Microsoft wants you to pay for Titan Pack on Unreal Tournament III

GB says "One of the hottest topics on the Web these days seem to be around the fact that the Xbox 360 won't be getting the massive 800MB Titan Pack for Unreal Tournament III. Some gamers have blamed EPIC Games for the lack of support for the Xbox 360. However, could the blame lie with the Microsoft for limiting the download size?"

............

[Handsome_Devil]

If M$ actually charge for this pack, that would only make them look bad. As it is on the competitor console for free, and they already charge for online play.

now don’t think this is bashing, but I really think EPIC would be way better off M$, I can see them keep the GeoW in the xbox 360 and M$ console; but I really don’t see them going for another exclusive with M$ ever again.

especially the way M$ treats their wells.

What do you guys think ??

[Cajun Chicken]

I honestly prefered Epic when they were just working on the Unreal universe. I can't stand Gears. I'm thinking that Epic will find a new publisher for the next big franchise and be non exclusive like ID, I just hope its nothing like Gears.

[nbsmatambo]

i dont know how EPIC is still dealing with Msoft, they have to contort everything they do so they can please MS...

All im saying is Sony says do wat eva the f*ck you want as long as we get a good game...

But Sony only has one good game from EPIC....

I think its about time Sony and EPIC strike up an xclusive deal

[- Ghost of Sparta -]

Isn't the Titan Pack free on PSN?

[Game13a13y]

i'm just glad that Sony didn't decide to screw our back side over and over.

[socomnick]

ok this story is retarded, i remember reading a story about how epic decided not to do the titan pack since most of the content in the content pack was already on the 360 version, all the new maps, and splitscreen. Is this story seriously just making bs up.

[evrfighter]

"i dont know how EPIC is still dealing with Msoft, they have to contort everything they do so they can please MS... "

I don't feel bad for them tbh. After they delivered UT3 to pc gamers and blaming piracy because a mediocre shooter didn't sell millions. It's king of a nelson (simpsons) HA-HA moment.

[Viper7]

"ok this story is retarded, i remember reading a story about how epic decided not to do the titan pack since most of the content in the content pack was already on the 360 version, all the new maps, and splitscreen. Is this story seriously just making bs up."

Actually patch 1.10 already brought most of the x360:s extra features so Titan pack has the X360 versions extra maps with unique maps. Titan pack however brings a lot more maps with new game modes.

At least on Pal territories you can already download the latest UT3 patch for PS3, it brings trophies, Mod browser(great feature), splitscreen and the bug fixes.

So Titan pack really has nothing to do with X360 extra content, other than to provide the few bonus maps it had for Ps3/PC. Other than that its completely new material.

[Cajun Chicken]

I hear that PS3 patch is unsafe or was that just the Titan pack being up temporarily in error?

[Viper7]

The patch has been released and works like a charm. But the actual DLC got delayed. Dunno for what reason, maybe a slight error in code or something that made it not to pass the tests.

[Microsoft Xbox 360]

Hows it like to be shafted by your beloved company?

[ThanatosDMC]

Meh, i have this game on Steam and on the PS3... The Ps3 one is just there collecting dust... online with any platform... sucks... too laggy servers.

If i knew how to make my own dedicated server, i would make one.

[Sitdown]

"I can see them keep the GeoW in the xbox 360 and M$ console; but I really don’t see them going for another exclusive with M$ ever again.

especially the way M$ treats their wells. "

I sort of feel like the sales for Gears 1 and 2 say/dictate otherwise. Seriously...would EPIC walk away from Microsoft because they do not allow them to release free content?...that they(EPIC) would not be potentially making any money off of? But before all that...I would be interested to see or know what other games EPIC would be scheduled to make.

[Mozilla89]

That Epic would do a multiplatform deal instead of an exclusive deal with MS. I'm really looking forward to this DLC though, it looks interesting.

[y0haN]

Microsoft wants you to pay for a patch over 8 megabytes, lol.

[jro211]

What are you talking about. Microsoft has done enough to make themselves look bad and what does it matter? People still buy.

[swiftshot93]

yeah, i agree that Epic should stick with a new publisher

[Beardown82]

Does anyone even play Unreal III anymore?

[Viper7]

The console versions have probably been quite quiet for the past few months, but the Pc versions of UT games seem to have nice and solid fanbase of modders and hc players.

