It’s not “locking” because this campaign is selling as paid content.
What do you want? Trail Version? Demo Version?
Have you ever played any game’s demo?
Steam just held a demo festival
“Next Fest”
I looked into some game’s that I interested in. None of them give you lots of content. In fact, most demos only gives you only dozens minute of gameplay.
But for this campaign, dev at least give you lots of “demo” levels to play.
Also most online games’ demo version still let free players able to match with paid players.
LOL.
If dev locked entire campaign, then you will complain that no one will play this campaign.
If dev only gives you REAL demo version–only 1h/1week of trail period, no progression save. You will find another reason to complain.
What you want?
A game that is free for you and is designed not to earn any money?
Oh but it’s a very common and ancient method. Back in 1995 when pc games STARTED to get appealing for common people (windows was easier for them than MsDos) gaming companies gave out demo versions of their games in cdroms obtained with gaming magazines. There was no “download and try it” from 56k internet back then. Those demos mostly were 1 or 2 lvl of the whole game. To give the feel of the game, with best things locked (you want the Duke Nukem shrink gun??? Buy the full game!!!).
It existed for a while and… It worked. It was good business, asit was honest, unlike f2p games today, designed to scam ppl of HUNDREDS of $ for things seriously not worth a dime (much like ANY mobile game, or that chinese wanna be weeb game, genshin)
And “gap” between shareware/demo and full game wasnt small. 80% of maps/campaings/scenarios locked and remaining 20% was still ‘butchered’ and that could be considered pretty good demo. Still no one complained
Not only did we not complain, but I remember as a kid atomizing the same, single city lvl of syndicate wars a good 50 times, or the single lvl of crusader, no regrets over and over again…
They were demos. I had 5% of the whole game AT BEST, but those made me dream and it was enough for me to know if the game was worth buying or not (they were, I have them on GOG now too)
Better than weeboos game or mobile ones and those disgusting “gacha” microtransactions, designed to milk ppl of hundreds of $ for them to MAYBE obtain something inside the game they already purchased…
Have you ever played “free weekends”?
Those F2P players at lv0 is just a XP pack for existing players.
You know what game I screenshot? Battlefield 1 ™ (App 1238840) · SteamDB
If you dont know BF1, then we have nothing to talk about.
BF series is actually rather good example, the open beta is same for everyone, same content. Pre-orders get few days maybe even weeks head start but other than that content is same for everyone in beta.
And what comes to free weekend, if the BF serie didnt become so shit there would be no need for free weekends.
Yeah, that’s a sad but true story about current game industry.
Either making game for KPI, or for investor, or for quick cash. But no one care for the game itself. It’s not about improving game itself, but just tweak all kinds of stats and monetization, to maximize income.
F2P+microtransaction is a quick way to earn lots of money. And use grind+lots of ingame purchase to force players to pay. Players are not pay for the game itself, it’s just to pay for some advantage than others. While pay to play games, players are paying for the game. If the game dont worth it. Then as comment/score system (if it exist…) will let others not to pay their money.
Only if dev are confident at their game itself, then transferring a F2P game into a Pay to play games can success. That’s need some courage. Because how to earn money at no risk is just stick to F2P way. There’s always some whales that will keep the game running.
And now get out of your ass and think that it’s a dirty cheap price, for the content and fun factor you will get for such little money, giving the fact that no one forcing you buy everything when you can play Stalingrad for free anyway.
Well, if you still live with your mom, that might be a problem. But don’t worry, you can play for free. And keep the money for food, because in the 21st century, games cost money.
… You never played Duke Nukem 3d nor the old school dooms I see…
But that’s beside the point. The point was that this business model is very old, as old as pc gaming to be precise, and worked well as it was an honest practice, unlike what you call f2p games. Even if “you don’t recall it”, it’s been around for around 30 years!!!
I just give my bots whatever makes them most effective and they tend to get more kills with full auto or select fire weapons… Got to somehow maximize their effectiveness since they tend to be so stupid and blind half the time…
and it was enough for me to know if the game was worth buying or not (they were, I have them on GOG now too)
Both crusaders was definetly master pieces.