Sean Murray Says He Was “Perhaps Naive” in Saying No Man’s Sky Won’t Have Paid DLC
55 replies, posted
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[QUOTE]Yes, that’s a quote directly from Sean Murray; “there will be no paid DLC, just patches.”
Well in an interview with the Daily Star Online Murray has now changed positions. Murray told the Daily Star Online that he was “perhaps naive” for suggesting No Man’s Sky will only have free updates.
[I]“When pushed on whether the game will always remain free, Murray couldn’t categorically rule out paid for DLC further down the line, explaining that it could happen if “Maybe in the future there’s some reason why we just couldn’t possibly afford to do a certain feature without charging for it”.[/I][/QUOTE]
[URL="http://thisgengaming.com/2016/08/15/sean-murray-says-he-was-perhaps-naive-in-saying-no-mans-sky-wont-have-paid-dlc/"]Source[/URL]
Congratulations Sean Murray, you are living up to your reputation as the new Peter Molyneux.
Fair enough, the game is excellent already, baring a few glitches.
I think it's important that we all read this.
[quote]When pushed on whether the game will always remain free, Murray couldn’t categorically rule out paid for DLC further down the line, explaining that it could happen if “Maybe in the future there’s some reason why we just couldn’t possibly afford to do a certain feature without charging for it”.[/quote]
Hopefully this means "If we don't have any money, then we might make paid DLC to pay for it."
He'd have to be absolutely retarded to introduce paid DLC on a game where people are complaining about the $60 price tag. There's "Not including Visual C++ 2011 redistributable in the install" retarded, then there's "Breaking your half-promise(?) whilst charging more for an already expensive game" absolute retarded.
"perhaps i was naive" perfectly encapsulates the entirety of no man's sky, from announcement and hype to the finished product.
but Sean looks like a honestly nice and friendly nerd guy who just wants to share his own excitement with others.
cant it be that all this shit is coming from the higher ups and that theyre forcing him? Sony?
I think its perhaps naive of any customers to think that there wouldn't be, even with Sean initially saying there wouldn't. Game developers are a business and the precedent has been set for years now that DLC nets major moneys. As long as the paid DLC is quality content, it really isn't that heinous. I can understand complaining about the price of the base game though depending how much content ends up behind a pay wall.
[QUOTE=Xephio;50891452]but Sean looks like a honestly nice and friendly nerd guy who just wants to share his own excitement with others.
cant it be that all this shit is coming from the higher ups and that theyre forcing him? Sony?[/QUOTE]
Fish looked like that too until he opened his mouth
[QUOTE=Xephio;50891452]but Sean looks like a honestly nice and friendly nerd guy who just wants to share his own excitement with others.
[/QUOTE]
looks can be deceiving???
[QUOTE=Smeetin;50891459]I think its perhaps naive of any customers to think that there wouldn't be, even with Sean initially saying there wouldn't. Game developers are a business and the precedent has been set for years now that DLC nets major moneys. As long as the paid DLC is quality content, it really isn't that heinous. I can understand complaining about the price of the base game though depending how much content ends up behind a pay wall.[/QUOTE]
The industry is in a real shit state if you can't trust even the most unambiguous of answers such as "there will be no paid DLC." Maybe developers should stop making promises they can't keep.
[QUOTE=Smeetin;50891459]I think its perhaps naive of any customers to think that there wouldn't be, even with Sean initially saying there wouldn't. Game developers are a business and the precedent has been set for years now that DLC nets major moneys. As long as the paid DLC is quality content, it really isn't that heinous. I can understand complaining about the price of the base game though depending how much content ends up behind a pay wall.[/QUOTE]
The problem is is that when you come out and promise there won't be paid DLC, and suddenly there is backpedaling on that promise, then you can't expect people to take that lying down. People thinking there wouldn't be DLC wasn't naivety, it came from the horse's mouth. Considering that games such as Minecraft or Terraria or countless other indie games (which is what No Man Sky is in the end) have gotten by without having DLC at all, it's pretty bad when a developer has come out and said they were basically lying about things earlier.
"We don't make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies" - Walt Disney
I don't see the problem with this. The guy can't predict the future, so his answer of, “Maybe in the future there’s some reason why we just couldn’t possibly afford to do a certain feature without charging for it," seems fine to me. They don't plan on making paid DLC, but who knows, maybe some unforeseen events make it inevitable.
