It is being reported that the Catwoman missions in Batman: Arkham City, which apparently make up 10% of the game, are locked unless you enter a ‘1st Purchaser’ code, which is included with new copies of the game.
This code will also unlock Catwoman as a playable character in challenge mode
Second hand buyers will have to purchase a code. If you don’t have a code, Catwoman will still appear as part of the story, you’ll just not be able to play as her.
This echoes the sort of online pass issues we mentioned last night with regards to Mass Effect 3.
Update: this has been confirmed. The code will cost second hand buyers 800 MSP / £7.99.
Source: Eurogamer /ArkhamCity.co.uk
Awayze
It’s stuff like this why I would obtain this game from “other sources”.
£8+ preowned copy? I wouldn’t pay more than £9 for the second hand game.
yogdog
Sometimes I disagree with his/her comments, sometimes I agree, but Hazelam is completely spot on the mark with this topic. Its a fucking disgrace to tie in single player content to a pass.
skibadee
think it is the norm it has been happening for a while now.
jikomanzoku
Yet that doesn’t make it any more palatable or even right. It’s racketeering in my opinion.
skibadee
it has been happening for over a year now think it is something we will have to get used to.
jikomanzoku
I hear ya and I’ve been disgruntled about this for some time. In locking out actual campaign material though the ante has been upped to a level on which I will vote with my feet, I don’t do business with companies whose ethics I don’t like.
I don’t say it lightly either, as this, for me, along with Dark Souls (A game which rewarded day one purchasers very well) was my most anticipated title of the year.
hazelam
with respect, skibadee, i disagree.
we do not have to get used to it.
we can say no, we can refuse to accept it.
if enough people did so it would become an unprofitable practice and it would have to end.
but too many people just accept it and nothing changes.
certainly not for the better anyway.
colmshan1990
I see this as similar to the extra Battlefield Bad Company maps you got for picking it up new.
You can buy it as extra if you want if you didn’t buy it with a code, or go without, as it’s not essential.
I’m not buying Arkham City to play as Catwoman, but as Batman.
Smallville2106
It is nothing like that. The maps in BC were ‘extra bonuses.’ This ‘1st Purchaser’ code will lock out single player stuff which is also tied to trophies etc. Around 10% of the game.
Awayze
Who cares what you buy the game for. This a part of the story mode.
colmshan1990
I don’t think it is part of a story mode, if it was important you wouldn’t be able to continue, but the post here says you can keep playing, presumably as Batman.
The trophy thing is a lousy trick alright, but no different to a game with an online pass having multiplayer trophies.
If it were me developing it, I’d make the Catwoman trophies seperate to the platinum requirements, like a piece of DLC.
jikomanzoku
Yeah but that’s because you are a nice guy who is concerned about the gamers, your customers. As evidenced by the fact that they are taking this action, they don’t give two hoots about the users and will be highly unlikely to extend such a courtesy to us.
colmshan1990
It probably came from the top- the publishers, not the developers.
jikomanzoku
I didn’t mean to imply that it didn’t bro :)
C_S15
Yup, very glad I added this to my rental list and bought Dark Souls instead. Like shit am I going to support this. While I disagree with online passes, I can see where the developer is coming from when it comes to the online costs and running it and such. This is just pure greed and I sincerely hope WB change their mind.
Smallville2106
Catwoman is around 10% of the game. It is on shopTo.net for around £35 but this will cost £8?
Will not be supporting this. Pre-order cancelled.
robeagle
It is free if you buy new, it’s only £8 if you buy a used copy of the game. It is still uncalled for to lock part of the main story mode to a code, especially if players don’t have an internet connection. Bet you don’t get any sort of refund in that case, but then the publisher isn’t losing anything there (not that they were anyway) so what do they care?
