Gamers are bitching and “the message is being heard.”
Lumines Live has turned into a marketing disaster for Microsoft. We knew the game was a testing ground for the microtransactions movement, but when the company’s own employees are admitting they weren’t clear about what “full version” meant when purchasing Lumines Live, the response should be: !
Has Microsoft essentially admitted to pulling the wool over gamers’ eyes?
“There will be future content you can choose to buy. Just like other games with downloadable content, you can choose what you might enjoy the most, or stick with the base game.” While technically true, no Xbox Live Arcade game has taken this approach, and distributing a press release to media outlets and tossing a description on Xbox.com does not make this message clear. Nowhere on XBL itself can gamers read a description of what Lumines Live’s “Base Pack” does not include.
And it makes sense that Lumines Live would have expansion content, the game’s designed for it, but Microsoft has rightfully come under fire for the VS CPU mode, where, despite contributing $14.99 to Microsoft’s bank account, you’re only allowed access to one stage. Microsoft has two recommendations for those upset: simply don’t buy it or play online versus because “the rules are the same.” How does this explain paying to experience content that isn’t there?
Microsoft really touted the inclusion of music videos when unveiling Lumines Live at E3, but they’re nowhere to be found here. Instead, you must purchase the “Artist Pack,” coming in early 2007! Not only are gamers forced to wait for one of the hyped distinctions between this and the handheld versions, but it’ll cost you, too. Oh, and there’s Puzzle/Mission (with 50 additions for each mode) and the inevitable VS CPU mode, featuring 11 opponents and skins.
For your initial purchase, Lumines Live unlocks 12 skins, five puzzles, five missions and one CPU opponent. Isn’t that what we usually call, you know, a demo?
Source: gametab.com