account to register for alpha and beta tests. Those invited to the program will also get access to a private forum to share feedback.

For those who don’t know, XDefiant is a free-to-play 6v6 FPS, originally featuring teams from other Tom Clancy franchises like Splinter Cell, The Division and Ghost Recon. Now that Tom Clancy branding is being dropped for the game, it is unclear if these factions will be reworked.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Now that Tom Clancy has been dropped from XDefiant, I do wonder if we’ll see similar rebranding for other free-to-play shooters Ubisoft has in the works, including one based on Ghost Recon and another based on The Division.

The post Ubisoft F2P shooter ‘XDefiant’ drops Tom Clancy branding first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-f2p-shooter-xdefiant-drops-tom-clancy-branding/feed/ 0
Knockout City drops EA as game goes free-to-play https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/knockout-city-drops-ea-as-game-goes-free-to-play/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/knockout-city-drops-ea-as-game-goes-free-to-play/#respond Fri, 25 Feb 2022 19:00:55 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=551704 Knockout City surprised many when it launched last year, offering a fun take of the sport of dodgeball. Despite the game’s position as a live service title, it has struggled to maintain its following with a 24 hour peak of 123 players on Steam. The studio has now announced that they are making big moves …

The post Knockout City drops EA as game goes free-to-play first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Knockout City surprised many when it launched last year, offering a fun take of the sport of dodgeball. Despite the game’s position as a live service title, it has struggled to maintain its following with a 24 hour peak of 123 players on Steam. The studio has now announced that they are making big moves to help remedy this.

Making the announcement on EA’s website, the Knockout City team discussed the future of the game amid its impending second year on the market, saying “after Season 5 is over, we’re going to be kicking off Year 2 of Knockout City, and it comes with one huge headline to mix things up: Knockout City is going free-to-play, beginning this spring with Season 6! We’re really excited to bring our game to millions of new players around the world, by removing the price tag entirely.”

For those who purchased the game, Velan Studios announced a “Season 6 Loyalty Bundle” which will come with “exclusive legendary cosmetics, XP boosts, and 2,000 Holobux” alongside saying “we do want to take a moment to thank our day one fans for purchasing Knockout City and supporting us from the very beginning. Your dedication and loyalty motivates us everyday to continue to build our world, and we couldn’t have gotten this far without you. Our first priority will always be our community.”

The final major announcement came in the form of Velan Studios revealing that they will soon be self-publishing Knockout City, freeing the game from previous distributor EA. Explaining the decision, they said:

“From the day we founded our studio, we’ve worked to deliver revolutionary new game experiences to you, our amazing community of players. We couldn’t have introduced Knockout City to the world without the incredible support of EA Originals, but now as we switch to free-to-play, the natural next step is for us to take over publishing responsibilities and work even more closely with our community. We have exciting plans for Knockout City, and bringing publishing in-house will allow us to fully realize our vision for the long-term future of this game. There’s so much to look forward to, because this is just the beginning.”

Knockout City is a fun and colourful multiplayer game with the potential to be the next Splatoon. It will be interesting to see whether going free-to-play ultimately helps or hinders them on that journey.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Knockout City? Will you give Season 6 a try? How can Velan Studios improve the game? Let us know down below.

The post Knockout City drops EA as game goes free-to-play first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/knockout-city-drops-ea-as-game-goes-free-to-play/feed/ 0
Lost Ark becomes second most-played game of all time on Steam https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/lost-ark-becomes-second-most-played-game-of-all-time-on-steam/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/lost-ark-becomes-second-most-played-game-of-all-time-on-steam/#respond Mon, 14 Feb 2022 10:49:04 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=550224 Lost Ark continued to impress over its launch weekend. Last week, the game appeared on our radar after crossing 500,000 concurrent players on Steam during its early access launch. On Friday after servers opened up for F2P players, that record was broken, with over 980,000 concurrent players, but the game still had more records to …

The post Lost Ark becomes second most-played game of all time on Steam first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Lost Ark continued to impress over its launch weekend. Last week, the game appeared on our radar after crossing 500,000 concurrent players on Steam during its early access launch. On Friday after servers opened up for F2P players, that record was broken, with over 980,000 concurrent players, but the game still had more records to break, achieving 1.3 million concurrent players by the end of the week. 

