Spartan Ops free? hmmm

Games Other Halo
1

In the most recent bulletin, 6.13.12, in the first question of the Q&As, this was asked: “How will we acquire the Spartan Ops missions every week? Will they take up a large amount of room on the hard drive?” –Spartan King

And Frankie answered: “It will require storage and,<mark>more importantly, an Xbox Live Gold account</mark> – for online play and <mark>downloadable content.</mark> Folks should definitely consider this when purchasing Halo 4. Although I would note that it doesn’t matter which version of the game – LE or Standard, since <mark>it is included in the price of Halo 4.”</mark>

I can’t really understand if he means that an xbox live gold membership is important because Spartan Ops is, shall I say, co-op focused, or simply that gold is required to download the spartan Ops missions. He does say “downloadable content”, which he may have been speaking on a broader basis, (such as: gold is important for downloading new map packs and multiplayer conetent). Also he mentions “online play”, which can mean co-op or multiplayer (war games). But relevant to the question, I assume he reffers to the Spartan Ops dlc

“Tt is included in the price of Halo 4.” Then I should not be forced to pay for a gold membership! Really now? Why do we gamers get lied to so much now-a-days! I am not blaming anything on 343i, because I know it is Microsofts greedy bussiness, but 343i, do not lie to us please.

There are some of us that want the game just for the story (misions/campaign), and multiplayer is the the least of the package, thus, for people such as my self, we shouldn’t be forced to pay additional money for a service we do not want. I barely even play my xbox any more, and Halo4 is going to be the game that will change that. Note that I am not saying I do not plan on playing MP, I very likely will when I find the time to do so, but paying for gold for something I will not play (or barely play) during the game’s luanch cicle, to get DLC that supposedly comes with the price of the game is just not right.

The way I see it is: Microsoft knows this game will be BIG, so they are going to force everyone that wants Spartan Ops to get xbl gold and cash in. I just really hate where the gaming industry is headed.

I of course stand to be corrected, so if anyone knows if the Spartan Ops dlc is not required to have a gold membership, please advise me.

Thank you.

EDIT: The main point of my arguement is that we have been told that it is FREE, that it is part of the Halo4 package, and until now we get told that Gold is required, so in a way 343i was not completely clear (what I mean when I say that ‘they kinda lied’). I would also like to mention that many Halo players have and do have Gold anyways, no matter what, – not just because of Halo – so MS has not much to lose by making Spartan Ops free from a Gold membership; They will get the money either way.

2

I doubt they’ll downgrade it to silver access.

Why? To MS’ opinion, who has a xbox but no live? And if they dont, this could be a marketing ploy.

either way, i dont see it as a big hassle at all. When im not in the mood to pay full, i just buy a 3 months worth, or a month.

3

You seem to be forgetting the video game industry is an INDUSTRY. Of course they are going to squeeze you for money, that’s kind of what businesses do, that’s what any business would do. There are certain companies that try to hold artistic license such as 343, Epic games, and others that try to make games into an art form more than money, but as for Microsoft in general they don’t care. They will squeeze you for every cent you have because that is how they make money and stay in business. Also the Halo 4 seemed to be mostly targeted at Gold members anyway, because of the matchmaking system and trying to blend the lines between campaign and multiplayer. As online influence increases over the Xbox so will the amount of games that will require it.

4

Double post, sorry.

5

Spartan Ops: designed for multiplayer.

Xbox Live Gold: required for Multiplayer.

1+1=???

How can so many people be this stupid? What’s next? Are you going to whine that you need an xbox and a TV to play it? “OMG, a TV costs extra and is a service I don’t want! So unfair!”

6

The Halo series has always been known for it’s addictive, and amazing multiplayer. Yes, the story is great, but majority of players move to the multiplayer after they complete the campaign and stay there. Halo and multiplayer go hand and hand, and just like multiplayer in any Xbox game, it requires Gold Live. Therefor, Spartan Ops requiring Gold is pretty much a given, and should really just be implied from the get-go.