Hopefully atleast Ps3 versions will get more attention now that some of the mods are a lot easier to download and install. Epic should have updated the game with some sort of Ranking or level system that would have kept the achievers more interested. Ofcourse the trophies can keep ppl interested for quite a while (some of them take quite a long to achieve.)

[silverchode]

800GB ?

[macalatus]

LOL

I know!

[nbsmatambo]

yea, i caught that 2..

Funny thing is PS3 probably could have DLC that's 800GB in the future due to being able to change the HD and all =D

[edgeofblade]

@nbsmatambo:

Wow, delusional much?

Not that I'm defending the 360's proprietary solution... pain in the ass..., I just don't think you had your head on straight when you said that. 4/5 of a TERABYTE? With what infrastructure do you suppose we transmit that kind of data? That would be gone... next month, not counting that everyone would be downloading it at the same time...

[nbsmatambo]

im not saying they are gonna do it or it is gonna b there....

all im saying is that its possible to download something that's 800GB on the PS3, since we already know that there are already 1TB 2.5' SATA's being tested already...

and wats not to say that by 2016 there will be even a bigger HD's, and faster internet connections??

[MazzingerZ]

Maybe that internet speed won't arrive to US anytime soon due to all the monopolies there that stop improvements in that matter but you can be sure that in Europe you'll get some crazy download speeds within 2 or 3 years.

100/10 MB is available here in Sweden since 2-3 years ago

[Godmars290]

Didn't they already charge for map packs? Other stuff that PC/PS3 owners got for free?

[Kushan]

No, size isn't an issue, MS doesn't have a size limit on DLC (Look at the lost and the damned). The issue is still with Microsoft, but it's because they don't allow mod support easily on the 360. It doesn't make sense for Epic to do the 360 patch since half of the content is on the 360 and the other half would have to be 360 specific, but since the PS3 and PC versions likely use a lot of the same data structures (After all, they're cross-platform play enabled), chances are Epic can just do the one patch for both and only need to do minor tweaks for each platform.
Or to put it another way - it's just not worth Epic's time doing the 360 one. Does anyone even play it on the 360?

[nbsmatambo]

Lost and The Damned isnt a PATCH though, its DLC...

The Titan Pack is a PATCH, and MS does have a limit on PATCH size for the people who bought the Arcade units.

[Kushan]

Nothing is stopping them releasing the additional content as a DLC pack as well as a patch. Look at Call of Duty: WaW - they released a new map for it and on PS3, it was part of the mandatory patch, but on the 360 it was an additional download. Other games have done similar things, I just can't remember which games off hand.
MS is definitely very arsey on "free" DLC, but enough games have it, so there's no reason why Epic couldn't do the same here.

[DJ]

There's a difference between the two.

[Viper7]

Titan pack is DLC and patch is just a patch to make the game ready for titan pack and add new features.

[vhero]

Your right and epic have commented on this very idea saying why should they spend days tearing it all apart and recoding just to suit MS? They said its basically impossible right now to split it up like this as some parts are too big so unless MS change the rules 360 owners ain't getting Titan pack.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

I think it really bottles down to the build as Kushan said. The PS3 and PC version is closer, while the 360 version was delayed. Thus it got the most recent build (at the time). Patching it now would be a monumental task for incremental changes. Epic would probably just want to work on updates for Gears 2 instead rather than patch a game that isn't very popular on the 360. The PS3/PC patch was probably started on while the 360 was in development, but at some point got forked off. I'm just assuming though...

Another thing is as someone else mentioned, if it is a patch then they need to keep the Arcade consoles in mind. They might not have the space for the patch.

A final note, Left 4 Dead got a free DLC so there is no reason why such an old game as Unreal 3 couldn't get a free DLC. There have been other games receiving free DLC as well.

[Bathyj]

Is everyone here on drugs?

It has nothing to do with any of that.

Epic could do it. The bottomline is M$ just wont give it away for free, and Epic wont charge for it.

Thats the same reason for all their other arguements. Epic always supports their games with free stuff after release but M$ dont want them to give away such a substanial download because it apparently under values all the crap they charge through the nose for on XBL.

This is all common knowledge.

[Kushan]

Actually Call of Duty was both a patch and DLC and the next map pack is going to be the same (With the exception that the Map pack will cost you).

