“Grab your pitchforks,” I said a week or so back, “it looks like another game has DLC on the disk that you’ll have to pay for, knowing all along that the code is there. And the artwork. And the move sets. Just awaiting a download key. Are you even still alive?”
I was being sarcastic. A sideways dig at everyone that thinks day-one DLC and locking away content on disk is a bad thing. ‘You’re all silly’, I thought, ‘publishers gotta make some monies’.
[drop2]But that DLC, that Capcom were so strongly defending? Hackers are already using them. Online. AGAINST YOU.“The character information and files were intentionally included on retail versions of the PS3 and Xbox 360 game to save hard drive space and to ensure for a smooth transition when the DLC is available,” said Capcom back on the 6th, “allowing players who choose not to purchase the content the ability to play against players that did.”
Right. Except that if you go online on an Xbox 360 with the game, you might run into these ‘DLC’ fighters now. By people that haven’t bought them.
“Yes, we’re seeing news of this,” said Capcom’s Christian Svensson. “Quite ballsy for folks to be taking hacked Xbox 360s on Live where they are detectable.”
“In any event, we already have opened channels of communication with Microsoft on these issues Friday night. If you can capture screens or video of this in action (as some have already) we’re working on bans for boxes and accounts with Microsoft for haxxors.”
Haxxors.
Turns out I was, ultimately, wrong. If publishers lock away content on disk, chances are someone will figure out a way to get access to them. And then use them against you. And if you don’t care for fighers, imagine if this happened with Gran Turismo. Or Uncharted.
3shirts
I’m not that bothered. Any balanced game will be designed so that the DLC only gives the people that bought it more choice rather than an advantage. If the DLC is outright ‘better’ than what’s available without it you are essentially buying the wins and it’s not a good game if that is how it works.
Also, as he says, taking a hacked console online is asking for trouble and I’d like to think they’ll be shutdown pretty quick.
Eldave0
Serves them right :)
hazelam
they’re using content on the disc they paid for.
am i missing the point where that’s bad? o_O
oh yeah, it means capcom can’t sell them content they already have.
yeah, i don’t care about that. ^_^
JesseDeya
Actually if their console is hacked there is about a 99% chance they didn’t pay for the game either.
hazelam
well, that’s a different matter.
assume my comment is about people who did buy the game, legally.
Forrest_01
Yeah, usually stories about hacking annoy the hell out of me, but this one? Meh, not so much.
As has bneen mentioned, they shouldn’t have any real advantage by doing this & are ultimately risking being caught by going online onn a hacked console.
In the end everyone kinda gets what they deserve – Capcome lose out on a couple of sales because people don’t want to pay for content that is already on disc & the hackers will be banned (one would presume) for hacking.
Not quite a ‘win-win’, but it’ll all sort itself out. Kinda.
JesseDeya
I’m trying to imagine it happening to Gran Turismo or Uncharted, but it’s difficult when there is no way to use a hacked PS3 on the (free) PSN. ;)
Queue another Live vs PSN debate.
In all seriousness, it may be ballsy but that doesn’t help gamers playing against hacked consoles. If they can unlock the DLC I imagine they can also run trainers and other cheats to pull of stupid crazy combos. Not having hackers and cheats is one of the reasons I still love consoles online over PC gaming, shame when we hear of it creeping in.
aerobes
An unsurprising situation. I’m of the thought that if the content is on the disc, you should already have access to it either by hidden unlockables via playing or something. No time or sympathy for hackers whatsoever either.
CdmanJak
Why defend capcom this was bound to happen people can only be push so far until they call bullshit
Foxhound_Solid
I’m undecided on this….
jikomanzoku
You got me thinking Alex :)
“If publishers lock away content on disk, chances are someone will figure out a way to get access to them. And then use them against you. And if you don’t care for fighers, imagine if this happened with Gran Turismo. Or Uncharted”.
It does, to a lot of people, via a slightly different channel – some folks buy the extra maps, weapons and cars for instance and others don’t. I’m not arguing or picking fault with your statement just using it as an example of how I believe, that anything other than cosmetic (skins/models/logos/etc) paid DLC, fractures a games community, dividing into haves and have nots.
Personally I’d like to see companies focus on knocking out myriad character customisations (a la LBP) and weapon skins at a price, whilst ensuring that everyone has a level playing field in terms of levels and weapon content. It’d certainly make an interesting experiment.