EW schrieb:
Hello Hunters,
Last week, we released the Tents and Ground Blinds DLC. Your reactions to this content have been strong, and they have not fallen on deaf ears. With this note, we hope to clarify our position on DLC in general, and make sure you know what to expect from theHunter: Call of the Wild in the future.
Ever since we announced theHunter: Call of the Wild in late 2016, we were open about the business model we had chosen for the game. We called it a one-time purchase which would be supported by “both free and paid DLC”.
True to that statement, theHunter: Call of the Wild was released as a stand-alone game at $29.99. Since launch, we have released over a dozen patches (typically at least one each week), as well as two minor DLC’s at no cost. The “Tents and Ground Blinds #1” package is our first paid DLC since the February release.
Many have purchased and enjoyed the DLC, but some of you have also expressed criticism and argued that it’s a microtransaction, or that it opens the door for future microtransactions.
To us, there is a rather clear distinction between microtransactions and DLC. For example, if you would have been prompted to repeatedly purchase ammunition, tents or supplies with real-life or premium currency, that would be a clear case of microtransactions. This first paid DLC, on the other hand, is an optional one-time purchase. You certainly don’t need it to enjoy the game. Once you unlock it, you can use it in-game as you please with no need to ever pay for it again. There is no per-item charge in real-life currency, which is a point we probably could have communicated more clearly.
The basic functionality of fast travel and ground blinds already exists in the game. While Tents and Ground Blinds do add to the overall experience, they do not give DLC owners any major edge in the game. Their guests can also use it in multiplayer games. For these reasons, we think of the DLC as optional in every sense.
Some of you have made the point that Tents and Ground Blinds is a smaller addition to the game, and that you would prefer bigger features or brand new hunting reserves as DLC’s. Rest assured that we have heard you, and that our next few DLCs will be more substantial. In the future, we plan to release content of varying character, price (we still have several free DLC’s planned!) and complexity to theHunter: Call of the Wild. Your feedback has made it clear that we should focus on larger or more substantial DLC, rather than smaller stand-alone items, even if those items are one-time purchases and not consumables. We have some very cool content planned, and we can’t wait to share it with you all.
Lastly, let’s talk about bugs. We’ll readily admit that there were too many of those for anyone’s taste at launch. Our dedicated team have since worked tirelessly to squash them, patch by patch, while also adding or tweaking content. We’re happy with how far we've come in the few months since release. However, we are far from done, and future DLC releases will not affect this work in any way. We have a separate team dedicated to fixing bugs, and they will keep working to make the ultimate hunting experience even more enjoyable, regardless if players have all the DLC packages or none of them installed. Speaking of which, Patch 1.7 is being prepared right now.
To round off, we hope that this note provided some clarity behind our reasoning. While it’s never enjoyable to be on the receiving end of criticism, we’re honestly happy to see that you care so deeply about the game. theHunter is a franchise built around - even alongside - its community. theHunter: Call of the Wild will be no exception. We’re still at the very start of this journey. While some of you are also part of the theHunter Classic community, many are new to the franchise. We’re still learning what you value and how you prefer your hunting experience. Rest assured that we listen closely to your feedback, and will do everything we can to advance the game in the direction you hope for.
Thanks for your dedication, and happy hunting!
theHunter: Call of the Wild Team