[Argento-Nox]

@Kushan

If 360 doesn't have a limit for DLC, why has there never been a release of full 360 games on XBL, like Warhawk and Socom for the PSN?
Let's not kid ourselves, there is a limit with certain games as exception, even XBL only games have a limited size requirement.

We all know the PS3 can have it's harddrive freely changed without voiding the warranty, and is the only system with no true limit for DLC or full games as downloads.

[Elven6]

@Argento-Nox: Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Xbox Originals, etc say hi.

[kickaski]

Does Microsoft ever put dumb restrictions on their download service? Did Microsoft ever stop Epic from releasing free content? Has Microsoft ever made developers jump through hoops? Was Tomb Raider Underworld ever supposed to be in chunks of DLC for Legend because of size restrictions?

[- Ghost of Sparta -]

ROFL poor Xbots.

[edgeofblade]

You mean, people are still playing this on PS3? Good thing you have Killzone 2 now.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Why would you stop playing a good game?

UTIII is fantastic! The mod support makes it better every day! Very few PC mods aren't cooked for the PS3 version.

It's a great community!

[Stubacca]

I loved UT3 for the mods and all. I just completed the Killzone campaign and stuck on UT3 for the new features (split-screen?) and trophies but was disappointed they weren't out yet.

I love using the character mods and playing the flat wars levels etc. Cracking fun.

Can you still not get the mods for the 360? Pretty stupid like.

[ps3_pwns]

If this is the company you guys love and follow then you fail as a gamer and consumer becuase they crap on your faces withch ever you claim to be. Think how better this gen would be if M$ didnt restrict so much stuff. I mean half of the gmaes comeing out have content takeing out becuase M$ and there dvd discs.

[Handsome_Devil]

Actually M$ benefits this generation as well, without them the PSN would still sucks, and the PS3 wouldn't have games look and play like uncharted, LBP, Killzone 2........ ets

the competition always good my friend :)

[Cajun Chicken]

Yes they would. Those were in the works for a long time anyway, especially Uncharted and Killzone 2.n Nothing on the 360 scared Sony into making better games then the first party were already in the progress of making.
The best thing has been the 360 pressuring Sony to implement new features in the XMB and firmwares.

[Jellzy]

Completely agree m8. The best thing in any industry at times is competition. Both Sony and Microsoft (I suppose the Wii does aswell to some extent) benefit from each other and their products strengths and weaknesses. It gives us as gamers a better overall experience due to an increase in quality across software and features etc..

+ bubs Cajun as alot of what uve written in the comments section (ive read anyway) has been spot on :D.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

Competition is always good. Without competition we wouldn't have Xbox Live, Achievements/Trophies, Wii (waggle controls) and advanced hardware with oddball architecture like the PS3.

Thanks to competition we lost PS2 BC on PS3's. PS3 is the only console I know of that lost features instead of adding them. Too bad, and I refuse to pay $130 for a almost 10 year old console. They need to drop the price on that thing, especially since I paid my dues for the PS3 already.

[Shadow Man]

"massive 800GB Titan Pack for Unreal Tournament III"

[jessehaysfl]

a company wants money in a recession what a shock. dont get me wrong IT SUCKS because others get it for free, but I live in seattle now Ive seen M$ lay off thousands.....so hey if people pay for the update then more power to M$ for getting yall to buy it.

[DarkArima]

OH yes! M$ lay off thousands of people then say ''Hey...we gave you a little too much cash on that last check.I know times are hard but if you could give us that money back..that would be great...''

power to ms? please...

[Bathyj]

Thats the thing. I WONT be buying it. And its not even theirs to sell. Its Epics, and they WANT to give it away.

Everyones in business to make money, but not everyones strategy is to nickle and dime you every step of the way.

Epics strategy is obviously to make their customers happy, thereby forming some kind loyalty or respect for them. A fanbase.

M$ doesn't care about customer satisfaction, not if it doesn't affect actual sales. Thats why people might be so pissed about XBs reliability but who cares if you can buy a cheap arcade unit and keep using all your games. You're actually a better customer.

If I go into a hifi shop and the guy knocks $50 off a stereo for me, yeah he's got 50 bucks less today, but he probably got a customer for life. Or at least til he stops making me happy.
If however he charges 50 too much and I get ripped off, he makes a little profit for the day, but he'll likely never see me again.

I'm a very loyal person, but I'm fickle too. Good business is both parties being happy, not just one.

