God, this article is going to be absolutely gigantic, so strap yourself in while we reel off the highlights. Naughty Dog has announced that all of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End's multiplayer content will be available for free – including maps, modes, and cosmetic items. Some will be patched in – like the aforementioned modes and maps – while others you'll need to earn by spending Relics (a kind of in-game currency) on treasure chests. These will include random items, and while you'll have no say on what you get, you'll never unlock the same goodies twice.
It's all part of the developer's plan to keep fans engaged long beyond launch. The studio's outlined several core principles which have shaped its multiplayer mode: Fairness First (everyone always has access to all of the content), An Evolving Experience (the component will constantly be refreshed with new stuff), Content for Everyone (you can obtain everything without spending money), and Unified Community (everyone will always be able to play the same maps and modes). It's worth stressing, of course, that you will be able to buy specific items with real money if you can't wait.
But if you don't want to stump up, how will you earn extra content? Well, there'll be Daily Challenges in Uncharted 4 multiplayer for you to complete; fulfilling their objectives will earn you Relics. You'll also obtain Relics for winning matches. Once you've got enough Relics, you'll be able to buy one of two chests: Gameplay or Vanity. The former will include weapons, boosters, and the like, while the latter will include skins, taunts, and customisation items. The contents of each chest that you purchase are totally random, but you'll never, ever get any duplicates.
We're fine with this system for the cosmetic items, but it seems a bit shady to lock weapons behind the same system – especially when someone with disposable income will simply be able to purchase the best firearms from the PlayStation Store. If the game balance is good, though, no one should be able to pay their way to victory, which is good.
So, what modes will Uncharted 4 multiplayer include at launch? Well, there's Ranked (a twisted take on Team Deathmatch where you'll work your way up through leagues), Command (which is a kind of Chainlink-type experience where the MVPs carry a bounty), Team Deathmatch (you know the drill here), Plunder (a themed version of Capture the Flag), and Trials (a score-based mode involving computer controlled opponents). Co-op will be added for free in the autumn, alongside new multiplayer maps and items.
It looks like Naughty Dog plans to support this well into next year, with a cinematic replay mode coming in the summer, too. There's tons more information on the PlayStation Blog, but we've tried to compress all of the main bullet points for you in this article. What do you think? Will you be spending much time playing Uncharted 4's multiplayer? Cash in your Relics via the comments section below.
[source blog.us.playstation.com]
Comments 24
Hooray for co-op!
My body is ready
'We're fine with this system for the cosmetic items, but it seems a bit shady to lock weapons behind the same system – especially when someone with disposable income will simply be able to purchase the best firearms from the PlayStation Store.'
Microtransactions need stamping out - we pay a £5 for psn a month - £50 for a game - and £350 for a console - Why the hell is anyone handing over more cash?
Because EA made a billion quid on nothing more than a virtual sticker book and everyone follows suit. This practice needs looking at and as much as anyone says the system is fine. ITS NOT! The levelling is always ALWAYS prolonged due to the microtransaction factor. I for one wont buy another microtransaction until I die.
Worth pointing out that the US blog says that you can buy points - I assume that means relics - and use them in game. So you're still at the mercy of the RNG.
I'm interested in Co-op. That was always the best part of UC Multiplayer for me.
Well, not really free. Or not free at all. Just included in the price. So not designed to milk players for money.
From my experience of The Last of US the balancing of weapons was good and the bought weapons did not really offer much of an advantage over other weapons. I have no issue with people spending money on weapons I will probaby do that. If I enjoy a game then happy to pay more into it.
Micro transactions are needed because of the way games are sold on the PS4. Only the games bought at retail new and digital make any money for the company. All the games bought and sold 2nd hand give nothing back to the games company. So they lose millions in lost revenue and people get to play their games. Until Sony stamps out the 2nd hand market the micro transations will continue and get more and more.I know they can not do it this generation but in future it should be implemented.
Really happy that they finally confirmed there is co-op!! Now, I hope they make both the mini co-op story missions along with survival mode for it.
Hopefully, the Daily Challenges aren't to difficult as well since its PVP.
I still hope that co op includes couch co op in splitscreen.
Co-op eh? Sounds intriguing!
@dryrain If developers made games that actually last more than a day, then people wouldn't trade them in and the market wouldn't be flooded by 2nd hand games!! What ND appear to be doing is attempting to give players a reason to keep playing beyond the first week or so - a reason to keep hold of the game!
I personally think that no game should be 'sold' 2nd hand within a set time - maybe 1 month or even up to 3months by a retailer - to give every opportunity for new games to sell. Its not gamers who are to blame for the state of gaming as far as that is concerned - its developers for making games that have no longevity and retailers for pushing 2nd hand games over 'new' because of thee increase to their profit margins. There is of course 'corporate greed' as well. A game like FF15, over 10 years in development, god knows how many 'millions' its cost to make, only needs to sell around 10m copies. A lot of games are 'profitable' after a couple of million sales. Considering there are 40m PS4's, 20m XB1's, god knows how many gaming PC's there are so its not like games need to sell a very high percentage compared to the number of gamers.3-5m usually for most games is enough - the big franchise games maybe more! Tomb Raider (reboot) was profitable after selling a few million!