7

(None of this is aimed at anyone in specific, just merely thoughts on the matter.)

On one hand I can understand maybe not being able to afford XBL. But given that, are you really in any condition to be able to afford Halo 4? And also, how do people even enjoy a Halo game beyond the initial few playthroughs of the campaign, without Gold? I think just playing campaign over and over would lose its flair fairly fast. Multiplayer is pretty big imo.

/2cents

OT: They aren’t lying about anything, Spartan Ops is in fact included in the games initial pricetag. It’s, like you said, MS that is making you buy Gold to access later installments of it.

Of course this can change, so we’ll see.

8

Remember, nothing is ever free. The money is always taken from somewhere. In this case, it’s indirectly taken from you through your Gold account. Expecting basically a huge campaign DLC for free is irrational. You see, making those missions isn’t free. Personally, I pay for Live anyway and so does many other Halo player. So, I rather take the Spartan Ops with a Gold account as a requirement than pay extra for it.

So, while I know it’s a marketing trick, almost a scam, I’m not mad about it. Then again, I can see the reasoning behind being angry about it. Personally I’m just much more happy about it this way than having to pay for the missions.

9

> I doubt they’ll downgrade it to silver access.
>
> Why? To MS’ opinion, who has a xbox but no live? And if they dont, this could be a marketing ploy.
>
> either way, i dont see it as a big hassle at all. When im not in the mood to pay full, i just buy a 3 months worth, or a month.

Well thats MS of course and that is why I said it is not 343i thats behind it. But like I said, I do not play my xbox that much any more, and when I do I play off-line. And Spartan Ops could be played solo, and I think also split screen. My main arguement though is that 343i has told us that it is free (the first season if I recall correctly), and now they tell us that gold is required. And no it is not a big hassle at all, it is just that 343i kinda lied -____-

10

> it is just that 343i kinda lied -____-

No, they didn’t. It’s free. You just need a service to access it. It’s like Netflix. All their movies are free to rent, you just need their service to rent them.

Makes perfect sense.

11

> You seem to be forgetting the video game industry is an INDUSTRY. Of course they are going to squeeze you for money, that’s kind of what businesses do, that’s what any business would do. There are certain companies that try to hold artistic license such as 343, Epic games, and others that try to make games into an art form more than money, but as for Microsoft in general they don’t care. They will squeeze you for every cent you have because that is how they make money and stay in business. <mark>Also the Halo 4 seemed to be mostly targeted at Gold members anyway, because of the matchmaking system and trying to blend the lines between campaign and multiplayer.</mark> As online influence increases over the Xbox so will the amount of games that will require it.

Yeah that is true, but 343i has said that they are reaching out to all audiances, how about those of us that play Halo for the story?

And I do realize it is an indusstry lol, I just hate its practices. If you have been up to date with the news recenlty (last few months), I think you should know what I mean.

12

> > it is just that 343i kinda lied -____-
>
> No, they didn’t. It’s free. You just need a service to access it. It’s like Netflix. All their movies are free to rent, you just need their service to rent them.
>
> Makes perfect sense.

Which is why I said “kinda”. They kept saying it is FREE, and have not acknolegded that gold is required until recently.

13

> Spartan Ops: designed for multiplayer.
>
> Xbox Live Gold: required for Multiplayer.
>
>
>
> 1+1=???
>
>
>
> How can so many people be this stupid? What’s next? Are you going to whine that you need an xbox and a TV to play it? “OMG, a TV costs extra and is a service I don’t want! So unfair!”

Stupid you say? Spartan Ops can be played locally! Please get informed before posting. And a TV is not a service by the way, lol. And niether is an xbox, so as long as you play off-line. Stupid you say?