[J@D]

Why I'm not surprise at all.

[Vip3r]

lol...

[Xbots play games]

Story = Epic Fail. (pun intended).Xbox 360 had most of the content already..yawn

[-x.Red.x-]

Massive 800GB!!! damn

[divideby0]

I bought the PS3 version for obvious reason.
If MS charges, they are just looking more like idiots

[callahan09]

Yeah I bought the PS3 version for the obvious reason, as well: It was a timed console exclusive. Didn't hit the 360 until about 7 months later. I was playing UT3 on my PS3 back in December of 2007.

[Sarah Palin]

thats b/c you had nothing else to play. :)

[callahan09]

Umm, I also own a 360 and a Wii, and a gaming rig. I bought my PS3 that winter along with a few games, but I'd owned my 360, Wii, and PC for over a year each prior to that. That same winter I bought:

PS3:
Warhawk
Uncharted
Ratchet & Clank
Folklore

360:
Mass Effect
Bioshock
Call of Duty 4
Halo 3

Wii:
Super Mario Galaxy

PC:
Crysis

I had plenty to play. That's only counting the stuff that came out between August and December of 2007. I also had tons of games from earlier in the generation too, across all 4 of those gaming platforms.

[Bladestar]

Who the hell plays this on the xbox 360?

Didn't you see the sales? is this even worth putting on the servers?

The title should read, "Epic wants you to buy Unreal Tournament III"... which is a worst crime than microsoft trying to charge for the DLC.

Epic go make Unreal Tournament IV... if you try that pathetic sony leg hump of making the game exclusive to the PS3 at launch.. and then beg xbox owners to want to buy your game... than once again... you will not make the money you put into developing it.

That's why EPIC is angry... this is why you do not hear them complain about Gears 2... They left microsoft and the xbox 360 to hang dry with this game.. and now they want to steer microsoft policies and do what they say...

Now, if we were be talking about a game we care... than ok.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

I hate that.

Capcom did the same thing with Lost Planet. The PS3 version had a 5 GB mandatory install, poor shading, screen-tear, frame-rate drops, and LAG like none other. On top of all of that, it came out around the same time as like 5 other, better games.

What would possess them to think Lost Planet would sell on the PS3?

[Bladestar]

The only reason is that Capcom at least had valid reasons to support the xbox 360 initially because of one or more of the following:

- Microsoft probably paid them for time exclusive. As sony stated they do not pay for exclusives.

- Lost planet was a success. Unreal Tournament was a failure in terms of sales on the PS3 too.

- Capcom piked the console with larger installbase which would give them the best chances for their new IP. Epic put an FPS on a console with the lowest intallbase and ignored the xbox 360 which was perceived as a console that can only sell FPS.

Sells do not like. Capcom made the right code finacially.

Now I will agree and say one thing. At this point there is no reason for 3rd party developers to signed time exclusive since the PS3 is a viable revenue stream for developers. Larger enough installbase to make a ton of money.

So, unless Microsoft is paying them enough money to weight any loses they may sustain for waiting to release the PS3 version... they should release it at the same time just like they did with Street Fighter.

[Power_Of_Flops_]

Another failure for the failbox. No surprise here.

Xbots will still continue sucking Ballmer's balls, that's their only exclusive 'game' left anyway.

Back to the best FPS ever, Killzone 2.

[bebojet]

Of course they do, free isn't in M$'s vocabulary.

[iconic blade]

what goes for free on ps3 is free on 360,as far as i know that is ms policy,and hardly anyone plays it anyway on 360.dont think it even got in the most played list even when it came out

[Wurider]

I doubt that anyone is even still playing this game. Unreal Tournament is irrevelant. Time has passed it by.

[Omega Archetype]

I suppose the 360 only gamers now know how PS3 only gamers have been feeling for the longest time now.

PS3 has been getting shafted from the beginning, then again, Sony didn't make the best decisions. Oh well, I'm happy that I own both consoles, but I still hate the whole exclusive DLC crap (even though I don't believe that this is what's happening here.)

[Th3 Chr0nic]

but if MS is going to not allow this content for free or not at all then i am going to pass. If they released the content tomorrow for free i would be grabbing myself a copy of this ASAP...but no sorry MS your greed is not attractive

[Elven6]

Err, where in the article does it say Microsoft wanted people to pay for the Titan Pack? Its just a flame bait article the author spun using Gears of War.

