So...Why isn't KI 1 and 2 included in the Anniversary Update?

[SageBLOKHEAD]

So if Anniversary Edition is replacing Definitive Edition all together on all digital stores… that means KI1 and KI2 classic, plus the Definitive Edition app, are just no longer going to exist for any new players from here on out ? I’m sorry, but that’s a pretty ■■■■■■■ stupid idea. (If True)

Im kinda surprised not many people are calling them out on this. Because that’s just insane.

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I mean what benefit does it serve to lockaway the two Xbox ports of KI1 and 2? Wouldn’t it make more sense to just include them in the new Anniversary Edition, you know… so new players could have a better chance of playing them and have easier access to them?? What gives??

Furthermore, why is the Definitive Edition app suddenly getting scrapped also? Seems very wasteful to just throw all that effort in the vault for no apparent reason. All those cool interviews, galleries, bonus features Should Be Preserved! Should they not?

I could understand them not getting anymore updates, but to remove them completely for any possible newcomers once DE retires? Thats just a baffling decision for something thats supposed to "Celebrate KI’s Legacy". Its almost ironic.

Unless IG/MS are planning to port KI1 and 2 on Steam in the future, maybe on the Xbox Store as their own standalone ports along with the DE app separately, (Why they haven’t done that in the first place after all these years, still puzzles me.), then I simply do not understand the reasoning for this, other than some out of touch decision making.

Even though they’re just “extra features”, I see no reason not to include them in the Anniversary Edition. Bottom line. We’ve had these features since 2016, so why cant any future players have them now?? Makes no sense, really.

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(And Yes, I know people like me who already have the DE disc( I hope) can still use and access these features “apparently”, but I’m strictly talking about those who haven’t bought it beforehand, moving forward after the Anniversary update drops. The disc versions are already a limited commodity, so not sure what Microsoft gains here by causing artificial rarity like this.)

I’m just trying to look out for people who haven’t bought Definitive Edition after the new update rolls out. Missing content is not something to take lightly, no matter how small or trivial it can be, imo.

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Just venting out my concerns. And considering how little information we’re getting on some of the details, I see no reason NOT to be concerned if this is what they’re actually doing. One step forward, two steps back.

[xCrimsonLegendx]

Seems like they’re simply trying to pursue a T rating for some reason.

[SageBLOKHEAD]

@xCrimsonLegendx

Seems like they’re simply trying to pursue a T rating for some reason.

They could still place them separately on the xbox store front. Not sure whats preventing them to do that, other than negligence.

The whole exclusion just feels very arbitrary. T ratings or not.

[Juxtapose13]

If you already have them purchased, you don’t lost them. You can download the App from your App Library, and the classic games from your Games Library.

New players, however, will not be able to get them.

[SageBLOKHEAD]

@Juxtapose13

New players, however, will not be able to get them.

This right here is what Im trying to bring attention to, sir.

Yeah, I still have it, but the point Im trying to make is if I’d want to recommend the game’s history to somebody who hadnt bought it beforehand (Other than emulation) whelp, then they’re basically S.O.L.

I simply do not see the benefit from them doing this, for newer players. Why should they miss out on all that content just because they were late to the party? Thats pretty unfair.

When Definitive Edition originally launched, at no point did they ever say it was “Limited Time Only”. It feels like a bait and switch, imo.

[Juxtapose13]

Ah, fair enough and a good point.

Yeah, new players legit option now I guess would be the 1Up cabinet. A rather pricey option.

My speculation, aside from Xbox Studios wanting the “Anniversary Edition” to have a Teen rating, is that the classics simply were not selling had an extremely small player base. Again, just speculation though.

I wouldn’t call it a bait and switch, though. Editions to indeed get retired sometimes, and updated/enhanced/remastered versions take their place and some content may not be available or changes.

[SageBLOKHEAD]

@Juxtapose13

the classics simply were not selling had an extremely small player base. Again, just speculation though.

I mean had they originally allowed for KI1 and 2 to be purchasable by themselves instead of being exclusively pre order bonuses when Season 1 released, they probably could’ve avoided having a small player count. Imo

Considering those two ports actually had online multiplayer, removing them from Anniversary will only cause the playerbase for those versions to become even more empty, I would imagine.

