Yeah I thought it might be...

by Malagate , Sea of Tranquility, Thursday, May 09, 2013, 15:42 (4006 days ago) @ SonofMacPhisto

I think Bingle deserves the benefit of the doubt, but this isn't the most unbiased environment. I'd like to think that anything that smacks of cigar-chomping, profits-minded corporate attitudes is simply something that Activision has found a way to leverage for themselves into the situation. Remember, maps for Halo 2 became free after a certain point. Not so with any Halo add-ons after that, unless I'm mistaken. I trust (and have no indication otherwise, yet) that similar attitudes still prevail there, and that we'll see a focus on the game experience trump all other considerations; even the almighty dollar. They're in the business of building quality shit, the kind of shit that sells itself. Money-grubbing gimmicks are unbecoming, and they know it.

There is nothing that works against one's suspension of disbelief, sense of immersion, and
of unadulterated fun quite like pay gates.

"Player Investment" need not necessarily mean "ways for The Man to have his hand in your pocket", how about simply "making things fun and engaging over a long period of time"? Ten years of Halo seems to have passed quicker than I would have thought, but it certainly wore on me like I've heard it did on some of Bungie themselves. They have the experience and the skill on-hand, I trust no other developer as much to keep things fun and not be picking my pocket all the while.

For what it's worth, I love this part of a game's lifecycle most of all; when so many things are possible. Bungie is capable of changing the way we interact with and experience our entertainment in significant ways. I think we should remain open to what could be instead of expecting to be disappointed.

I expect great things.

~M