By Nathan Grayson on May 9th, 2012 at 8:30 am.
Hm. This sort of came out of nowhere. Well, maybe not nowhere, exactly. I mean, free-to-play has voraciously consumed the hearts of every other business model and gained their powers, and Croteam’s been known to host the occasional F2P weekend from time-to-time on Steam. But it still surprised me, OK? Gosh. At any rate, this is exactly what it sounds like: Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter’s versus and survival multiplayer modes will – beginning May 15 – attempt to carve out their own niche in an increasingly crowded F2P landscape. Probably with bombs.
So, how much bang will you be getting for your unspent buck? Well, Croteam’s specifically mentioned CTF, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Instant Kill, Last Man Standing, My Burden, Survival, and Team Survival, but actual business model details remain shrouded in… something. Probably bombs. Will we purchase cosmetic upgrades? Guns? DLC? I’ve mailed Croteam for more info, so you’ll know as soon as I do. The developer has, however, given concrete info on a new $4.99/£3 “Legend of the Beast” DLC pack, which will include three maps a piece for campaign, versus, and survival.
Also, here’s this thing, which is probably the best worst PR quote ever:
“Just the thought of all that extra cash is making me download some content into my pants,” claimed Fork Parker, CFO of Devolver Digital, “Profit makes me horny.”
So, er, right. Regardless, it’s an interesting move – and an uncharacteristically cautious one for a company whose answer to piracy is a giant pink scorpion monster. I imagine, though, that success here could see Serious Sam: BFE’s multiplayer make a somewhat louder entrance into the rowdy, shootout-prone F2p saloon. In truth, though, I usually play Serious Sam for single-player. Does its multiplayer have any long-term value? Or is it mostly a sideshow to SP’s main event?
09/05/2012 at 08:34 Was Neurotic says:
Brilliant PR. A little bit of knowing humour and gentle self-mockery goes a looong way. I’m so tired of all the po-faced bullshit the gaming industry revolves around.
09/05/2012 at 08:44 CMaster says:
Boom, titjob
09/05/2012 at 08:58 Phantoon says:
Croteam are really like Valve on this one, but I can’t remember who began this first.
09/05/2012 at 09:17 KauhuK says:
Maybe Croteam should change their name to Crotchteam…
09/05/2012 at 10:23 Chubzdoomer says:
Agreed. This industry has lost most, if not all of its “fun.” It’s too much serious business these days.
09/05/2012 at 12:34 lith says:
Amen. I remember reading some PR flack from EA saying that people *liked* paying more for games, and that things like store-specific DLC were good because it allowed gamers to “express” themselves, by choosing different versions…
Actually, I don’t anything Fork could say could be funnier than that.
09/05/2012 at 16:37 bear912 says:
I’m still not entirely clear whether Fork Parker is an real or fictional, but he’s damn amusing either way.
09/05/2012 at 08:59 John Connor says:
One trigger pulled, two guns shoot.
09/05/2012 at 09:25 Joshua says:
This is Serious Sam. The triggers are there to make the guns STOP firing.
09/05/2012 at 09:15 Syra says:
Aw may15? I will be too busy killing demons. For the rest of my days.
09/05/2012 at 09:18 Eclipse says:
Serious Sam multiplayer is actually great fun, very old skool fps action.
Playing the single-player campaign in a 3-4 people coop is awesome too (it supports up to 16 players in co-op!)
09/05/2012 at 09:29 PoulWrist says:
Indeed, it’s silly fun. Sort of like Doom of old.
09/05/2012 at 09:55 Zeewolf says:
He’s seriously the ugliest game hero IN THE WORLD.
09/05/2012 at 11:49 Spacewalk says:
Sam or Fork?
09/05/2012 at 12:16 orange says:
No, that would be Max Payne (specifically from Max Payne 1). Ugly bastard.
09/05/2012 at 16:28 Bobtree says:
No, the protagonist from the westernized version of Nier is brutally ugly. The developers thought it would market better outside Japan with the more aggressive adult styled hero. Still, he’s unnecessarily hideous.
09/05/2012 at 10:12 Ridnarhtim says:
Maybe they’re just hoping that people will buy the full game, and more importantly BFE, after trying the free MP?
09/05/2012 at 11:23 JackDandy says:
The TFE and TSE MP modes are very fun to play. Much better then BFE’s, that’s for sure.
09/05/2012 at 15:51 Max.I.Candy says:
Never played the SS HD versions but i am curious about them, I still regularly play SS:TFE (classic) and thats pretty much perfect as it is.
I started playing the new one and could only get about half way before i loaded up the original and havent gone back since.
So it worth buying the HD versions?
09/05/2012 at 16:47 bear912 says:
If you like shinier versions of the same game, then yes. They’re essentially the same as the “classic” versions but with better graphics and some other polished bits. They might have even added voice acting. I don’t recall.
Also, it might be worth giving SS3 a second chance, as my understanding is that it gets much, much better after you make it through the first part of the game.
09/05/2012 at 16:41 bear912 says:
Multiplayer’s fine and all, but co-op is where the real fun lies.
09/05/2012 at 18:06 Timthos says:
That picture is from Serious Sam 2 though.
09/05/2012 at 21:24 bear912 says:
Yeah, this is definitely not Sam from The Second Encounter.