176 réponses à ce sujet

[implodinggoat]

Mike Shepard wrote...

For me this is an 'oh well' moment. I'd love to get everything but I am not dropping close to $200 for some toys just to get it. I do however predict massive hate (more so than I've seen in this thread so far) coming BioWare's way.

Any hate resultant of this is fully deserved.

I really wish the programmers would tell the marketing department to go **** themselves; but sadly they'd probably get fired if they did.

[ODST 5723]

CornerStoreComics/AmazingToyz also mention this

http://www.cornersto...Product_ID=5895



And Hugh at The Collectorate mentioned the same info, but doesn't have pre-order links up yet.

http://www.thecollectorate.net/

Modifié par ODST 5723, 13 janvier 2012 - 06:32 .

[IronSabbath88]

I'm very interested in the Legion figure and the Grunt figure from Series 1.. too bad I can't ever find them anywhere.

[implodinggoat]

Filament wrote...

That Miranda figurine is ugly.

Yeah its not a good likeness at all and even if it was I'd have a hell of a time explaining why I have a figure of a woman in a skintight catsuit sitting on my desk.   Not that I dislike the catsuit,  I just don't want to have to justify it to friends and family.

[ODST 5723]

Ok, so the question now that we've seen mutliple retailers confirming that there is some kind of in-game content code is...

Do the codes for each figure access different content or are do they all unlock the same content?

The same goes for the Normandy models from Dark Horse.  What is the benefit of registering the code that comes with it? Does that also provide in-game content?  I don't recall that being answered.

Modifié par ODST 5723, 13 janvier 2012 - 06:37 .

[Forsythia]

implodinggoat wrote...

Any hate resultant of this is fully deserved.

I really wish the programmers would tell the marketing department to go **** themselves; but sadly they'd probably get fired if they did.

Agreed, this is just too much. But hey, didn't they have a bazillion different bonus items for Dragon Age 1 and 2 as well? It wouldn't be this bad if all the items would become purchasable after a few months, just one big pack with all promotional items, I'm sure a lot of fans would buy that. But I guess that's where marketing stops thinking. Instead of giving their fans what they want, they just make money off these promotional items and that's it.

It's also stuff like this that makes me have a love/hate relationship with BioWare: I love their games, but all this crap surrounding it makes it hard to just enjoy the build-up to the actual release of the game.

How hard is it to just make every item available for everyone? A lot of games have done this in the past, as fans requested the pre-order or promotional items to be released. Transformers: War for Cybertron, Red Dead Redemption, Dead Rising 2, Batman: Arkham City, all games with a lot of pre-order content, but everything was made available for everyone after a while. This is all I'm asking.

Modifié par Forsythia, 13 janvier 2012 - 06:41 .

[Someone With Mass]

Even if it's somethings small like different outfits, I think people would still want them without having to spend 150 bucks on a few figures that they probably never going to open or use since they're collector items.

[ODST 5723]

You're not looking at it from a business perspective, snow.

They're looking to merchandise the hell out of this franchise. If I'm a fan who buys ME SWAG, this content can be a nice bonus for spending money I may already be spending. It may also hook a few people into buying the figures... and if they like them they may buy more figures later. They may also buy a Shepard T-Shirt or a Renegade keychain.

The bigger and more successful the merchandising, the better the ROI. A free DLC code as a pack-in is a nice reward for someone who's going to buy that figure. There's some synergy there AND it directs you to register the code here at the BSN and unlock your content for the game. I think it's a smart piece of marketing.

[Forsythia]

Of course it's smart marketing, no one is denying that. But we're not business men, we are fans of BioWare games who just want a complete game. They're only thinking about money with this and not about their fans, that's why I think this is crap. I'm also not asking for free stuff, I'd gladly pay some money for ingame items, but not $200,00.

Modifié par Forsythia, 13 janvier 2012 - 07:09 .

[Kaiser Shepard]

Er, what? Expensive dolls action figures with exclusive DLC retailing for about a third (and soon enough, over half) of the actual game's retail price?

Well, people did complain about the Dr. Pepper stuff, guess this is BW/EA's solution to that problem...

[bleetman]

Eh. This sort of thing just makes me wonder whether whatever they're selling is actually worth the price, if they feel the need to sweeten the deal with promotional dlc. But then, I'm cynical to my bitter, bitter core.

Modifié par bleetman, 13 janvier 2012 - 07:16 .

[implodinggoat]

ODST 5723 wrote...

The bigger and more successful the merchandising, the better the ROI. A free DLC code as a pack-in is a nice reward for someone who's going to buy that figure. There's some synergy there AND it directs you to register the code here at the BSN and unlock your content for the game. I think it's a smart piece of marketing.

Is it good marketing?