I guess it doesn't really matter, though. The internet will be furious regardless of what he says at this point anyways.
At a certain point, expecting future updates to be free is on the verge of being a marketed "feature" these days that I know influences my purchasing decisions, and changing his mind can be seen as betraying on that feature. (Not to mention the debacle on the multiplayer, on top of this)
As an example of what I mean, I would never buy a Battlefield game on launch because I'm aware that EA announces paid content. Or how Killing Floor 2 advertised its free updates.
I'm just going to quote what I posted in the NMS thread regarding this issue and Sean Murray in general.
[QUOTE=alexojm;50890808]From looking at all the interviews Sean Murray has done I honestly just think he is a MASSIVELY naive guy who is too childlike and genuine to be the face of Hello Games. He is a walking disaster for PR because he speaks his mind and is honest about what he says at the time he says it not thinking about the ramifications of what he is saying. His statements can be vague causing hype and giving the wrong message.
Whats more he clearly doesn't understand his own industry and vastly underestimates that of the gaming community. Sean Murray lives in his own world oblivious.
Just look at the fiasco with multiplayer. In Sean's mind he couldn't believe the prospect of two players meeting in this vast universe he has built and considers it harmless to leave mystery about players being able to meet as he does not think it possible two players would be in the same part of the galaxy before he introduces traditional multiplayer. But that was just so naive and a complete lack of understanding and underestimation of the gaming community. So many in his shoes would of seen this coming a mile away but not Sean because he is too naive to realize.
What Hello Games needs is a PR guy a face for the company. Sean is the opposite kind of person you want for PR not because he is an asshole and its not because he is a liar it is kind of because he is an idiot.
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And finally in regards to no paid DLC Sean Murray in my opinion isn't fully about the money. This guy sold his house so he could do what he loves. The problem is most likely that he never discussed DLC with Sony after the deal they made and Sean without thinking of the ramifications spoke he mind when asked on the topic. Jump forward to Sony hearing the news a week later and some guy at the company has a fucking heart attack followed by a phone call telling Sean to reverse what he just said because those words will put stops onto the money train that NMS has become. Its like Sean doesn't even understand how big NMS has become and it is probably true with how naive he is.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=I_Forgot;50891532]I don't see the problem with this. The guy can't predict the future, so his answer of, “Maybe in the future there’s some reason why we just couldn’t possibly afford to do a certain feature without charging for it," seems fine to me. They don't plan on making paid DLC, but who knows, maybe some unforeseen events make it inevitable.
I guess it doesn't really matter, though. The internet will be furious regardless of what he says at this point anyways.[/QUOTE]
The thing is with promising the world is that there are no boundaries of reality, although on the otherside of the coin reality is full of boundaries and limitations.
Maybe it's naive of him to keep on talking about the world without first planning on how they intend to make it work.
My view is that if a game developer has delivered on promises in the past, ie has a proven track record, then it's understandable if the public believes what they say. If there is no such track record, then it's naive for the public to believe anything they say.
[QUOTE=Wiggles;50891484]The industry is in a real shit state if you can't trust even the most unambiguous of answers such as "there will be no paid DLC." Maybe developers should stop making promises they can't keep.[/QUOTE]
tbh developers aren't financial forecasters. A developer will think "fuck yeah I can implement that in x days!", be given the cash to actually do that in x days and have their estimate be way, way below the reality.
When working on NMS, he probably did think that they'd be able to do anything they were planning within the budget. But this is why you never let a developer of any sorts handle financing in projects, we're usually too self-confident in our ability and expect very little to go wrong.
[QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;50891643]My view is that if a game developer has delivered on promises in the past, ie has a proven track record, then it's understandable if the public believes what they say. If there is no such track record, then it's naive for the public to believe anything they say.[/QUOTE]
It is, and consumers have proven over and over that they are naive and willing to buy into hype. That doesn't mean you can't hold someone accountable for going back on their promises and not delivering, this is why it's important to have critics and legal bodies who's purpose it is to encourage and enforce consumer rights because consumers as a whole are too ignorant to do so themselves.
[QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;50891643]My view is that if a game developer has delivered on promises in the past, ie has a proven track record, then it's understandable if the public believes what they say. If there is no such track record, then it's naive for the public to believe anything they say.[/QUOTE]
This doesnt mean they should get a free pass on outright lying. Game was sold with the dev himself saying free dlc, its like buying a house with the contractor saying "yeah there will be a fireplace" then walking in and him saying "oh wait we need to sell you the fireplace it doesnt come with the house"
Kinda hilarious looking at the shit reviews the game has gotten on Steam: over-hyped game that - at a lower price - would be fine. But charging $60 for "Repetition Simulator IN SPACE" is ridiculous.