Lost Ark has been around for a little while already, garnering initial popularity in Korea, Japan and Russia. Now, thanks to a publishing deal with Amazon Games, the title has made its way over to the west and has officially launched on Steam. In early access, the game peaked at over 500,000 concurrent players, a number that rose to 983,000 players on Friday night. Over the course of the weekend, even more players chose to jump into the game, hitting a new peak high of 1,324,761 concurrent players.

That jump in players boosted Lost Ark from the second most-played game on Steam on Friday to the number #1 spot for the weekend, beating Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which had a 24-hour peak of 989,000 players.

With Lost Ark’s all-time peak now set at 1.32 million players, the game has become the second most played game of all time on Steam, beating the all-time high peak concurrent player counts for both CS:GO and Dota 2. The top spot here still belongs to PUBG, which achieved an all-time peak player count of 3.2 million back in 2018. The top 10 most concurrently played games on Steam currently include:

  1. PUBG (3.2 million players)
  2. Lost Ark (1.32 million players)
  3. CS:GO (1.3 million players)
  4. Dota 2 (1.29 million players)
  5. New World (913,000 players)
  6. Cyberpunk 2077 (830,000 players)
  7. Valheim (498,000 players)
  8. Terraria (486,000 players)
  9. Capcom Arcade Stadium (481,000 players)
  10. Fallout 4 (471,000 players)

KitGuru Says: While Lost Ark has garnered a huge player base on Steam, the game is also currently sitting with ‘mixed' overall reviews due to server queues and connectivity issues. Did any of you play Lost Ark over the weekend? What was your experience like?

The post Lost Ark becomes second most-played game of all time on Steam first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/lost-ark-becomes-second-most-played-game-of-all-time-on-steam/feed/ 0
343i ‘committed’ to tackling cheaters in Halo Infinite Multiplayer https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/343i-committed-to-tackling-cheaters-in-halo-infinite-multiplayer/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/343i-committed-to-tackling-cheaters-in-halo-infinite-multiplayer/#respond Thu, 02 Dec 2021 13:28:18 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=542245 One of the biggest challenges with launching a free to play multiplayer shooter is keeping on top of cheaters. The problem only gets worse when a game features cross-platform matchmaking, as it introduces the problem of cheating to consoles, which are usually safe from such practices. With Halo Infinite Multiplayer now being available, 343 is …

The post 343i ‘committed’ to tackling cheaters in Halo Infinite Multiplayer first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
One of the biggest challenges with launching a free to play multiplayer shooter is keeping on top of cheaters. The problem only gets worse when a game features cross-platform matchmaking, as it introduces the problem of cheating to consoles, which are usually safe from such practices. With Halo Infinite Multiplayer now being available, 343 is beginning to address concerns around cheating. 

While Halo Infinite Multiplayer was safe for its first few days on the market, it didn't take long for cheat makers to bypass security and enable hacks like aimbot, ESP and more. As Eurogamer reports, there have been multiple clips of cheaters doing the rounds on social media over the last week.

Halo Community Manager, John Junyszek, spoke out on the growing issue with cheaters, saying that “unfortunately, cheating is a natural part of supporting a F2P PC game and it's one we anticipated”. He then added that the team is “prepared and committed to releasing consistent improvements” to in-game systems and taking action against cheaters.

One of the key issues right now is that Halo Infinite does not include an in-game report feature to quickly and conveniently report players who might be cheating. Instead, 343 asks that players submit a ticket on the Halo Support website and upload a video clip of the incident in question. An in-game report function will be coming in a future update.