When I first got on the Bioware forums back before EA bought them Bioware had a flawless reputation.   I never saw a single post calling them sellouts or criticizing any of their promotions.

Its **** like this that has killed that reputation and now I constantly see threads not just here; but all over the net asking if people still have any faith in Bioware.

They had a sterling reputation that money couldn't buy and they killed it.   That's not good marketing.

[Xerxes52]

The marketing department just can't win can they?

First, we cheered when they said we'd get free ME3 items if we played the KoA demo, but now we boo when they include in-game items with these action figures (which look pretty meh, other than Legion).

Maybe they should have gone with Todd McFarlane, and made high-detail statues instead? I got a few of his military and dragon statues, as well as the Halo 3 Legendary Colletion. They were all around $10-$15 bucks (a bit cheaper than the ME figures) and the detail was excellent. That's just my opinion though.

[ODST 5723]

implodinggoat wrote...

ODST 5723 wrote...

The bigger and more successful the merchandising, the better the ROI. A free DLC code as a pack-in is a nice reward for someone who's going to buy that figure. There's some synergy there AND it directs you to register the code here at the BSN and unlock your content for the game. I think it's a smart piece of marketing.

Is it good marketing?

When I first got on the Bioware forums back before EA bought them Bioware had a flawless reputation.   I never saw a single post calling them sellouts or criticizing any of their promotions.

Its **** like this that has killed that reputation and now I constantly see threads not just here; but all over the net asking if people still have any faith in Bioware.

They had a sterling reputation that money couldn't buy and they killed it.   That's not good marketing.

That's your opinion.  You're welcome to it.  At the end of the day, they're creating synergy between their core product and their licensed merchandise.

[ODST 5723]

Xerxes52 wrote...

The marketing department just can't win can they?

First, we cheered when they said we'd get free ME3 items if we played the KoA demo, but now we boo when they include in-game items with these action figures (which look pretty meh, other than Legion).

Maybe they should have gone with Todd McFarlane, and made high-detail statues instead? I got a few of his military and dragon statues, as well as the Halo 3 Legendary Colletion. They were all around $10-$15 bucks (a bit cheaper than the ME figures) and the detail was excellent. That's just my opinion though.

The Military and Dragons were unlicensed products which helped keep costs down.  The Halo Legnedary figures were in teh $15-20 range.  They were not only licensed, but created at a time when costs were significantly more than they were when those other two examples came out.  Cost increases across the board from materials to labor to distribution costs.

Today, those same figures would likely cost in the $17-$20 range.  Even the less-detailed offerings from Mattel are getting up there.  Meanwhile, McF's been focusing on a smaller scale in order to keep the prices at $15 or less, include articulation and keep his products in WM and Target.

Sadly, these figures are priced about on par with similar offering from other manufacturers.

Modifié par ODST 5723, 13 janvier 2012 - 08:03 .

[Forsythia]

Xerxes52 wrote...

The marketing department just can't win can they?

I don't see other devs/publishers doing crazy stuff like this. The only one I can think of is Microsoft with Fable 3, you got a different promotionial item with a book, a strategy guide, a controller and what not. Reminds me of this. It was stupid then, it's stupid now.

It would be okay, if the figures contained a code to get a certain piece of DLC for free. That way, people who buy the figures have a nice bonus, but other people who are interested only in the DLC, can still buy it. Same with pre-order DLC, I liked how LA Noire did it: every retailer had a different pre-order DLC, but all were made available.

With this, I have to make a checklist of every promotional item: pre-order at GameStop? Check! pre-order at Origin? Check! Play the Amalur demo? Check! Buy 8 figures? Check! Played a crappy Facebook game? Check! Followed BioWare on Twitter? Check! Went to the bathroom and left something behind in the shape of the Normandy? Check!

It's getting out of hand! And here I was cheering there weren't any Dr. Pepper items this time around!

[ODST 5723]

We don't know that this isn't the case Forsythia. All we know is that the figures have a code and without any additional info axes are starting to get ground as if we've got 8 different pieces of confirmed exclusive DLC which can't be obtained by any means.

Modifié par ODST 5723, 13 janvier 2012 - 08:07 .

[MarchWaltz]

Damn, no Kasumi/Samara? They are my fav chars.

Modifié par MarchWaltz, 13 janvier 2012 - 08:08 .

[implodinggoat]

ODST 5723 wrote...

That's your opinion.  You're welcome to it.  At the end of the day, they're creating synergy between their core product and their licensed merchandise.

Please do not use the term "synergy" in my presence.   Corporate BS terminology like that is an affront to civilized discourse.

It is not my opinion that Bioware once had a sterling reputation, it is a fact.  Just as it is a fact that their own forums are now filled with threads in which their own fans lament the numerous ways in which they feel the company is trying to screw them out of their money.

