Witcher 2 DLC free on PC, not on 360

CD Project RED development director Adam Badowski says all DLC for The Witcher 2 will remain free on PCs, but will probably be paid on Xbox 360.

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The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is still primed for more downloadable content, and PC players will get it for free according to CD Project RED development director Adam Badowski. If you're waiting to pick up the impending Xbox 360 port, though, you'll probably have to pay up for any future DLC.

"All DLC for the PC version is and will remain free," Badowski told Rock Paper Shotgun. "That's not likely to be the story for the Xbox version, because of certain Microsoft policies that need to be followed. But on PC, once you buy our game, you don't need to worry about any additional costs – we will provide all updates, including those featuring new content, for free."

He does point out, though, that a full expansion pack would warrant a paid release, if they choose to make one. "But this is a purely theoretical discussion at this point, as we have yet to confirm or even plan any official expansion packs."

Offering reasoning for the decision, Badowski says they "don't like to see gamers treated like dairy cows that are primed for milking," as DLC is often planned as an additional source of revenue. He says CD Project RED is currently focusing on the updated version of the game, and early next year that focus will shift to the Xbox 360 "adaptation."

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    September 28, 2011 9:15 AM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, Witcher 2 DLC free on PC, not on 360.

    CD Project RED development director Adam Badowski says all DLC for The Witcher 2 will remain free on PCs, but will probably be paid on Xbox 360.

    • reply
      September 28, 2011 9:27 AM

      PC Gaming wins again!

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      September 28, 2011 9:49 AM

      I need to buy this, just to support them.

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      September 28, 2011 9:51 AM

      Damn gotta love CD Project for this. I don't play Witcher but I might pick their 2 games just to support them.

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      September 28, 2011 9:52 AM

      is version 2.0 still coming out on the 30th....I hope so

      • reply
        September 28, 2011 9:55 AM

        [deleted]

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          September 28, 2011 10:00 AM

          hell yeah, can't wait

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          September 28, 2011 10:10 AM

          [deleted]

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          September 28, 2011 10:31 AM

          "Since the EU price is almost $16 more than the price in USD, we’re giving you a $16 USD credit to spend on GOG.com."

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            September 28, 2011 1:08 PM

            They are nearly up to Valve levels of customer appreciation nowadays.

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              September 28, 2011 4:45 PM

              The hint I was trying to give is that they're above them, since this kind of thing is precisely what Valve doesn't do.

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      September 28, 2011 11:02 AM

      I love these guys. PC love to the max, screw the consoles :D Yay!

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      September 28, 2011 12:26 PM

      This would be something to talk about if/when they get the game out for the 360. Otherwise it seems like a silly thing to announce months and months before this situation may come into play.

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        September 28, 2011 1:02 PM

        You realize, M$ will never allow free DLC. Don't know why you think this would ever change for console users. They are simply stating that the way it should be, DLC should be free and PC users are gaining those benefits.

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          September 29, 2011 3:06 PM

          It's obvious by your post you should just stick to your PC as you have no clue about consoles.

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      September 28, 2011 12:49 PM

      Hoping something was done for diagrams, man that was annoying. If I know a diagram just say so or allow you to use a diagram and the slip of paper is gone and it warns you on merchant windows or what not if you already have it, such a tedious system.

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      September 28, 2011 4:39 PM

      I miss when all PC DLC was free... =[

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        September 28, 2011 4:44 PM

        I miss when they were called mods, and anybody could make one :(

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          September 28, 2011 4:47 PM

          Thats what happens when content requires 100x the effort to create and a full team of people working full time to create using resources that a studio provides.

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            September 28, 2011 5:00 PM

            Makes me wish procedural generation took off for texture work.

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            September 28, 2011 5:14 PM

            [deleted]

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              September 28, 2011 5:37 PM

              And why is that bullshit?

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                September 30, 2011 7:18 AM

                certain things have become more difficult, certain things have become easier. New tools and new workflow. It really depends on the engine and how easy it is to mod/edit it.

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          September 28, 2011 6:05 PM

          Anybody can still make mods for the same engines they used to be able to. And people that want to learn new engines can make free "mods" (or full games) for the latest and greatest engines like Source and Unreal Engine 3.

          The same RTS games with powerful modding capabilities still allow that too, like Starcraft 2.

          Nothing has really changed.

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        September 28, 2011 5:29 PM

        I don't understand why more studios don't do this as a preorder incentive. Preorder our game at full price, and future DLC will be available free. I would probably buy more games that I am interested in, instead of waiting for a GOTY or not bothering with them altogether.

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          September 28, 2011 5:35 PM

          You are a genius and I would do this in a hearbeat as well. Of course I'm not sure if the benefit of upped pre-orders outweighs their potential gains of future DLC.

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          September 28, 2011 5:37 PM

          Because shit costs way too much money to make today. It's not 1998 anymore.

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        September 28, 2011 5:36 PM

        Expansion Packs weren't ever free

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          September 28, 2011 5:42 PM

          This is also true, going back to Duke and Warcraft 2 and stuff in the early/mid 90's.

          I think I recall some fps games shoving out some free map packs but that was when you could have a couple level designers just crank out some maps over a couple months. And it was a nice way to keep the game going (most of this was multiplayer) which led to more sales.

          Today, DLC and add ons may take 20 people and 3-4 months to make. you do the math on that and there's no way that can ever be free.

          its just absurd, and entitled beyond belief, for people to say things like "DLC should be free!".

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            September 28, 2011 7:13 PM

            That depends on what kind of DLC we are talking about... I dont think a little costume for Street Fighter IV, map for Civ V, or 2 new cars for Mafia 2 should be around 5 bucks each.

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            September 28, 2011 7:18 PM

            Plutonium Pak was so fucking fun, man. I loved running through the levels coop.

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          September 29, 2011 7:39 AM

          True, but the old school expacs are/would basically be full priced sequels compared to nowaday!

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      September 29, 2011 6:50 PM

      This is why I bought the first one twice. First time when it came out and 2nd time when they released the updated version. First I thought what a rip off but then I saw you could update your version to the enhanced one for free.

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