[Darkiewonder]

360 gamers are used to paying for added play. Why would they care?

[Godmars290]

Because others are getting it for free?

[NateDPG]

lol

[likedamaster]

"...there are features of the Titan Pack that 360 already has, like split screen support, and some of the maps that will now be available for PC, Steam and PS3 gamers. Other features, like the integrated mod browser, Xbox 360 doesn’t support."

On the same token, I'm glad the PS3 got something exclusive.
It gives PS3 owners some incentive to buy.

[tudors]

that has not happened yet? this is not official news.

[FFXI101]

This's what we can expect from M$$$$$$$.

[MmaFanQc]

yesterday my friend(hardcore xbox fanboy) and me(have all the console but i im a ps3 fanboy...i was a 360 fanboy before purchasing my ps3)

so my friend me was talking about the psn vs xblive GOLD, and he told me "MS charge 50$ per year for the online service because they can spend it on exclusive DLC like the last GTA4 DLC" so i anwsered "well, you ALSO have to pay for you famous GTA4 DLC? ...sry but i dont see why they should charge your xblive gold service AND you DLC..."

the only response he gave me sounded like "but..but...but"

after 20min he jumped of boat and now he agree with me that the 50$ per year is not a justified cost when you have a competitor who give the same service for free.(the psn still lack of "cross in-game chating")

[Th3 Chr0nic]

For one it doesnt cost 50 anymore. it is on sale right now for 39.99 and it will probably stay that way.

also the GTA4 DLC is worth the cost of it. If more DLC of this quality was released it would be amazing. Also PSN and xbox live are not the same service.....they are the same type of service but the level and quality of one outweighs the other.

[nothere413]

Microsoft is certainly hurting their relationship with one of their biggest developers...

Let's just hope it doesn't come back to bite them in the ass.

[Dante43]

I might get this on Sunday, it 15$ at my local EB GAMES, and if i dont like it i can return it, nice.

[outlawlife]

800mb isnt even approaching the ms download limit, the limit is somewhere around 2gb

the argument about the limit being because of arcade systems is also bunk because if the limit is 800mb that is still outside the memory abilities of the arcade, the arcade has 256mb internal memory and uses memory units which only go up to 512

so explain that please

the reason is one of or a combo of the following

-the version of ut3 on ps3 and 360 use different versions of UE3(the ps3 version is closer to gears1 spec where as 360 version is closer to 3.5 which is gears 2 spec)therefore epic doesn't want to do the extra legwork of porting

-ut3 on 360 has the majority of this content already, again coming down to epic not wanting to create a console specific pack

-ut3 is dead on 360 and has been and epic doesn't want to support a dead game

considering the facts of the engine differences and the content disparities the file size on 360 would actually be very much smaller so the size limit is not a logical reason

if epic wanted this to be free they would do it, all you have to do is look at games like burnout paradise...how many free updates have they had so far? all of which over this supposed 800mb limit

MS has "limits" but these limits are often bent, epic is misleading the public on this one, even if you are anti microsoft the facts are there to see

this is all epic, the evidence is in several recent games and DLC

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

No...that's not what the article says.

Ban it!

[SIX]

.

[cliffbo]

you'll see more and more of this in 2009. it's about space, the ability to store what's on offer and the capacity of Blu-ray

[denied]

Why do guys act so surprise?When was the last time MS gave there Fans something FREE? Think of this if you plan to buy a 360 and I don't see why you would want to,From what I have heard about XBOX,You have to ((pay 800 MS points the equivalent of $10 bucks)) and for every account you wana make it will cost you $10 each. Thats such great way to treat your fans MS, you guys should change you slogan from ((jump in)) to XBOX PAY FOR EVERYTHING...

P.s. the the PS3 accounts are all free. I hope it does not bother you..

[denied]

thumbs up to MS for reaping another whole on there fans and DEVS. Call me a cheap Fan but if it ain't free it ain't for me. lol.

Hey is it true you gota pay for everything you do on your xbox,like when you open the box,plug it in,turn it on ect.ect.ect that like a billion MS worthless points.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

If not this generation, MS will up that space. It would be great!

[jro211]

Why should I care about something like this when Microsoft ensured PS3 gamers got the shaft with their buyouts of DLC (Fallout 3, GTA 4). F-em.