Currently, the most effective way to combat cheaters in PC games is to include a kernel-level anti-cheat driver. Titles like Valorant have had success with this method and this year, Call of Duty: Warzone will be switching to a similar anti-cheat method on PC. However, these anti-cheat methods also catch flack for being invasive and disregarding user-privacy. Microsoft has not announced any plans to adopt a kernel-level anti-cheat system for Halo Infinite.

KitGuru Says: I haven't ran into any cheaters myself yet, but as the game grows in popularity, more and more cheaters will begin flocking over. Have you been playing Halo Infinite multiplayer since launch? Have you encountered any in-game cheaters? 

The post 343i ‘committed’ to tackling cheaters in Halo Infinite Multiplayer first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/343i-committed-to-tackling-cheaters-in-halo-infinite-multiplayer/feed/ 0
Ubisoft switches strategy to focus on more free-to-play games https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/ubisoft-switches-strategy-to-focus-on-more-free-to-play-games/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/ubisoft-switches-strategy-to-focus-on-more-free-to-play-games/#respond Wed, 12 May 2021 14:13:09 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=515262 Over the course of its relatively short history, the video game industry has changed and evolved in many different ways. One of the biggest shifts was caused by the introduction of free-to-play games – the most successful of which make billions each year. Ubisoft has now announced that it will be chasing this trend, and …

The post Ubisoft switches strategy to focus on more free-to-play games first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Over the course of its relatively short history, the video game industry has changed and evolved in many different ways. One of the biggest shifts was caused by the introduction of free-to-play games – the most successful of which make billions each year. Ubisoft has now announced that it will be chasing this trend, and will focus on making more free-to-play games.

During its most recent earnings call (and as transcribed by VGC), the publisher of some of the biggest franchises in gaming announced its intentions to develop and release more free-to-play titles, with Ubisoft’s chief financial officer Frederick Duguet saying “In line with the evolution of our high-quality line-up that is increasingly diverse, we are moving on from our prior comment regarding releasing 3-4 premium AAAs per year.”

They continued, “It is indeed no longer a proper indication of our value creation dynamics. For example, our expectation for Just Dance and Riders Republic are consistent with some of the industry’s AAA performers. Additionally, we are building high-end free-to-play games to be trending towards AAA ambitions over the long-term.”

What this means is that while the company plans to continue making and releasing AAA games on a regular interval, the publisher hopes to take a slice of the free-to-play pie. Currently, the only major free-to-play Ubisoft title of note is the first-person battle royale game Hyper Scape – though it had failed to meet expectations.

While free-to-play games can be very lucrative for a publisher, the ratio of successes to failures makes the strategy a risky one. It will be interesting to see what Ubisoft has planned for the F2P market.

KitGuru says: What do you think of free-to-play games? Are they a net positive or negative on the industry? What franchise should the company make free-to-play? Let us know down below.

The post Ubisoft switches strategy to focus on more free-to-play games first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/ubisoft-switches-strategy-to-focus-on-more-free-to-play-games/feed/ 0
PUBG Lite coming to Europe featuring a 4v4 mode and customisation https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/james-dawson/pubg-lite-coming-to-europe-featuring-a-4v4-mode-and-customisation/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/james-dawson/pubg-lite-coming-to-europe-featuring-a-4v4-mode-and-customisation/#respond Sat, 28 Sep 2019 10:56:58 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=427710 Earlier this year, we learned that PUBG Corp was planning to reach even more players across the world with PUBG Lite, a version of the game aimed at those with less powerful PCs. Similarly to the mobile version of PUBG, this version will be free to play and now, it is coming to Europe. From …

The post PUBG Lite coming to Europe featuring a 4v4 mode and customisation first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Earlier this year, we learned that PUBG Corp was planning to reach even more players across the world with PUBG Lite, a version of the game aimed at those with less powerful PCs. Similarly to the mobile version of PUBG, this version will be free to play and now, it is coming to Europe.

From the makers of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds comes PUBG Lite, a low spec spin-off from the main game. Originally known as PUBG Project Tha, PUBG Lite has been in open Beta from January this year after launching in Thailand. PUBG Corp has since rolled out the game in several other regions and on 10th October it will be available for players in Europe and the Middle East.

