Portal 2 DLC Details Announced - Free On All Platforms

Hectic Glenn

Hectic Glenn

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Doug Lombardi already announced yesterday that Portal 2 will be getting it's first DLC this summer but today, Valve have released specific details which include new content for single and multiplayer.
Portal 2 DLC #1 will offer new test chambers for players, leaderboards, challenge mode for single and multiplayer modes, and more. Targeted for release this summer, Portal 2 DLC #1 will be offered free of charge for the PC, Mac, Xbox 360, and PS3.
Click to expand...
Yes you saw that right, even 360 players will get the DLC for free which is excellent news.[br]As a side note Valve also say Portal 2 currently holds a 95% metacritic rating and has captured the number 1 chart position in the UK, Germany, and the Nordic countries. Also Valve have released another Portal 2 trailer video with some new footage including reviews & scores from the gaming press - definitely worth a watch.
 
Free you say? Free? Free? Well, colour me shocked.
 
Free, on all platforms, and coming out this summer? What's the catch? Do we have to collect potatoes again to make it happen? :D
 
<3 Valve

ZoFreX said:
Free, on all platforms, and coming out this summer? What's the catch? Do we have to collect potatoes again to make it happen? :D
Click to expand...

I'm guessing this time around it will be lemons.
 
Wow, that's better than I expected for the first DLC.
 
I'm pretty surprised they are going for free. Personally I wouldn't have a problem paying for it, but this is excellent news for everyone. I hope those tards at 4Chan feel their cheeks burning a bit after their antics at metacritic etc.
 
Our plan worked, Darkside. By expecting it to be priced we tricked Valve into releasing it for free!
 
Free! Whoop!

And hey, dig Chell's sexy walk.
*waits for some anorak to say, "That can't be Chell because..."
 
I can imagine Valve contacting Microsoft saying "How much would you like to charge for this DLC which is coming out for free on PC, Mac and PS3?" I'm not really surprised they've changed their minds now, kind of disappointing how long it's taken for the penny to drop though.
 
Loving the fact they called it 'DLC #1' too, implying there's more to come. :D
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Xbox had like a limit to add free stuff/DLC to a game?
 
mmmh just saw the video and its a compilation of al the trailers. Like yesterday I was watching the trailer of NFS: the run and the advertising in front was for Portal 2 :D

DLC: its like L4d2 The sacrifice DLC/patch, I call it: "Missing maps update"
 
So they're really banking on hats and shit to make money... I still don't think it will be as popular as Team Hatress 2.
 
ríomhaire said:
Or you know. Game sales.
Click to expand...

Game sales cover initial development costs and generate their own profit margins (if they generate profits), DLC is a new development expense and generally has to be covered by additional revenue unless you intend to just subtract it from initial profits. Valve isn't run by idiots. They can't give away thousands of man hours worth of development banking on initial sales to cover the expenses. Microtransactions are the new DLC prices. People don't feel forced to spend money for content but you still get money because people love spending money on dumb shit. Of course some companies like EA charge you for DLC AND microtransactions... Valve made it much more friendly.

However, I'm not sure where they're getting L4D revenue. Of course new content is somewhat sparse considering it's mostly just tweaks to game modes. Still it's an investment without any tangible returns.

Anyways I thought that was all implied... it's obvious they made money from initial sales...
 
StarBob said:
Game sales cover initial development costs and generate their own profit margins (if they generate profits), DLC is a new development expense and generally has to be covered by additional revenue unless you intend to just subtract it from initial profits. Valve isn't run by idiots. They can't give away thousands of man hours worth of development banking on initial sales to cover the expenses. Microtransactions are the new DLC prices. People don't feel forced to spend money for content but you still get money because people love spending money on dumb shit. Of course some companies like EA charge you for DLC AND microtransactions... Valve made it much more friendly.

However, I'm not sure where they're getting L4D revenue. Of course new content is somewhat sparse considering it's mostly just tweaks to game modes. Still it's an investment without any tangible returns.

Anyways I thought that was all implied... it's obvious they made money from initial sales...
Click to expand...
You're forgetting about continued sales. Team Fortress 2 still gets new sales due to the constant updates and occasion sales it gets and it continues to attract new players due to its reputation and a large part of that reputation is due to all the free updates it has gotten (and any PC (and most PS3) sale they make of Portal 2 to someone who does not have a Steam account introduces that person to Steam).

You're also not looking at really long term. Valve has a huge following and inspire a lot of brand loyalty. You release free updates for your older games and people feel like they're being treated well by your company and are more likely to buy your next game.
 
Indeed as Riomhaire says, StarBob. Valve have never released DLC for the purpose of making the consumer need to buy more content. If you go back and look at all their DLC (before and after in-game stores) their objective has always been to renew interest in their games for the existing player base and use the PR boost to attract gamers who see the new content / see friends playing / read a review months later and were undecided on a purchase. These continued sales are huge and Valve also extend the duration of interest (with or without new content) by doing sales like in the case of L4D2, which sold more in it's first sale than it did on launch on Steam!

Microsoft charging for delivering DLC content on the 360 really screwed up this model for Valve and only just now have they made the breakthrough...seemingly by the pressure of Sony offering it for free. The initial Mann Co Store in TF2 was a test which went crazy and generated ridiculous amounts of money. There were weapons and hats (obtainable by drops) before the store, the content was free and even after the store it is still obtainable for free. You can pay to cut corners or support mappers and many gamers decide to, it may be 'dumb' in your opinion but no one is pointing a force-a-nature at these player's heads, they want to. So that is what Valve do, they give the options to the player.

It's not a finished model though, it's still very experimental in the sense that they've added a store to Portal 2. The content there is so far away from having any impact on co-op that if they shut it down tomorrow I don't think many people would notice. I have no idea how much it's making though, it seems there is little interest amongst the people I've spoken to, but it is it still just another option for the gamer to make. I don't feel like I've missed anything from the game experience from not having bought anything from it. It's a long stretch from the MW games asking players to buy map packs which is essentially denying them actual content, after they've bought a $50+ game.
 
^Well said, because of free updates they are still making money off of games like CS:S that they havent touched in any meaningful way in years. Also if I remember correctly they got more preorders for l4d2 than the orange box and that obviously had to do with the reputation they've built up from releasing free content for their games over the years.
Brand recognition goes a long way.
 
Good show, Valve. You're still giving content updates for free.

For now.
 
Cynics tend to always be right.
And if they're not, then they're pleasantly surprised.
Win/win if you ask me.
 
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