The damage done to Bioware's once sterling reputation by this sort of cross promotional garbage simply isn't worth the price.  A good reputation is worth a hell of a lot more then a couple of extra sheckles from the toy industry.

I hope that some day soon this company will realize that if they want to keep their good reputation then they need to stop this crap.   If you make your fans feel exploited then you lose their trust and when you lose their trust, you lose their money.

I'll give you an example.....

Bioware offered a promotion where if you pre-ordered Dragon Age 2 a month in advance you would get an upgrade to the signature edition which included in game content which was no doubt cut from the standard edition of the game entirely for promotional purposes.   I pre-orderd said game confident that it would be a great game since it was produced by Bioware and when I received said game it was crap.

I've been a fan of this company for years; but as a result of that betrayal of my trust in them I'm waiting for some reviews before I buy Dragon Age 3.     Like I said if you lose your customer's trust then you lose their money.

Modifié par implodinggoat, 13 janvier 2012 - 08:31 .

[ODST 5723]

implodinggoat wrote...

ODST 5723 wrote...

That's your opinion.  You're welcome to it.  At the end of the day, they're creating synergy between their core product and their licensed merchandise.

Please do not use the term "synergy" in my presence.   Corporate BS terminology like that is an affront to civilized discourse.

The damage done to Bioware's once sterling reputation by this sort of cross promotional garbage simply isn't worth the price.  A good reputation is worth a hell of a lot more then a couple of extra sheckles from the toy industry.

I hope that some day soon this company will realize that if they want to keep their good reputation then they need to stop this crap.   If you make your fans feel exploited then you lose their trust and when you lose their trust, you lose their money.

Your attitude and that fact that you're trying to trash a marketing tool that you don't even have the facts for are an affront to civilized discourse. 

But for the sake of your ego, I'll try to refrain from using any more jargon that offends you.  Is goodwill acceptable terminology?  

Modifié par ODST 5723, 13 janvier 2012 - 08:42 .

[Mike Shepard]

implodinggoat wrote...

Mike Shepard wrote...

For me this is an 'oh well' moment. I'd love to get everything but I am not dropping close to $200 for some toys just to get it. I do however predict massive hate (more so than I've seen in this thread so far) coming BioWare's way.

Any hate resultant of this is fully deserved.

I really wish the programmers would tell the marketing department to go **** themselves; but sadly they'd probably get fired if they did.

Oh, the hate is definitely deserved. I mean putting DLC codes on the caps of $3 bottles of Dr. Pepper (aka liquid crack) is one thing but $12 action figures?! I mean they are toys. If I wanted to play with toys I'd at least get this:

Modifié par Mike Shepard, 13 janvier 2012 - 10:23 .

[Xerxes52]

ODST 5723 wrote...

Xerxes52 wrote...

The marketing department just can't win can they?

First, we cheered when they said we'd get free ME3 items if we played the KoA demo, but now we boo when they include in-game items with these action figures (which look pretty meh, other than Legion).

Maybe they should have gone with Todd McFarlane, and made high-detail statues instead? I got a few of his military and dragon statues, as well as the Halo 3 Legendary Colletion. They were all around $10-$15 bucks (a bit cheaper than the ME figures) and the detail was excellent. That's just my opinion though.

The Military and Dragons were unlicensed products which helped keep costs down.  The Halo Legnedary figures were in teh $15-20 range.  They were not only licensed, but created at a time when costs were significantly more than they were when those other two examples came out.  Cost increases across the board from materials to labor to distribution costs.

Today, those same figures would likely cost in the $17-$20 range.  Even the less-detailed offerings from Mattel are getting up there.  Meanwhile, McF's been focusing on a smaller scale in order to keep the prices at $15 or less, include articulation and keep his products in WM and Target.

Sadly, these figures are priced about on par with similar offering from other manufacturers.

Too true. I do miss his older works. His new figures (mainly the Halo Reach ones) sacrifice too much detail and proportion to fit their articulation joints and to make them easier to mass produce. Strangely enough, his sports figures are far and away the best stuff he's been putting out recently (too bad I'm not into collecting sports figures).

And I agree Forsythia, I would definitely like to see the DLC items from these packs being made available to buy later on. I'd like to see them first though.

Modifié par Xerxes52, 14 janvier 2012 - 12:11 .

[Thargorichiban]

ODST 5723 wrote...

Ok, so the question now that we've seen mutliple retailers confirming that there is some kind of in-game content code is...

Do the codes for each figure access different content or are do they all unlock the same content?

The same goes for the Normandy models from Dark Horse.  What is the benefit of registering the code that comes with it? Does that also provide in-game content?  I don't recall that being answered.

From the wording it seems like we are looking at 8 different pieces of DLC.

To the best of my knowledge the Normandy models don't give you extra DLC. You can just register them here if you want. I've registered mine and gotten no word of anything more.