Set in a warehouse environment featuring various buildings and shipping containers, PUBG Lite offers players a 4v4 mode in which four teams fight to reach 40 eliminations. PUBG Lite will offer owners of low spec PC’s and laptops access to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, albeit in a low spec cut-down version of the 100 player Battle Royale game.

PUBG Lite has rolled out pre-registration for launch in new regions, with users who sign up before 6 am on 8th October receiving a free M416 and AKM weapon skin. If you are keen to get in on the action, the game's launcher is available to download now.

Even though PUBG Lite is a low spec version of the main game, it is still said to offer the same core experience as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Four teams of four players go head to head in a deserted warehouse surrounded by vehicles and shipping containers, the team who successfully outmanoeuvre each other and claim 40 eliminations becomes the winning squad.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds includes an in-game currency (Battle Points) and event passes to collect in-game rewards including new items and weapon skins. These Battle Points are also earnable in game, so if you play often enough, you'll be able to get some new skins without paying extra. There is a second in-game currency though known as L-COIN, which is purchased with real world money and can be used for event passes as well as skins/costumes.

KitGuru says: have you been eager to play PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds but not had the PC spec to play it on? now you have the chance to try it out on PUBG Lite, although it will be a cut-down version nevertheless.

The post PUBG Lite coming to Europe featuring a 4v4 mode and customisation first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/james-dawson/pubg-lite-coming-to-europe-featuring-a-4v4-mode-and-customisation/feed/ 0
Apex Legends is now available and has already reached 1 million downloads https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/apex-legends-is-now-available-and-has-already-reached-1-million-downloads/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/apex-legends-is-now-available-and-has-already-reached-1-million-downloads/#respond Tue, 05 Feb 2019 10:30:02 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=403137 Apex Legends has arrived. The battle royale, Titanfall spin-off is available for free but how are the microtransactions handled?

The post Apex Legends is now available and has already reached 1 million downloads first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
After leaking over the weekend, last night Respawn and EA officially launched Apex Legends. As expected, this is a free to play, battle royale spin-off set in the Titanfall universe. Respawn worked on this game in secret in lieu of Titanfall 3, and it looks like the swift announce and release tactic is already paying off.

At this point, Apex Legends has been available for less than 24 hours but the game has already been downloaded over one million times. Respawn has confirmed that it isn't working on Titanfall 3 (for now), but this game will keep the franchise alive in the meantime.

Apex Legends is monetised in a number of ways, for starters, a seasonal ‘Battle Pass' is going to be available for dedicated players who want additional rewards. Secondly, there are lootboxes, but the system is quite fair. Loot boxes won't serve you doubles, there is also something  called ‘bad luck insurance', which ensures you'll get a high-tier drop after repeated busts. All skins in the game will also be available for direct purchase, so you don't necessarily have to rely on RNG.

Finally, Apex Legends will have purchasable characters. You can unlock these characters for free by playing a certain number of hours, or you can pay £5 and just skip ahead. You can grab Apex Legends for free on Origin, or the Xbox One or PS4 stores.

KitGuru Says: Apex Legends appears to be doing well at this point but it will be interesting to see how many players stick around over the next few weeks. Did any of you try the game when it launched last night? What do you think of it so far? 

 

The post Apex Legends is now available and has already reached 1 million downloads first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/apex-legends-is-now-available-and-has-already-reached-1-million-downloads/feed/ 0
PUBG Lite will be free to play, targets lower system requirements https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/pubg-lite-will-be-free-to-play-targets-lower-system-requirements/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/pubg-lite-will-be-free-to-play-targets-lower-system-requirements/#respond Thu, 31 Jan 2019 08:55:16 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=402243 It looks like PUBG Corp is looking to expand its reach to more players than ever before. Over the weekend, it came to light that the studio is currently testing a new version of the game called ‘PUBG Lite', which will target extremely low system requirements and be free to play. PUBG hasn't always been …

The post PUBG Lite will be free to play, targets lower system requirements first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
It looks like PUBG Corp is looking to expand its reach to more players than ever before. Over the weekend, it came to light that the studio is currently testing a new version of the game called ‘PUBG Lite', which will target extremely low system requirements and be free to play.

