The Culling Details Free-To-Play ‘Origins’ Update, Future Plans (VIDEO)
The utter failure of battle royale sequel The Culling 2 definitely called for some intense reflection on the part of Xaviant Games, as their efforts were decidedly shunned by the collective gaming community. However, instead of calling it quits, the studio demonstrated intent to win back their former fans, refocusing development on what originally made their game popular, the Day One version of The Culling.
Xaviant head Josh Van Veld has now unveiled the developers’ plans for the foreseeable future, detailing the first new update called “The Culling: Origins.” The idea behind the overhaul is to preserve the gameplay and overall vibe of the popular 2016 incarnation, while retaining the bug fixes, optimizations, and balance changes of the currently live version.
One of the only major alterations to the game will be its transition to a free-to-play format, a move that will enable a greater player base in exchange for optional purchasable items. Van Veld explains that while the Origins update will put cosmetic items behind a paywall, anyone who had already received these in-game items will keep them in their inventory. As a further treat for fans, original owners of The Culling will also receive access to a special “Founders Pack” of undisclosed content.
Focus on user loyalty doesn’t end there, as it’s also said that player input will factor in all future updates. As a way to avoid an unappealing repeat of history, Xaviant expressed plans to take constructive feedback from Steam and social media, and base their updates’ contents on the goodwill of the community. Van Veld even confirms that his team is open to rolling back features if they end up being poorly-received by players.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo5f5ByDplk
As of now, a release for The Culling: Origins update isn’t set, but Xaviant assures any new information will be unveiled as soon as it’s available. In the meantime, players are free to check out the Day One edition of the game, which re-launched on Steam just last month. While not bringing in the best player numbers, overall fan response has been positive, at least enough to bring the original game‘s “Negative” rating up to “Mixed.” One can only expect further praise if the free-to-play transition goes as well as advertised.
What do you think? Are you happy about Xaviant’s plans, or is The Culling too far gone to save? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more from the realm of battle royale, check out these next few news stories:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