Just to address others comments I’ve read, if I buy a game new for £40 and trade it in for £30, I have not made any money from that transaction, I’ve just got the original game for £10, the publisher got their cut, the developer got their cut, the retailer got theirs. The retailer then has to pay me £30 for a game that they then sell for say £35, so they only make £5, if the developer/publisher is complaining about getting extra players for their game and losing out on a percentage of £5, then that is a sad state of affairs, particularly if the game has DLC which = potential extra sales they wouldn’t have ordinarily got. I bought AA preowned, and on the strength of that am buying AC new as I felt the game deserved to be bought new, but I still don’t think it is fair for people that don’t or can’t buy new.
I can kind of get on board with passes for online play as there are costs in running it and it is an extra feature to a game but not when it is part of the main story mode.
KeRaSh
I have yet to finish Batman AA. Only bought it because everyone and his mom said it was a brilliant game but for me it has been a mediocre gaming experience so far. I usually buy games new anyways. By the time I would even consider buying this game (if at all) the price for a new copy will be around the price of a pre-owned game in good condition anyways.
I think they were pretty deceiving by advertising Catwoman so much as a playable character and then locking her out unless you enter a code. If they didn’t mention her during the dev cycle and then just released he as SP DLC that adds more depth to the story they would walk away with a better reputation and less boycotts. I think they shot their own foot with this.
jikomanzoku
My mum didn’t like it, too violent – but she loved SOTC and Flower :D
duff_em_up_dave
I will still be purchasing the collectors edition on pre-order but only because I love everything Batman (except those gay Joel Schumacher efforts)and because I want the Dark Knight Returns skin, but that doesn’t mean I agree with what they’re doing.
My advice to those that wanna play this:
Wait 6 weeks or so when the game will drop in price to about 20 quid on Amazon, Play, whatever, then buy it.
moshi
Is anyone else not really bothered by !
moshi
By it even
Starman
I think 5 pages of comments should answer your question.
kjkg
Me. I get why people are cheesed off but wonder how many of them were planning on buying it second hand or first. The people that are “cancelling my preorder in protest” are obviously doing it because it annoys them and they feel they should make a stand but it was never going to affect them anyway. So not really sure who is losing out here? The developers who lose a very VERY small fraction of their market, or the gamer who might have just missed out on GOTY.
Anyway, saying that. I don’t care no. If I buy this (and I will when my cash is coloured black on my statement) i will buy new. Simple.
I’ve taken a new approach to preowned. I look at what games I want. I turn over the box and see if it has a pass, and then if not, I decide what makes sense. Usually by that time the difference in preowned and new is very minimal.
AAAANNNNYYYWWAAAYYY, in summary Moshi, no I don’t really care. (that would have been so much quicker).
KeRaSh
“or the gamer who might have just missed out on GOTY”
WHat does a Batman AC pre-order have to do with Uncharted 3? :D
kjkg
Seriously KeRaSh (see how I took the time to put in the right caps), get a grip. Skyrim has it hands down. I was just being nice about batman. ;)
Crazy_Del
Just finished reading 160 post whew….. hope I’m not too late.
As you all know me (well some of them) I always buy new games on launch to support the developers. Now as for the Catwoman as a ‘pass’ there’s nothing wrong as the price is still the same as today’s standards (£40)
I can understand what you all were saying about someone with no internet connection etc… but not to be rude we live in a world with Internet and everyone should have a broadband in every househould (surely, hell I read that in the papers that by 2014 whatever year the whole world should have freeview/broadband by then =P)
All I can say is if your unhappy about it then don’t buy it. And it doesn’t bother me that much and like skibadee said it’s been a year now and I’m pretty much used to it now so….
I know some of you cannot afford it for whatever reasons but surely you can wait just for 19 weeks as Christmas is not that far off, and beside the price will drop down to £25 for a week only in ASDA! (probably around January and oh don’t forget Boxing Day massive SALE!!!)
But I do agree with teflon for the rentals and swapping games to a friend to save money and such but that’s changed now.
We all have to get used to it now, they won’t stop it will continue to grow….
R4U Eldave0
Off topic for a second but I just found your psxscotland BF3 invites! They had gone to my junk inbox for some reason :'( !