PUBG hasn't always been the easiest game to run, optimisations and performance have often been cited as big complaints against the game. Right now, PUBG is capable of running on PCs, consoles and even smartphones. The next hurdle to tackle are older gaming PCs, or those that rely on integrated graphics over a dedicated GPU.

PUBG Lite targets the following minimum and recommended system requirements:

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit.
  • CPU: Intel Core i3 2.4GHz.
  • RAM: 4GB.
  • GPU: Intel HD Graphics 4000.
  • HDD: 4GB.

Recommended:

  • OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit.
  • CPU: Intel Core i5 2.8GHz.
  • RAM: 8GB.
  • GPU: Nvidia GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7870.
  • HDD: 4GB.

PUBG Lite will be a standalone game, separate from regular PUBG. It will also be free, relying on microtransactions to generate additional revenue- similar to the mobile version. PUBG Lite is currently only available in Thailand and will likely spread to other territories in the coming months. Whether or not this version of PUBG will be available in the US or mainland Europe remains to be seen.

KitGuru Says: Right now, I'm expecting a PC port of what we currently have available on smartphones. However, it will be interesting to see the differences up front when PUBG Lite does become more readily available. 

The post PUBG Lite will be free to play, targets lower system requirements first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/pubg-lite-will-be-free-to-play-targets-lower-system-requirements/feed/ 0
Bethesda says there is ‘no truth’ to rumour that Fallout 76 will go free to play https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/bethesda-says-there-is-no-truth-to-rumour-that-fallout-76-will-go-free-to-play/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/bethesda-says-there-is-no-truth-to-rumour-that-fallout-76-will-go-free-to-play/#respond Wed, 23 Jan 2019 07:11:32 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=401815 It is no secret that Fallout 76 has had its fair share of struggles since launch, with a general poor reception of the game leading to poor sales. Usually when this happens with a multiplayer game, the ‘free to play' discussion comes up. A rumour that Fallout 76 would make the jump began gaining traction …

The post Bethesda says there is ‘no truth’ to rumour that Fallout 76 will go free to play first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
It is no secret that Fallout 76 has had its fair share of struggles since launch, with a general poor reception of the game leading to poor sales. Usually when this happens with a multiplayer game, the ‘free to play' discussion comes up. A rumour that Fallout 76 would make the jump began gaining traction over the last few days but Bethesda has now stepped in to shoot it down.

Several stores across the US began removing physical copies of Fallout 76 from shelves over the weekend. Some believed that this was all in preparation for the game to go free to play, removing the need to sell physical copies. Of course, this led to questions being directed at Bethesda on Twitter:

As you can see above, Bethesda has stated that there is “no truth” to the rumour that Fallout 76 is going free to play. At this point, not much else has been said but we do know that Bethesda has a roadmap planned for the coming months, which will involve more bug fixes and content/feature updates for active players.

Of course, there would likely be some backlash if Fallout 76 went free to play after many fans already paid upfront. The Atom store is already a point of contention with this game, so offering some ‘premium currency' likely wouldn't go down too well. For the time being, it looks like we can expect Bethesda to stick to its original plan, with no major shifts in a different direction.

KitGuru Says: Similar rumours popped up after Elder Scrolls Online sales began to waver, although ESO did end up dropping its mandatory subscription model. Do any of you think that Bethesda should consider making Fallout 76 free to play?