14

> > You seem to be forgetting the video game industry is an INDUSTRY. Of course they are going to squeeze you for money, that’s kind of what businesses do, that’s what any business would do. There are certain companies that try to hold artistic license such as 343, Epic games, and others that try to make games into an art form more than money, but as for Microsoft in general they don’t care. They will squeeze you for every cent you have because that is how they make money and stay in business. <mark>Also the Halo 4 seemed to be mostly targeted at Gold members anyway, because of the matchmaking system and trying to blend the lines between campaign and multiplayer.</mark> As online influence increases over the Xbox so will the amount of games that will require it.
>
> Yeah that is true, but 343i has said that they are reaching out to all audiances, how about those of us that play Halo for the story?
>
> And I do realize it is an indusstry lol, I just hate its practices. If you have been up to date with the news recenlty (last few months), I think you should know what I mean.

Well Spartan Ops wasn’t exactly developed for free, everything costs money and that money has to come from somewhere.

15

> Remember, nothing is ever free. The money is always taken from somewhere. In this case, it’s indirectly taken from you through your Gold account. Expecting basically a huge campaign DLC for free is irrational. You see, making those missions isn’t free. Personally, <mark>I pay for Live anyway and so does many other Halo player.</mark> So, I rather take the Spartan Ops with a Gold account as a requirement than pay extra for it.
>
> So, while I know it’s a marketing trick, almost a scam, I’m not mad about it. Then again, I can see the reasoning behind being angry about it. Personally I’m just much more happy about it this way than having to pay for the missions.

Highlighted quote: Exactly! So if the majority of Halo players have Gold, MS will not much to lose anyway.

And it is not irrational at all to expect it to be free when we have been told so that it is free.

16

In general, downloadable content is often kept from members with a silver account, for a limited period of time if not indefinitely (it can depend). Here’s the truth: Spartan Ops is downloaded mission that are included in the price of Halo 4. How important a gold membership is isn’t entirely clear, but if it really bugs you, try this: wait until season 1 is over, activate a free 48 hr. trial of XBL, and download all the Spartan Ops content.

17

Spartan Ops counts as online play, no conspiracy there. It’s still amazing all of it is free.

18

I can see where you’re coming from op but I’m not upset that it’s Gold. Rather, I’m upset that 343 didn’t clarify on this sooner.

It’s just like what they said about Anniversary. When they mentioned that the bridge jump was still possible, they didn’t mention graphics clutter or that Anniversary was based on Halo PC.

19

> In general, downloadable content is often kept from members with a silver account, for a limited period of time if not indefinitely (it can depend). Here’s the truth: Spartan Ops is downloaded mission that are included in the price of Halo 4. How important a gold membership is isn’t entirely clear, but if it really bugs you, try this: wait until season 1 is over, activate a free 48 hr. trial of XBL, and download all the Spartan Ops content.

Clever, that is clever lol.

But I do not think I will wait that long. After all I planned on playing Campaign and Spartan Ops the most during Halo4’s luanch cicle, I was going to hold off on multiplayer until I find time to really get into it, mainly because I also plan on getting into forge too. And adding on to it, Halo4 will be the only game I play on my xbox anyways, and paying for gold will only be for Spartan Ops. So, very likely I’ll take advantage of it and play multiplayer after all and hold off on forge instead -__-

20

> > In general, downloadable content is often kept from members with a silver account, for a limited period of time if not indefinitely (it can depend). Here’s the truth: Spartan Ops is downloaded mission that are included in the price of Halo 4. How important a gold membership is isn’t entirely clear, but if it really bugs you, try this: wait until season 1 is over, activate a free 48 hr. trial of XBL, and download all the Spartan Ops content.
>
> Clever, that is clever lol.
>
> But I do not think I will wait that long. After all I planned on playing Campaign and Spartan Ops the most during Halo4’s luanch cicle, I was going to hold off on multiplayer until I find time to really get into it, mainly because I also plan on getting into forge too. And adding on to it, Halo4 will be the only game I play on my xbox anyways, and paying for gold will only be for Spartan Ops. So, very likely I’ll take advantage of it and play multiplayer after all and hold off on forge instead -__-

Now do you see why they did it? You’re not the only one who’s thinking this way, needing Gold for Spartan Ops will make a lot of people want to buy Gold.