@Juxtapose13

My speculation, aside from Xbox Studios wanting the “Anniversary Edition” to have a Teen rating,

Again this one kinda confuses me if it truly is the case. Just because the reboot is rated T shouldn’t mean the classics cant be salvaged as their own separate products from here on out.

Hell, they could easily just rebrand Definitive Edition App as the “Anniversary Edition App”. All it really has is interviews and bonus features, not sure how that itself would qualify under an M rating.

To me, it comes off like they just couldn’t be bothered to carry it over, so they left it behind. Maybe they couldn’t get Code Mystics in time, I dont know. Like you said, all we have is speculation. Whatever the reason is, its still pretty backwards thinking.

@Juxtapose13

I wouldn’t call it a bait and switch, though. Editions to indeed get retired sometimes, and updated/enhanced/remastered versions take their place and some content may not be available or changes.

Even so, it feels like they’re offering less content overall for the full package.(Again, for newer players.) Definitive was roughly the same price IIRC, but had all that extra content and features. What does Anniversary add as a substitute? Not much else other than the new UI and balance tweaks.

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I just think its a little ridiculous that right as we get a new revival to this game, they throw this under the radar. But apparently it worked, seeing I’m the only guy really concerned about it, it seems. Idk, unless Microsoft/Iron Galaxy have a plan to revive them in the future, then I simply do not understand, nor agree, with this decision, as of right now.

Killer Instinct as a brand, is already niche enough as it is, last thing anyone needs is for a port they can’t have anymore. (Pretty much how it was during the Season 1-Mid Season 2 days, unfortunately.)

[Juxtapose13]

All fair and vaid points.

Keep in mind though, classic fighting games typically have smaller player bases overall. i.e. the lack of profitability there is the reason we haven’t had a re-release of the classic Mortal Kombat games since the “Arcade Kollection” of 2011 on 7th generation consoles.

For the T rating, I believe it was the classic games specifically, not the App, that gave the “Definitive Edition” an M rating.

The Anniversary Edition also adds in optimization for modern consoles and DirectX 12 rendering. More back-end stuff, really.

Keep in mind if you are indeed the only guy worried about this, it does show the limited interest in the classic games, which may add validation to Xbox Game Studio’s decision.

Regardless, all speculation.

[SageBLOKHEAD]

@Juxtapose13

Keep in mind if you are indeed the only guy worried about this, it does show the limited interest in the classic games, which may add validation to Xbox Game Studio’s decision.

Maybe so in their eyes, but that still doesn’t make it OK. Outdated games or not, I would’ve preferred if all versions of the game should be easily available. Sorta how Capcoms been doing with some of their recent arcade bundles as of late. (And then some.)

@Juxtapose13

Mortal Kombat games since the “Arcade Kollection” of 2011 on 7th generation console

Arcade Kollection is pretty spot on with that comparison. Its essentially the same situation more or less. Except Iron Galaxy at least tries to be more open to feedback, unlike WB.

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Hell, even Phill Spencer believes modern gaming isnt doing a good job at preserving it’s own history. If the head of Xbox says its a possibility, then cases like this isn’t helping in the slightest imo.

I mean they keep touting how they want gaming to be more convenient, and yet they do stuff like this.

Conflict of interest I guess is what it all boils down to.

[Juxtapose13]

@SageBLOKHEAD

Conflict of interest I guess is what it all boils down to.

Perhaps so.

Another thing to think about: assuming the leaks from the FTC trial are true, then in about a year the Xbox Series X will be re-released without a disc drive; Xbox will be going fully digital.

Should that prove true, that’s another kick on keeping gaming history going.

[SageBLOKHEAD]

@Juxtapose13

Another thing to think about: assuming the leaks from the FTC trial are true, then in about a year the Xbox Series X will be re-released without a disc drive; Xbox will be going fully digital.

Should that prove true, that’s another kick on keeping gaming history going.

Same thing is happening with Playstation 5 pros, reportadly the disc drives now require a day one update, otherwise they wont read the discs. Might not be an issue for you, but I find that completely unnecessary.

Guess its goodbye to physical ownership… Corporations are all excited, but the people who actually buy and play these games are the ones who end up getting screwed.