The post Bethesda says there is ‘no truth’ to rumour that Fallout 76 will go free to play first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/bethesda-says-there-is-no-truth-to-rumour-that-fallout-76-will-go-free-to-play/feed/ 0
Sega to expand mobile division with new buyouts https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/sega-to-expand-mobile-division-with-new-buyouts/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/sega-to-expand-mobile-division-with-new-buyouts/#respond Thu, 19 Feb 2015 09:04:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=236471 Sega Networks, the mobile arm of the classic gaming publisher and developer is looking to expand its influence in the West, by investing heavily in two mobile game developers and buying one out entirely. With plans to launch more than 30 free to play mobile titles in the near future, Sega also wants to capture …

The post Sega to expand mobile division with new buyouts first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Sega Networks, the mobile arm of the classic gaming publisher and developer is looking to expand its influence in the West, by investing heavily in two mobile game developers and buying one out entirely. With plans to launch more than 30 free to play mobile titles in the near future, Sega also wants to capture some of the West's most popular app based games and bring them to Japan under its own banner.

The developers it's laid out more than a few sheckles for include Samurai Siege maker, Space Ape, which is currently working on its second major F2P game; the maker of Marvel Puzzle Quest, Boston-based Demiurge Studios and Ignited Artists, a mobile startup in San Francisco which hasn't released a game as of yet. However with Sega now owning a majority stake in the developer, when it does release something it should see a large global release.

sega-networks-logo
Sega Networks invested an unspecified amount in the developers. 

“We believe that a global, mass market audience for mobile games doesn't vary too significantly in terms of the formula required for success,” said Sega Networks COO Minoru Iwaki in a chat with Gamasutra. “In our experience, the underlying game mechanics generally work on a global scale, but the difference in cultural tastes mostly drives how you approach the UI, art, writing, and other creative components of a game.”

Although these investments are no doubt exciting for Sega personnel, it may leave a bit of a sour taste in some mouths, as several hundred people were recently let go from the company as it changes its focus from boxed titles to smaller digital releases.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This must be a bit of a hard blow for those that were so recently made redundant. Do you guys see this as a good move for Sega? Or it is sad to see such an iconic name reduced to investing in micro-transaction pushing F2P games? 

The post Sega to expand mobile division with new buyouts first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/sega-to-expand-mobile-division-with-new-buyouts/feed/ 0
Wargaming makes pledge to end pay to win in F2P https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/wargaming-makes-pledge-to-end-pay-to-win-in-f2p/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/wargaming-makes-pledge-to-end-pay-to-win-in-f2p/#respond Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:12:07 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=137191 One of the biggest concerns people have with free to play games, is that by monetising them through unlocks or experience boosters, it can often make it far easier to make your way through game content or unlock more powerful stuff, if you simply dump cash into the game instead of actually playing. In order …

The post Wargaming makes pledge to end pay to win in F2P first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
One of the biggest concerns people have with free to play games, is that by monetising them through unlocks or experience boosters, it can often make it far easier to make your way through game content or unlock more powerful stuff, if you simply dump cash into the game instead of actually playing. In order to cauterise this stigma and make its games more competitive, Wargaming, the developer of World of Tanks, has announced it will be removing any gameplay advantages from micro-transactions.

“We don't want to nickel and dime our players – we want to deliver gaming experiences and services that are based on the fair treatment of our players, whether they spend money in-game or not,” said VP of publishing Andrei Yarantsau (via PCGamesN).

tank
Until recently, it was par for the course to spend hundreds on getting the biggest gun barrel possible. Because… you know. 

Ultimately, he said, World of Tanks and the upcoming companion titles World of Warplanes and World of Warships, should present an even playing field for everyone that joins. On top of that though, Wargaming is keen to push into the lucrative Esports business, something that MMOs don't have a history of making much of an impact on.

“Our new World of Tanks features, including recent changes in our business model, are aimed at further growing our games in this direction,” Yarantsau said. “Professional sport – and gaming is no exception – is about fair competition. The introduction of our new free-to-win system will really help facilitate the development of World of Tanks as a true eSports discipline.”

KitGuru Says: Do you guys like the sound of where this is going? I've never really thought abut MMOs as being esports compatible, but I suppose at the top end there's no reason why not. 

The post Wargaming makes pledge to end pay to win in F2P first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/wargaming-makes-pledge-to-end-pay-to-win-in-f2p/feed/ 0