I was kinda interested in the game, but after seeing a couple of Let's Play videos, I can genuinely say I'm glad I didn't buy into the hype and get the game. Seems like such an underwhelming game that is magical for about an hour or so before you realise it's all just the same shit.
Same exact outposts on each planet, same NPCs. No thanks.
[QUOTE=Xephio;50891452]but Sean looks like a honestly nice and friendly nerd guy who just wants to share his own excitement with others.
cant it be that all this shit is coming from the higher ups and that theyre forcing him? Sony?[/QUOTE]
Perceived lack of malice should not be an excuse for misleading marketing
And what happened to them being an "indie darling" yet everyone automatically comes to the conclusion it's all Sony's fault without any tangible reason?
[QUOTE=loopoo;50891968]Kinda hilarious looking at the shit reviews the game has gotten on Steam: over-hyped game that - at a lower price - would be fine. But charging $60 for "Repetition Simulator IN SPACE" is ridiculous.
I was kinda interested in the game, but after seeing a couple of Let's Play videos, I can genuinely say I'm glad I didn't buy into the hype and get the game. Seems like such an underwhelming game that is magical for about an hour or so before you realise it's all just the same shit.
Same exact outposts on each planet, same NPCs. No thanks.[/QUOTE]
from what I hear there is different "tiers" of planets. the lower tiers which you start on and populate the way to the centre of the galaxy are the lowest tier, all visually similar with low yields of resources and boring life on the planets. apparently going off the beaten path and finding those higher yield planets should tend to more exciting results.
I'm gonna be mad as hell if they start selling paid DLC. The game is barebones as shit for 60 dollars, selling DLC without expanding on the game would be a real ass fucking.
its possible to be naive to the point of negligence, and sean murray has definitely gotten to this point.
the dude shoulda kept his mouth shut from the get-go, because he's been a PR disaster for hello games so far.
It is a game jesus christ who cares. Don't crucify the man for being shit at PR.
DLC is bog standard in game development of this scale.
No Man's Sky started as a simple indie game, but was elevated into fame by Sony's agressive marketing push.
Now that it's sold as many units as it has, it's natural for any dev to consider DLC.
[editline]16th August 2016[/editline]
[QUOTE=WillerinV1.02;50892463]its possible to be naive to the point of negligence, and sean murray has definitely gotten to this point.
the dude shoulda kept his mouth shut from the get-go, because he's been a PR disaster for hello games so far.[/QUOTE]
Sean is a normal dude forced into this wild ride where he has to be really careful about his every utterance
[QUOTE=Cmx;50891888]This doesnt mean they should get a free pass on outright lying. Game was sold with the dev himself saying free dlc, its like buying a house with the contractor saying "yeah there will be a fireplace" then walking in and him saying "oh wait we need to sell you the fireplace it doesnt come with the house"[/QUOTE]
There's still going to be free updates.
[QUOTE=Cmx;50891888]This doesnt mean they should get a free pass on outright lying. Game was sold with the dev himself saying free dlc, its like buying a house with the contractor saying "yeah there will be a fireplace" then walking in and him saying "oh wait we need to sell you the fireplace it doesnt come with the house"[/QUOTE]
More like he said there'd be a free fireplace, but if you want solar panels you'll have to pay extra.
Paid DLC can exist alongside free updates/DLC. (see: Rocket League)
[QUOTE=paul simon;50892501]More like he said there'd be a free fireplace, but if you want solar panels you'll have to pay extra.
Paid DLC can exist alongside free updates/DLC. (see: Rocket League)[/QUOTE]
Can we just wait and see? Like, instead of assuming this game was going to be great or suck people should have waited until it launched, now let's be sceptic and see what the paid DLC is all about.
[editline]16th August 2016[/editline]
The reason I find this behaviour scummy of promising not to have paid DLC and then going back on your promises is because it doesn't really affect you as much as it does other future developers. You've already got your sales and while there is a backlash and you may have hurt your future reputation, you've not entirely ruined it, only added to a pile of unethical business practices that eventually makes people weary of developers who actually mean it when they promise things and can actually keep their promises.
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