Locking key game features behind paywalls feels like 2024. This is the move that Sega appears to be pursuing Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. PC gamer has discovered that the game’s New Game Plus mode is limited to premium versions of the game that cost at least $15 more than the Digital Standard Edition.
It’s not a cheap standard edition either, as at $70 it’s an artificially limited version of the huge game. Apparently, to get a version that lists New Game+ as included, you’ll need to get the $85 Deluxe Edition or the $110 Ultimate Edition. Good sir.
New Game Plus modes are a fairly standard feature of games like Like a dragon, where enormous scale and astonishing depth require playing through a second time with everything unlocked. It’s certainly a staple of what was once known as a perennial favorite Yakuza series before changing its name in recent years. So it’s fair to say that most people who spend money on the standard version of the game would expect this standard feature. But if Infinite wealthThe marketing is correct, you would have had to pay microscopic attention to the details to notice anything different.
Buried on the game’s official website, in a terrible, hard-to-read font, is a cheesy table that appears to contain this information.
But the same information is completely missing from the games steam or PlayStation Store Page. You might imagine that the logical solution here is that the official website is wrong, as such a core feature is not mentioned anywhere other than Paywall. However – and again kudos to Mollie Taylor PC gamer
“I just want to ask for clarification as to whether the suggested teasers for Infinite Wealth mean that we need the Deluxe Edition with the Master Vacation Pack to play New Game+?” asked Megasomark.
“I checked again,” replies Anna from Sega Support, “and can confirm that the New Game+ feature is indeed only available with the Master Vacation package.”
That seems pretty conclusive. However, we have of course reached out to Sega to get their official word and ask why this decision was made.
Many companies have recently realized that where there is the ability to update software remotely, there is also the ability to lock more features behind paywalls. The automotive industry is currently in complete disarray in this regard, as manufacturers not only offer pampering features such as: B. restrict Seat warmer behind subscription payments, but also how efficiently your new car’s battery works, how quickly the car accelerates or maintains its self-driving ability. So it’s not all that surprising that publishers are looking for ways to get people to buy into these ridiculously overpriced “special editions” that go beyond the promise of a few different imaginary outfits and a few extra missions. However, this move could backfire spectacularly.