@dryrain that old chestnut of not having any income streams is rubbish.
Release
Dlc
Online Sale
HD Remaster
Microtransactions are the worst. I don't have much time so why should I have to pay more money?
"Until Sony stamps out the 2nd hand market"
You seriously think that's a good idea? Did you not see what happened to Microsoft?
The only way people will stop buying at retail is if the digital services improve (which to be fair they have) more. I like retail, I like trading in my old games as its cash for me towards a new game. I cannot fathom why you want that to go away. Microtransactions are ridiculous.
But they've already announced a season pass with 3 DLC packs, only one of which is single-player stuff...
A bit annoying it won't be available at launch, but I'm really glad we'll be getting co op at some point.
@themcnoisy While I don't necessarily disagree, it's worth remembering that they're doing all of the maps and updates for free. Without the microtransactions, you'd be paying £7.99 a pop for those - and the userbase would be split.
Worth keeping in mind.
@RaymanFan2 The two multiplayer packs give you early access to weapons and stuff. It seems you can still unlock them in game.
@get2sammyb fair enough, I suppose that's a better angle.
Its probably a selfish point of view, but I have less time as I work hard to have more money - why should I fritter it away on Microtransactions? Games used to have quick levelling to get better guns - in fact way back there wasn't any levelling at all. But yeah that makes sense, I suppose I believe a game that's going to sell 8 million plus should support itself.
@themcnoisy so you're planning on buying microtransactions in the afterlife? cool!
Drake's "Money" taunt will subliminally make you wanna buy the DLCs. It's Naughty Dog's way of telling us to keep throwing money at them.
@sdavala haha, nice.
@get2sammyb I certainly think that 'micro-transaction' are 'more' acceptable IF the developer is offering 'free' DLC. I thought that we were getting an extra Story mission - is that going to be free too? It seems weird to me that their is a 'Season Pass' with this game. Surely people will wait until they get the content free? It can't be that much of a wait if ND/Sony want this to be a 'unified' experience. It also limits that Season Pass to a set time frame. If you buy a few months into the game, then 'some' of that content would have been free anyway - the longer you wait, the less content you will get for that price.
What I don't agree with though is if that micro-transactional content is anything other than cosmetic. I also don't think that any of that content should be Random. If you want a specific skin, camo, emote etc, then you should be able to buy that specific cosmetic item. I have no objection to in-game random cosmetic content but I do think that any item that has an impact in game - like weapons - should be available or at least a defined set of rules on how to acquire these (like level progression or unlocked via challenges) and the same for everyone. Even if the weapon is 'balanced'. Every player should get 'exactly' the same defined opportunity to have all the same items that impact on the game. If you want a certain weapon (for example) then that is earned by either reaching a set level or by completing a 'challenge' that is the same for everyone - no random or micro-transactional weapons!!
@BAMozzy Couldn't agree more that micro-transactions shouldn't be anything more than cosmetic on multiplayer games.
It is like bringing class warfare to gaming - if I have the cash, I can, in theory, be better than someone having to slog through the game to earn it.
I am not a big multiplayer because, I generally tend to suck at it and I also tend to get my backside handed to me by better players. Getting my backside handed to me by people who have paid for the privilege puts me off even more. Shame because I actually tried the UC4 mp beta and actually enjoyed it.
@Rudy_Manchego The worst case scenario is of course being beaten by someone who has more 'disposable' income than you but I don't like being beaten by somebody who gets 'lucky' with a random drop either. If someone has put the time and effort into unlocking specific items - through levelling or challenge completion - then I am totally fine with that.
I don't care if the items are 'balanced' either. There is always a feeling that these have some 'advantage' in certain situations. I totally disagree with any micro-transaction content that has an impact on the game - even 'cosmetic' items can have an impact if it makes players more difficult to see. Weapons obviously have a big impact. They are unlikely to be 'rubbish' otherwise they wouldn't sell.
I know from a developers perspective, cosmetic items don't have the appeal that items such as weapons would have so they have to tempt you. Random also generates more income than specifics - If you want a 'specific' camo, you are more likely to spend more money trying to get it than the item would cost if sold separately.
CoD:BO3 for example, has supply drops which sound similar to the system in play here. Because of the chance of getting a weapon is less than 1%, it works out at around over £50 just to get 'a' weapon (average - you could in theory get the weapon from Cyptokeys or on the first CoD point opening) but of you want a 'specific' weapon, it could cost you a LOT more.
As I said, I feel the micro-transaction market in AAA games is nothing but publisher/developer greed. Unless a game is really unpopular, it doesn't take many sales (as a percentage of gamers) to actually become profitable. Micro-transactions are 'pure profit' in the majority of cases - the games have generally made more than enough to cover development costs and a season of DLC too. I am willing to bet that Uncharted 4 will be profitable from Day 1 - certainly within its first week.
Really looking forwards to Uncharted 4 I'll also be playing the Multiplayer a lot too as well as the Co-op, hopefully the Co-op is like Uncharted 3 waves & hopefully they add the story Co-op too.
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