DRM News

Update : EA has since clarified things at least a little bit, telling Kotaku :

“EA SPORTS, EA Games and EA Play are each experimenting with download strategies that deliver fresh game content in formats players want to experience,” he writes. “To date, there is no set pricing strategy for the entire EA portfolio. And many of the proposals include free-to-play content on models similar to Madden Ultimate Team, Battlefield Heroes and Battlefield 1943.”

“None of the proposals” Brown wrote, “call for charging consumers for traditionally free game demos.”

As reported by Gamesindustrybiz (For those without a Gamesindustrybiz account, you can read a synopsis of it on Gamasutra), EA appears to have a new rollout method planned for future game releases. According to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, the strategy was unveiled by Visceral boss Nick Earl during an investor conference.

“Mr. Earl revealed a strategy to release premium downloadable content (PDLC) as a product for sale prior to the release of a packaged product,” Pachter wrote in a note to investors.

“The PDLC would be sold for $10 or $15 through Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, and would essentially be a very long game demo, along the lines of 2009’s Battlefield 1943. A full-blown packaged game would follow shortly after the release of the PDLC, bearing a full retail price.

“Mr. Earl believes that the release of the PDLC first limits the risk of completing and marketing the full packaged version, and serves as a low-cost marketing tool,” he added.

The question left unanswered is exactly how this program will shake out. It may end up being something similar to what Capcom is doing for Dead Rising 2. Before actually launching the full game, they’re first releasing a shorter prequel title using the same game play and functionality as Dead Rising 2 will. Once they gauge customer feedback on the prequel (entitled Case Zero), they can then modify Dead Rising 2 as necessary prior to releasing it. So purchasers of the prequel still get a game to play, albeit a shorter one, but with a lower price point to match.

Perhaps it will be more of a paid demo, with the $10-$15 ‘buy in’ cost then removed from the cost of the finished product, or with the final price heavily discounted for those willing to become essentially paid Beta testers.

Would the prequel DLC content actually lead in to the full game itself, perhaps a ‘bonus chapter’ for those willing to purchase it?

Or maybe this will follow the model used by many indie titles over the years (Mount & Blade for example) of customers being able to buy the game at any point in its development, with the cost rising as it comes closer to actually being released. Whenever a person buys it, they immediately are able to play the newest Alpha/Beta builds of the game from that point forward, as well as the final release game itself.

Right now, there are too many possibilities for what this might mean (the four examples I’ve given likely only scratch the surface). Definitely something worth keeping an eye on, though.