EA Bioware commits to free story DLC for Anthem
"We want people to be able to experience the same stories so none of that is going to be locked"
EA Bioware has committed to releasing all DLC related to the story of its forthcoming shooter Anthem for free.
Speaking at PAX West, executive producer Mark Darrah addressed player concerns about how Anthem will be monetised after it launches in 2019. EA Bioware's intention is to support the game long after its release date, which will include story and end-game content.
"First, so, no loot boxes," Darrah said according to VG247, reiterating what EA announced during EA Play at E3. "There will be some cosmetic stock that you can pay for but it will always be earnable.
Darrah continued: "For storytelling we don't want to divide the audience, we want people to be able to experience the same stories so none of that is going to be locked."
This is very much in line with other public statements made by EA this year, which indicate a new degree of caution and care about how its games are monetised. We spoke to EA's Patrick Soderlund on the subject at E3 - you can read that conversation here.
The potential of splitting the audience through paid DLC is also familiar. Ubisoft adopted a similar strategy with Rainbow Six Siege, making multiplayer maps free in order to allow the largest number of people to have the same experience.