Here's the reasoning Epic is offering for the wacky pricing.
Ok first, let's talk about the price of Dark Corners. In the past, like other games, we've charged 800 points for 3-4 multiplayer maps. This time we are doubling that to 7 maps and including a new single player chapter (a deleted scene if you will) for the price of 1600 points. As a one to one comparison that seems fair.
Now let's talk about All Fronts. Yes at $19.99 it has some value over the 3600 points you would have to pay online to buy the same content and there's nothing stopping you from getting the content that way. In order to get people off the couch and into the stores you need to provide a value add and it's not just a poster. And remember that even though this was announced today, it's not being offered till the end of July. That means you'll have had 4 months of playing Snowblind before All Fronts even shows up in stores.
I'm sorry for the confusion, I knew there would be some when you announce new content and a compilation at the same time. But for reasons that will become clear soon, we had to announce earlier instead of waiting closer to July.
Thanks,
Rod.
Q. Will Snowblind and Combustible Map Pack be free when Dark Corners is released?
No because that would defeat the purpose of enticing people to go to the store. As people have said, if you buy All Fronts then you are essentially getting them for free.
BTW it's worth mentioning that All Fronts is a limited time offer.
Now that just makes me wonder what the "reasons that will become clear soon" are.
Shit, I totally missed that the first time. Huh.
EDIT: Also, All Fronts is up for preorder on Amazon.com. Link
Along with the new GoW book, Jacinto's Remnant. (And before you say anything, the first book was actually pretty good.) Link
EDIT2: Also, there's going to be an event showing off the game next Friday.
To All Gears of War fans
Xbox LIVE presents First to Play: Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection
In Seattle, Washington. Friday May 15th, 2009. From 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
First Hand preview of a map from Dark Corners and a panel discussion with Devs.
Not exactly sure WHERE in Seattle it's going to be though.
I like GoW 2's campaign, but only one level? And 20 bucks? No thanks. I'm not interested in more maps for a broken multiplayer game.
Flawed? Yes. Unbalanced? Maybe. Broken? Come on, get over it people. It is not broken anymore. They fixed the game-breaking issues with patches months ago. Outside of a once-in-a-great-while bad host, the multiplayer runs very smoothly now.
2 out of 3 is enough for me to never play it again. It's not like I'm a Sony fanboy or anything either. I love the first Gears, and the second Gears had a good singe player, but the multiplayer? No thank you. I've never gotten so mad playing a game before. I had to get rid of it for my blood pressure.
So it appears all the early adopters got vindicated a little bit, and the retail version of the All-Fronts collection got scrapped (I'll morn the loss of the poster and strategy guide). Now the Dark Corners DLC will be cheaper at $15 and the All-Fronts Collection will be available online (sans physical components) for $20
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Exactly.
The new DLC should be cheaper, and all parties would be cool about it.
Buying the stuff I don't have off xbox live costs EXACTLY as much as buying the set with everything in the store.
Yeah that's a really low blow to your dedicated customers, MS.
Q. Will Snowblind and Combustible Map Pack be free when Dark Corners is released?
EDIT: Also, All Fronts is up for preorder on Amazon.com. Link
Along with the new GoW book, Jacinto's Remnant. (And before you say anything, the first book was actually pretty good.) Link
EDIT2: Also, there's going to be an event showing off the game next Friday.
Not exactly sure WHERE in Seattle it's going to be though.
http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/987/987928p1.html