Only a matter of time before the KI Reboot itself suffers from being de-listed in the future all together.

[Juxtapose13]

@SageBLOKHEAD

Same thing is happening with Playstation 5 pros, reportadly the disc drives now require a day one update, otherwise they wont read the discs.

We’ll see later this year. Keep in mind, the PlayStation 5 “Pro” has not yet been announced, and everything we know about it is all leaks and speculation at this point. As-of-this-typing, the product doesn’t even officially exist.

@SageBLOKHEAD

Guess its goodbye to physical ownership… Corporations are all excited, but the people who actually buy and play these games are the ones who end up getting screwed.

That’s a matter of perspective. Keep in mind in the PC space, gaming went all-digital roughly a decade ago, and not only is everything fine there, but the PC is the platform with the best legacy preservation bar none.

For consoles, digital has been coming in for years now, and it’s only a matter of time before the transition happens fully (Digital Foundry expects this will occur by decade’s-end). On console, games no longer play from the disc anymore either, the disc is simply an installation medium. So even the use of game discs has changed from, say, the 7th generation.

@SageBLOKHEAD

Only a matter of time before the KI Reboot itself suffers from being de-listed in the future all together.

While anything is possible, in the console space, Microsoft has been the console leader in backwards compatibility and game preservation. Killer Instinct: Anniversary Edition is also available on PC, including on Steam, so the worst case scenario is it will be preserved there.

[BobbCane]

As much as I love KI, it has a disgusting always online DRM, since it always attempts to sync with the servers on startup to detect DLCs and so on. I wouldn’t be so optimistic about Microsoft’s stance on “preservation” and that includes KI, unless the “Ultratech server” check thingy gets addressed in the future most of the game will become unplayable when the servers go down.
It’s still good that Xbox is taking steps to be as customer friendly as possible in the digital-only future, but personally it’s a future I would have avoided altogether.

[KombatLeaguer]

Maybe they’ll finally sell them separately? Or include them in some sort of second volume of Rare Replay.

[Juxtapose13]

@BobbCane

I wouldn’t be so optimistic about Microsoft’s stance on “preservation” and that includes KI,

While anything is possible, keep in mind Microsoft is the console leader in game preservation and backwards compatibility. They’ve done far better then Sony here, and are leaps and bounds ahead of Nintendo.

@BobbCane

unless the “Ultratech server” check thingy gets addressed in the future most of the game will become unplayable when the servers go down.

If you haven’t heard of it, I strongly encourage you to check out the “Stop Killing Games” campaign, as it directly falls in line with your comment.

@BobbCane

but personally it’s a future I would have avoided altogether.

Sadly, lots of publishers are embracing the always-online model. It’s not just Microsoft.

[KombatLeaguer]

For the record, I was able to play KI on my steam deck away from my house completely disconnected from wifi and I was able to play the game just fine. The only thing that didn’t work was Shadow Lords Mode, and obviously online vs mode.

[BobbCane]

Being the console leader in preservation and backwards compatibility doesn’t mean much when the whole industry is hellbent on destroying the concept of game ownership and Xbox was the first platform to push for all-digital.
I know about stopkillinggames and I’m trying to spread the word as much as possible. I’m not optimistic though.

[Juxtapose13]

@BobbCane

Being the console leader in preservation and backwards compatibility doesn’t mean much when the whole industry is hellbent on destroying the concept of game ownership and Xbox was the first platform to push for all-digital.

A few things to consider here:

• All-digital happened in the PC space several years prior. You have Steam to thank for this.
• Whether it’s a physical or digital copy, you legally do not own the game (there are a few countries where this is debatable based on local laws though). You have purchased a license to use the software, which can be revoked at any time for any reason. This has been the case since the early '80’s, possibly before.

@BobbCane

I know about stopkillinggames and I’m trying to spread the word as much as possible. I’m not optimistic though.

That’s good to hear, I really hope the campaign makes an impact over time.

[Juxtapose13]

I assume this was the Steam version of the game, as opposed to the Windows Store version?

[KombatLeaguer]

Yes. The Steam version. To run the Windows Store version you’ed have to run a different OS or use Xbox Cloud Gaming, which obviously doesn’t work without an internet connection.